As Callum Turner Is Rumoured For James Bond, 9 Roles You'd Probably Forgotten He Once Played
Callum Turner has become one of the most exciting new actors in the acting scene, thanks to his performances in the likes of Apple TV+’s Masters Of The Air, the Fantastic Beasts films and the new movie Eternity.
Of course, you may also know him for being Dua Lipa’s fiancé and appearing in her many Instagram holiday snaps.
The British star has also made headlines after becoming one of the latest actors rumoured to be taking on the role of James Bond.
In an unverified Daily Mail article, Callum was reported to have told people in his circle that he is the new 007, which follows previous rumours that Aaron Taylor-Johnson would be taking on the role of the iconic spy.
But while he may feel to some like an overnight success, Callum isn’t new to the industry. He actually started his career in 2010, modelling for the likes of Nike and Reebok before landing his first TV role.
Here are nine early Callum Turner roles you may have forgotten about…
Leaving
Callum Turner’s first notable role was in the TV drama Leaving playing the younger love interest of the late Helen McCrory.
In the three-part series, Callum played a 25-year-old recent graduate, attending the wedding of his brother, who is marrying his ex-girlfriend.
At this wedding, he meets a disenchanted married hotel manager with whom he begins an impassioned love affair, and as things progress, she is then forced to choose between her family and the exciting life of dating a younger man.
The Town
No, not the Ben Affleck film of the same name, but the 2012 ITV miniseries starring Andrew Scott and Martin Clunes.
The Town followed a small-town family in the aftermath of a tragedy, with Callum playing Ashley, the bad boy boyfriend of Avigail Tlalim’s Jodie, who was dealing with her family drama as well as her new relationship.
The drama was well-received at the time and praised for its twists and turns.
The Borgias
In 2013, Callum had a small role in the historical drama The Borgias, where he played a character called Calvino.
He appeared in the seventh episode of season three, Lucrezia’s Gambit, playing a young messenger to Cesar Borgia (played by François Arnaud, who you might have recently seen in Heated Rivalry).
It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but you’ll spot Callum by his fetching red hat.
Ripper Street
Ripper Street was another early TV appearance for a young Callum.
He appeared in the season two episode A Stronger Loving World, where he played a character called Phillip.
His character was involved in the London Jewish community in an episode which saw Matthew MacFayden’s Detective Inspector Reid investigate arson attacks on churches and synagogues in the East End.
Queen And Country
Callum’s big-screen debut came in 2014, when he appeared opposite Vanessa Kirby and David Thewlis in the war drama Queen And Country.
John Boorman’s Hope And Glory sequel saw Callum play a now-18-year-old Bill Rohan who faces national service in a post-war Britain.
The film was well-reviewed, with many critics singling out Callum’s performance for praise.
Glue
Glue is an oft-forgotten crime drama that aired on E4, and starred Callum alongside Charlotte Spencer and Jordan Stephens.
Described at the time as “Midsommer Murders without the old people”, the 2014 series revolved around a group of young people in a small town after the death of their 14-year-old friend Cal.
Callum plays Eli Bray in all eight episodes of the short-lived show, the older brother of Cal.
Victor Frankenstein
Callum Turner played policeman Alistar in 2015’s Victor Frankenstein, a retelling of Mary Shelley’s iconic Gothic novel starring James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe, which reframes the classic from the point of view of the servant, Igor.
The film was unfortunately panned by critics for its predictable plot and messy script, and didn’t make its money back at the box office.
Assassin’s Creed
Callum Turner appeared alongside Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard in the lacklustre 2016 big screen adaptation of Assassin’s Creed.
He had a minor supporting role as Nathan, one of the people abducted by Abstergo Industries to have their genetic memories explored. A descendant of Duncan Walpole, he was imprisoned in the Spanish Abstergo Foundation Rehabilitation Center, where he co-founded the unofficial cell of Assassins.
War & Peace
The BBC’s epic adaptation of War & Peace was a who’s who of upcoming talent when it debuted in 2016.
James Norton, Lily James, Jessie Buckley, Kit Connor and Tom Burke were just some of the stars whose careers blew up after appearing in the miniseries, with Callum taking on the role of Anatole Kuragin, the wild-living brother to Tuppence Middleton’s Hélène Kuragina.
Callum’s character was involved in numerous romantic liaisons over the course of the series, most notably trying to elope with Lily James’ Natasha.