Rising thespian David Shields in quickly becoming a staple of the screen. Following roles in iconic shows such as Doctor Who and The Crown, he impressed in Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror with an imposing turn as Michael Smart in the Paapa Essiedu and Anjana Vasan staring episode “Demon79”.

Currently Shields can be seen in one of the starring roles in the most talked about show of the year to date, Masters of the Air. The Apple TV+ extravaganza follows in the footsteps of classic series Band of Brothers and The Pacific, this time focusing on gallant pilots in the Second World War. Shields shines as Major Everett Blakely, delivering a layered and captivating performance alongside A-list Hollywood stars such as Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner.

We caught up with Shields to discuss his role in the Apple TV+ spectacle, and explains how Shane Meadows’ iconic drama This Is England inspired him to act.

Watch the trailer for Masters of the Air…

Read the exclusive interview…

How did you first discover your love of acting?
Joseph in the Nativity. As an artist I think that was when I peaked. It’s all been downhill from there really. 

Was there a certain person who inspired you to want to be on screen? 
I don’t know if there was a single person, but the cast of This is England, the Shane Meadows film, with their raw, naturalistic performances, were very formative with regards to my passion for screen acting. I remember thinking that I’d never seen anything like them. But to be honest, being in the theatre is what led me to acting, and eventually into film, rather than anyone that I’d seen on the screen.  

How was your experience working on Black Mirror? Were you a fan before being cast?
Of course. Because of various copycat shows that have come out since, it’s difficult to recall just how singular it was as a drama when it first arrived. The writing and level of creativity are very unique, and so that made it a pleasure to work on.

Are you drawn to dark and/or unlikeable characters? What interests you about playing an antagonist?
I am, and there’s probably some psychobabble you could apply, but I think the basic answer is that they’re just very fun to play. There’s something incredibly enjoyable about being allowed, in a controlled environment, to exercise those darker impulses. 

How did you first become attached to Masters of the Air? 
The audition tape came through when I was with friends in Wales for the weekend. I cut short the trip, drove back to London, got a 1940’s style military haircut, bought a costume and props, worked the scenes to death, and sent them off. And then, fortunately, a week or two later got the job. 

Congratulations on the role! What were the biggest challenges you faced whilst filming? What was it like working on the Volume? 
The biggest challenge was filming on the Volume stage. Of course, it’s nothing like what the actual men back then faced, but for us prima-donna actors, it was challenging being stuck 30 feet up in the air, for hours at a time, in confined conditions, under the glare of hundreds of LED screens, while wearing all that cold weather gear. But it was also incredible to work with that technology. The cockpit would tip, turn, and shudder to simulate the aircraft’s movements, while the screens provided all the visual stimuli you needed, so that as an actor, you had very little work to do, you just reacted. 

Who is your character, Major Everett Blakely?
He’s an ultra-disciplined and well-respected pilot, who often leads not just the group, but the entire wing, so literally hundreds of aircraft, up into formation and out into combat. So, he’s an incredibly skilled airman, but also someone who gets on well with his men and knows how to have a good time when back at base. 

How did you get yourself into the mindset of being a soldier in wartime?
Fortunately, there was a lot to draw on including, Donald L Miller’s Masters of the Air, Harry Crosby’s A Wing and a Prayer, as well as interviews of Everett Blakely from the 1980’s. But we also went through a bootcamp led by the veteran military advisor Captain Dale Dye, which really helped us zone in on the psychology of these men. 

To you, beneath it being a war epic, what is the series about? 
It’s about sacrifice and it’s about brotherhood. It’s about a group of very young men, some of them no more than kids really, coming across the ocean, and putting their lives on the line to fight in a war which wasn’t really theirs to fight. Even if some of them didn’t pay the ultimate sacrifice, I think, due to the very specific kind of trauma of those combat missions, they all lost a part of themselves up there. And it’s about brotherhood, because I think the real reason they were able to keep going back, again and again, and doing those missions, in the face of such danger and dwindling odds of survival, is ultimately because they didn’t want to let down the guy next to them. 

What was the energy like on set? 
It was the quite predictable energy you get from putting dozens of 20-something guys together in a room; it was boisterous, and loud, and for our AD’s, probably quite exhausting, but it was a lot of fun. 

What do you think makes a good actor? Which actors out there do you admire?
I think the ability to remain calm under pressure and be consistent. I think most actors can be good on their day, but the best actors are the ones who can consistently put in a great performance. And personally, I admire actors with range. If you look at the likes of Gary Oldman, Cate Blanchett, or Sam Rockwell, they constantly surprise you by tackling completely alternating genres and characters. That’s what I find impressive.  

What is your general process as an actor? 
I think of acting more as a doing thing than a talking thing. For me, talking about process can not only quickly descend into highfalutin, pretentious stuff, but it’s hard because so much of the ‘process’ is beyond the bounds of description. The best work is almost always the result of instinct, or luck and chance, rather than anything cerebral. I remember Anthony Hopkins once came to my drama school and described himself as a “meat and potatoes” actor, who avoided discussing acting like this. And I think there’s something quite admirable about that approach and trying as best you can to instead let the performances speak for themselves. 

What’s next for you?
I’m going to be shooting a film in France. I can’t say a lot about it yet, but I know the actor I’m opposite has won a series of Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA’s etc. So next should probably be a couple acting classes, to ensure I’m in good nick!