The 'brilliant' single mum behind Callum Turner: Masters Of The Air star says he gets his talent from nightclub promoter who was the 'strictest mum in their London council estate' and dreamed of her own acting career
His new series Masters Of The Air airs on Apple TV on Friday – while he also recently made headlines after confirming his romance with megastar Dua Lipa.
But the Levitating singer, 28, isn't the only key woman in Callum Turner's life. His mother Rosemary is credited with inspiring her son's career, which will reach new heights thanks to his latest role.
The British heartthrob, 33, was raised by his 'brilliant' working-class single parent, who was the 'strictest mum on their London estate' – and in 2016 he told The times how he inherited his natural talent from his mother.
She dreamed of becoming an actress, but instead worked as a nightclub promoter, for the likes of Ministry of Sound, which meant an eclectic mix of characters from the 1980s club scene constantly visited his house.
“The father figures were actually a lot of different gay boys,” the actor said The independent in 2020. He says contact with his Australian-based father was “loose” during his childhood.
British model and actor Callum Turner has risen to fame in recent times, but he owes it all to his 'brilliant' mother Rosemary Turner. (It is believed the pair were pictured together during Callum's childhood)
Speaking about his mother in 2016, with whom he was living in Chelsea at the time, he told The Times: 'She instilled in me the belief that if I want to do something, anything, I have to go for it.
'Although she always said: 'Go find a profession, become a plumber.' And I said, “No. I don't want to be a plumber. I want to be a footballer.” I didn't want the safe option. It's fun to take risks.'
Although his mother now seems to be fully supportive of her son's career choice and hopes he becomes the next James Bond.
To talk with PEOPLE On the rumors that he is expected to fill Daniel Craig's shoes, Callum joked: 'I think that's my mum. She just puts that out there. So if my chances increase, it's the only way she'll put the money on it.”
The actor regularly praises his working-class upbringing, previously saying: 'My mother allowed a community of people around me and did not protect her love for me. It was almost a tribe.'
He remembered the Evening standard in 2019 how Steve Strange, singer of the British band Visage, 'lived with us on and off'.
'Life with Steve was great, he shouted at my mother: 'Don't put up with that! Everyone will see you and they will crush me!'' the star recalled.
He revealed that he and his best friend Josh from the council estate where he grew up tell their mums every Christmas: 'We loved our childhood so much and thank you'.
While Rosemary was the 'strictest mother on their London estate', Callum believes she is responsible for his natural talent
Speaking about his mother in 2016, with whom he then lived in Chelsea, Callum told The Times: 'She instilled in me the belief that if I want to do something, anything, I have to go for it.
The actor will star alongside Barry Keoghan (middle) and Austin Butler (right) in Masters of The Air
“Run around and play, play football until all hours, you know?” he explained – although the actor also admitted that his mother was one of the “strictest on the estate.”
He remembered how he was never allowed to join the other children who played outside after 10 p.m. because “rules are rules.”
Callum has gone from strength to strength in his acting career, securing roles in the Fantastic Beasts film series and 2020's Emma alongside Anya Taylor-Joy.
More recently, he is one of the main cast members of the World War II drama Masters Of The Air, which also stars Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan and has Steven Spielberg as producer.
But his lavish lifestyle of red carpets, designer outfits and a famous girlfriend are a world away from his humble working-class beginnings, growing up on a London estate with his single mother Rosemary.
As a child he dreamed of playing football and even switched schools in Putney to another, down the road in Sheen, because there was an AstroTurf football pitch there, he reported. The times.
Callum left sixth form before completing his A-levels and went on to play for a semi-professional football team.
Soon his handsome face, together with a friend of his mother who worked in the fashion industry, landed him modeling work, including for Burberry.
Callum recently appeared on This Morning with co-star Austin Butler to promote their new series Masters of the Air
He also recently made headlines after confirming his romance with megastar Dua Lipa (pictured)
Off-screen, Dua isn't the only famous face Callum has dated. He was romantically involved with The Crown's Vanessa Kirby (pictured together) until the pair called time on their relationship in 2019.
During his modeling career, he worked in Japan, where he ate six pieces of tuna for lunch because he “needed to lose a lot of weight.” His natural waist is apparently 34 inches, but designers wanted 28.
Between the ages of 18 and 26, Callum was 'a big stoner'. He said it was a “determination to change and not miss out on my life” that ultimately helped him kick the habit.
When he was 21, he turned to acting, but in 2019 he insisted that “there was never a grand plan.”
But that doesn't mean he didn't work hard and explain himself The independent this month: 'I think the thing about being working class and not having money is that you actually have to have another job.
“I've had three jobs; “I worked in two different stores and I worked in a bar just to pay my rent,” he explained.
The actor worked four days a week, while the other three were engaged in acting, watching films, taking courses or going to the theater.
But his hard work has clearly paid off: Callum has appeared in a host of hit TV shows and films, including Emma., BBC thriller The Capture and The Boys In The Boat alongside co-star George Clooney.
He also co-starred with Eddie Redmayne in the Fantastic Beasts series and James Norton in TV's War & Peace. In one of his early roles, he starred opposite Helen McCrory in ITV's Leaving (2012), a drama about an age-gap relationship.
Viewers will next get the chance to see Callum on screen in the expensive Steven Spielberg miniseries Masters Of The Air.
The 28-year-old starred alongside Eddie Redmayne (left) in 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald'
Turner's performance as Anatole Kuragin in BBC's War and Peace was highly praised. (He is pictured with Tuppence Middleton in the show)
In one of his early roles, he starred opposite Helen McCrory in ITV's Leaving (2012), a drama about an age-gap relationship.
The film will feature a star-studded cast in a series based on the exploits of the U.S. Army's Eighth Air Force, which famously brought the war straight to Hitler's doorstep by dropping bombs on the German capital Berlin.
Callum plays Major Egan in the series, who was part of the Eighth US Air Force that was part of the lengthy bombing campaign during World War II.
After being part of the Air Force's 'Big Week', in which the team bombed Leipzig and several aircraft factories, they attacked the capital of the German Empire, Berlin, before bombing other cities in the country.
Egan went on to serve his country in Korea and the Far East and after attending the National War College in Washington DC, he was assigned duties in the Policy Division, Directorate of Plans.
He died of a heart attack in 1961 at the age of 45 and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
The first two episodes of Masters of the Air will premiere on Apple TV+ on January 26, 2024 and will continue weekly through March 15.
Off-screen, Dua isn't the only famous face Callum has dated. He was romantically involved with The Crown's Vanessa Kirby until the pair called time on their relationship in 2019.