British actor Kai Alexander has, this winter, announced himself as a TV actor of credibility, charisma and with the ability to captivate audiences with his powerful turn in the hugely popular new Apple TV series, Masters of the Air. The new series from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks is a spiritual sequel of classic TV series’ Band of Brothers and The Pacific, and follows the story of a group of young pilots in the Second World War.

Aside from this breakthrough role, Alexander has shown his versatility with performances in Channel 4 and Amazon comedy Catastrophe, and as Richard Branson in Danny Boyle’s miniseries depiction of the Sex Pistols, Pistol.

We caught up with the rising actor, talking finding a soldier’s mindset, what the new series means beyond being a war epic, and working with the likes of Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan.

Watch the trailer for Masters of the Air…

Read the full interview…

Who inspired you to pursue acting?
My love for performing started at a young age. I learnt to play the piano when I was five years old and then after several sessions of playing the drums on pots & pans with my Grandad, I took up the drums for real. A skill which came in very handy when Quinn joined the Officer’s Club Band! Acting came later. I modelled as a child and had the opportunity to audition for a Honey Monster TV Commercial when I was 13. I met Garth Jennings, the commercial’s Director, at the callback and the two of us improvised out the basic outline of the advert. This was a lightbulb moment for me and Garth is the reason I’m acting today.

How have you worked on your craft over the years?
I genuinely think you improve every single second you spend being creative with others. Learning what works what doesn’t. I still love studying different techniques and trying them out in practice. I read Larry Moss’s book recently.

How has your experience in the industry been so far?
Like a roller coaster, up and down. Far from simple but then the best things never are. I don’t think you pursue this career unless you live for it and love every aspect of the process of acting. I knew that coming into it. I’m incredibly excited for the year ahead.

Were you a fan before being cast?
Both Band of Brothers and The Pacific have such a huge legacy. They are both incredible pieces of work. One of the most amazing things is that they are educational, due to their historical accuracy. I have always loved facts and details for as long as I can remember so being able to jump into a project that had so much was hugely exciting.

What industry professional who you have worked with has stood out so far?
There are so many. The level of talent involved in particularly Masters of the Air, Catastrophe and Pistol have provided me with so much. I feel a much more well-rounded actor now because of working with all of these amazing people.

How did you first become attached to Masters of the Air? 
My first audition was at the start of 2021. I sent in a tape and a couple of weeks later I was given notes and two more scenes to record. Then an agonising month of silence went by before I got invited to Zoom and read a few of Quinn’s scenes from the show. I got the call telling me I had the part shortly after.

In what ways do you relate to your character 
He’s one of the younger and newer members of the group. Not an officer, an enlisted man. He and I are both at the beginning of something. As soon as Quinn lands in Belgium, he also has this sense of unknowing. He has no idea what’s next. I can relate to that for sure. In this career you never know what’s next. But that is now something which I’ve learnt to love and see as exciting.

How did you get yourself into the mindset of being a soldier in wartime?
The most important for me was immersing myself into the era. Getting to know the diction, vocabulary, slang, watching the films and television shows that were being produced and listening to the music and shows that would have been played out on the radio. The guys themselves knew little of the war they were heading into. Bootcamp was crucial and taught us all a lot. From learning about the Combat Box, a tactical formation of the planes to learning how to operate, reload and fire a .50cal machine. Additionally as I was a Radio Operator, I learnt specifically about his responsibilities and even a little morse code.

How was it being part of such an impressive cast, alongside the likes of Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan? 
An incredible honour. To have your name listed alongside guys at the top of the industry right now is something I am very grateful for.

What was the energy like on set? 
Incredible. There are so many crafts involved in producing film and television, we all understood the responsibility we had to tell the story of these incredible people. Everyone had such positive enthusiasm to make the best possible version of this show that we could.

To you, beneath it being a war epic, what is the series about? 
It delves into the aspect of love, loss & togetherness. Exploring the mental toll certain events can take on you. Split second life or death decisions, that weigh heavy afterwards.

What has been your standout career moment to date?
The first day at bootcamp for Masters of the Air. The realisation of both the size and scale of the project. Meeting everyone for the first time there was this immediate sense of unity amongst all of us. I felt very humbled to have been entrusted to tell the story of Quinn.

What are your goals moving forward?
To keep learning and improving as an actor and test myself in different roles that challenge me in new ways.