How the stars of Masters Of The Air all owe their Hollywood acting careers to the women who raised t

They’ve become the toasts of Hollywood thanks to their new Apple TV+ series Masters of the Air.

And while Austin Butler, Callum Turner and Barry Keoghan all likewise boast dashing good looks, easy charm and on-screen talent, their similarities with one another don’t end there.

Indeed, the Hollywood heartthrobs have all at one time or another credited their mothers for inspiring them to act.

Londoner Callum, 33, has said he got his talent from his single mother Rosemary, who dreamt of being an actress, while Austin, 32, was painfully shy as a child until ‘being silly’ with the woman who raised him ‘broke him out of his shell’.

Sadly, both Austin and Dublin-born Barry, 31, lost their mothers at a young age; the American Elvis star was just 23 years old when his parent Lori died from cancer, while Barry’s mother Debbie passed away from a heroin overdose when he was 12. 

While Austin Butler (right), Callum Turner (left) and Barry Keoghan (centre) all likewise boast dashing good looks, easy charm and on-screen talent, their similarities with one another don’t end there

Opening up about how his mother knew he enjoyed performing, the Saltburn star told GQ: ‘I’d love to make her laugh, and just dance for her.’

Similarly, Austin revealed how it was acting for his mother which helped rid him of his shyness as a child.

He said on Saturday Night Live in December 2022: ‘Being silly with her is what broke me out of my shell and it’s the core of what started me in acting.

‘Even though I had this crippling shyness, when I was with her, I’d do anything to make my mom laugh. I’d make funny faces and voices. I’d even do this ridiculous Gollum impression.’

In 2014, Austin tragically lost his mother Lori, an aesthetician, to cancer when he was just 23 years old.

Speaking to TODAY, Austin explained how his mother quit her job to drive him to auditions and acting classes all around California.

He explained: ‘When she was in high school, she wanted to be an actor. So I think I’m sort of getting to live this life for both of us in that way. She was my best friend.’

What’s more, Austin told Access Hollywood that he was so devastated by the loss of his mother that he almost quit acting.

Undated photo of Austin Butler and his late mother Lori Anne, his father David and sister Ashley 

Sadly, both Austin and Dublin-born Barry, 31, lost their mothers at a young age; the American Elvis star was just 23 years old when his parent Lori died from cancer, while Barry’s mother Debbie (pictured centre) passed away from a heroin overdose when he was 12

Londoner Callum, 33, has said he got his talent from his single mother Rosemary, who dreamt of being an actress

He said: ‘After my mom passed away, it put things in a different perspective where I started to question if this was a profession that could help the world or anything.’ 

While still grieving his mother, Austin flew to New Zealand to film a series that was cancelled after two seasons. He explained that although the show was enjoyed by viewers and that he himself had ‘fun’ shooting, ‘I’d go home and cry every night.’ 

‘I was dealing with grief, but it was also this feeling that I wasn’t aligned with something that felt truly fulfilling,’ he added, revealing that he was around 24-years-old at the time and was ready to take a break from acting. 

Barry, meanwhile, has previously opened up about performing for his late mother as a child to make her laugh.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he revealed that losing his parent ‘wasn’t a shock’, adding: ‘But oh, she was so beautiful.’

He added that he and his younger brother Eric spent much of their childhood visiting her in hospital when she suffered from drug-related illnesses and recalled: ‘I’d do this Elvis dance for her. They’d just rereleased A Little Less Conversation — she loved it.’

Barry said: ‘I was working with Austin (who played Elvis in Baz Luhrmann’s biopic) and I shared that memory, started doing the dance for him… ‘ 

The actor had a tumultuous childhood as a result of his mother’s addiction and when he was five, Barry and his younger brother Eric went into foster care, living in 13 different homes before they moved into his aunt and grandmother’s two-bedroom flat. 

Austin Butler, pictured with his older sister Ashley, has previously spoken about how he didn’t plan to be an actor as a young child, as he was extremely shy 

British model turned actor Callum Turner has shot to stardom in recent times, but he owes it all to his ‘brilliant’ mother Rosemary Turner. (The pair are thought to be pictured together during Callum’s  childhood)

Barry Keoghan (right) and his brother Eric (left) were foster care for seven years, with the two siblings staying in 13 different homes over that period

Barry explained: ‘My cousin, who I call my sister, was 15 and she gave up her bedroom for us — until five years ago she was sleeping in a room with my auntie. I owe them all so much.’

He added that nowadays: ‘My family’s most concerned about my wellbeing, all the [stardom] stuff is secondary to them… But they have a good chat about it in the pub! They get their pints in.’ 

He also previously revealed that acting helped him overcome some of the trauma of his childhood, after initially pursuing careers in boxing and football. 

The actor went on to star in international blockbusters like The Eternals and Batman before achieving critical-acclaim for his role as Dominic Kearney in The Banshees of Inisherin. 

On Monday, the Saltburn star wore a silver bracelet which had his beloved mother’s initials engraved onto it when attending the the Masters Of The Air Premiere at the Picturehouse in London.

The actor – who had no relationship with his father – has previously revealed that he prays to his late mother ‘every day’ following her death 19 years ago.

Meanwhile, Callum’s ‘brilliant’ mother – who was the ‘strictest mum on their London council estate’ while he was growing up – encouraged his early interest in films and is the reason for his performing gene, he told The Times in 2016.

Rosemary dreamt of being an actress but instead worked as a nightclub promoter, for venues including Ministry of Sound, which meant an eclectic mix of characters from the Eighties club scene were constantly visiting his home. 

He’s said contact with his Australian-based father growing up was ‘loose’ but praised his mother for instilling ‘this belief in me that if I wanted to do something, anything, I should go for it.

‘Although she was also always saying, “Get a trade. Become a plumber.” And I’m like, “No. I don’t want to be a plumber. I want to be a footballer.” I didn’t want the safe option. It’s nice to take risks.’

Although his mother now appears to be fully on board with her son’s career choice and is rooting for him to be the next James Bond.

Talking to PEOPLE about the rumours he’s being considered to fill Daniel Craig’s shoes, Callum joked: ‘I think that’s my mum. She just puts that out there. So when my odds get higher, it’s all her putting the money on.’

Callum Turner, from left, Barry Keoghan, and Austin Butler pose for photographers upon arrival at the UK premiere of the television series ‘Masters of the Air’ in London 

The actor regularly praises his working-class upbringing, previously saying: ‘My mum allowed a community of people around me and wasn’t protective of her love for me. It was almost like a tribe.’ 

He revealed to The Evening Standard that every Christmas, he and his best friend Josh from the council estate where he grew up tell their mothers: ‘We loved our childhood so much and thank you’. 

‘Running around and playing out, football till all hours, you know?’ he explained – although the actor also admitted that his mother was one of the ‘strictest on the estate’.

He recalled to The Independent how he was never allowed to join the other children playing outside past 10pm because ‘rules are rules’. 

Viewers will next get the chance to watch Callum and his co-stars on screen in the big-budget Steven Spielberg miniseries Masters Of The Air. 

It is based on the exploits of the Eighth Air Force of the United States Army, who famously brought the Second World War straight to Hitler’s doorstep by dropping bombs in the German capital of Berlin. 

After being part of the Air Force’s ‘Big Week’ which saw the team bomb Leipzig and multiple aircraft factories, they attacked the German Reich’s capital Berlin before moving onto bomb other cities in the country.

The first two episodes of Masters of the Air premiere on Apple TV+ on January 26 2024, continuing weekly through to March 15.

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