Sawyer Spielberg on the ‘Perseverance’ Taught By Mom Kate Capshaw — and Visiting Dad Steven’s Sets as a Kid (Exclusive)

Sawyer Spielberg traces the footsteps of his parents, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw.

Sawyer — appearing in the Apple TV+ series Lords of the air — told PEOPLE exclusively at the series premiere in Los Angeles on Wednesday that he was inspired by his parents’ careers in Hollywood from a young age.

“I started doing theater in California, in a tiny little theater in Venice Beach, and then I got the bug right away,” Sawyer, 31, said of acting. “I think I was about 15 and I was lucky enough to have parents who did it for a living, so it was inspiring.”

Sawyer Spielberg arrives at the Apple TV+ premiere of “Masters of the Air” at the Village Theater in Westwood, California on January 10, 2024.

ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty

Austin Butler says he would ‘love’ to learn to fly after filming Lords of the air

“I was [like], ‘Oh, this is something that is possible,'” he adds. “And then after high school I went to drama school and I wanted to study theatre, and then I stayed in theater in New York for a while before moving into film and TV.”

The actor said that his mom helped him learn how to deal with the entertainment industry and to overcome rejection with “perseverance, but also by example.” He added: “She’s an amazing actress and she’s made an amazing career for herself and just watching her grow up, lead her life, did the trick for me.”

Asked if he shares an interest in military history with his father Steven and Masters of the Air executive producer Tom Hanks, he said: “One of the first sets I remember being on was as a kid Saving Private Ryanso yes.”

Austin Butler helps guide a group of airmen through World War I Lords of the air Trailer

As for his experience on the set of the new historical drama, he shared that he found a common language with his co-stars, including Austin Butler, Anthony Boyle, Callum Turner, Nate Mann, Rafferty Law, Barry Keoghan, Josiah Cross, Branden Cook and Ncuti Gatwa.

“[The series’ senior military advisor] Captain Dale Dye did a really good job of making sure everyone left their male egos at the door, so when we got into bootcamp, there was no room for that, there was only room for bonding,” he said. “We were well-schooled in everything there is to know about the Air Force, so by the time we got on stage, we didn’t just have the connection, we were schooled in what needed to be done.”

Sawyer also discovered a new love for aviation while filming a series about US Air Force pilots operating behind enemy lines during World War II.

(L-R) Sawyer Spielberg, Callum Turner, Steven Spielberg, Austin Butler, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman at the Apple TV+ “Masters of the Air” World Premiere at the Regency Village Theater on January 10, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Barry Keoghan hired Austin Butler to be his sparring partner at Lords of the air Set

“It was memorizing every single switch and what every single part of the plane does and learning to fly, which I found the most challenging, but also the most satisfying,” he explained. “When you watch, you will see all of us, working in the cockpit. We do all the moves that these guys actually had to do on the day.”

While Sawyer noted that the cast didn’t “blow up” during filming, he hopes to try in the future. He shared, “I would love to. I would like to. It’s on my list. It’s on my to-do list.”

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Lords of the air will premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, January 26 with the first two episodes, followed by one new episode each week.

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Source: HIS Education