In episode 3 of Masters of the Air, Barry Keoghan’s character finds himself in a shocking scene that the actor comments on and explains. Warning, spoilers.
Warning, spoilers. It is recommended to have seen episode 3 of Masters of the Air before continuing reading this article.
Event series at the start of the year: Masters of the Air, the new production by the trio Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman after Band of Brothers and The Pacific is causing a sensation on Apple TV+.
Largely based on the eponymous book by Donald L. Miller and the memoirs of true war heroes, this 9-episode mini-series traces the incredible story of the men of the 100th Bombardment Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) of the US 8th Air Force, responsible for bombing Nazi Germany during World War II.
Saltburn’s revelation in the credits
Among the exceptional cast of Masters of the Air, including Austin Bulter, Callum Turner, Ncuti Gatwa, Anthony Boyle, Nate Mann, Raff Law, Bel Powley and Joanna Kulig, we find one of Hollywood’s newest stars at the meteoric rise: Barry Keoghan.
The Irish actor, seen in Killing of the Sacred Deer, Dunkirk, Eternals, The Batman, The Banshees of Inisherin and more recently in Saltburn, also hits the screen in Masters of the Air in which he plays Lieutenant Curtis Biddick .
After two promising first episodes, full of humanity and action, which won over viewers, the serious things begin in the third episode of the series, available on Apple TV+.
Why does Barry Keoghan only appear in 3 episodes of Masters of the Air?
The group is taking part in its largest mission yet: the bombing of vital aircraft factories in the heart of Germany, including Schweinfurt, Regensburg and Frankfurt. And this perilous attack, which separates the group into 3 simultaneous forces, will turn out to be an almost suicide mission, since many men do not return.
Some ended up in Algeria, others were collected by French and Belgian resistance fighters and others simply perished. This is the case of Lieutenant Curtis Biddick who dies in a scene as abrupt as it is violent.
Met in London, Barry Keoghan returned to AlloCiné on the disappearance of his character and explained why he only appears in 3 episodes even though he is one of the key faces of the series:
“I could only do three episodes because I was doing another movie. So it was a pleasure to be able to be a part of it knowing that I could do it for three episodes. The timing was perfect. But I think Biddock is going to let a mark in the series and in the hearts of people.”
“After all, we are retracing real events, it must be remembered. Biddock brings a certain depth, he is a boy who truly reveals himself and who is courageous to the end.”
Apple TV+
Filming stalled between The Batman and Inisherin
It was the filming of the film The Banshees of Inisherin, which began in the summer of 2021, which did not allow Barry Keoghan to film more episodes of Masters of the Air, which began filming in February 2021. The actor had already arrived late for the filming of the series since he was finishing filming The Batman, completed in March 2021.
This therefore left a short window for the actor to participate in Masters of the Air. This is why the role of Lieutenant Curtis Biddock was perfect for him and allowed him to take part in the adventure, even if he was not able to follow the entire preparation process:
“I wasn’t able to attend the training camp. It wasn’t intentional, but I arrived a little late. But I was still able to familiarize myself with the cockpit, learn all the controls and switches and make it look natural on screen. And out of professional conscience, I wanted to know as much as possible.”
The first three episodes of Masters of the Air are available on Apple TV+, via the platform and via myCANAL.
Find all the series available on Apple TV+.