Callum Turner Reveals His Ultimate Cinema Idol
Callum Turner opens up about his acting heroes, spotlighting Jack Nicholson’s lesser-known roles and sharing how these icons shaped his own approach to the craft.
Callum Turner’s got the sort of classic charm and good looks that have seen him tossed around as a possible James Bond more than once. While he’s copped comparisons to the likes of Daniel Craig and Pierce Brosnan, Turner’s influences stretch well beyond British shores. After a huge 2025, with standout turns in Eternity, Atropia, and The Rose of Nevada, he’s managed to shake off the ‘just another pretty face’ tag and prove he’s got serious acting chops. It’s no surprise he takes his work to heart, given the calibre of actors he’s looked up to over the years.
Growing up, Turner was hooked on the performances of Al Pacino and Gary Oldman, but there’s one Oscar-winning legend who stands above the rest for him.
“Jack Nicholson is the god of cinema,”
Turner declared. He went on,
“He did Five Easy Pieces playing this alpha male character, then in The King Of Marvin Gardens he plays the complete opposite. He can do anything!”
Turner’s respect for Nicholson goes deeper than the usual nods to his most famous roles. Instead of rattling off the usual suspects like The Shining or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Turner points to a couple of films that don’t always get their due but were crucial in shaping Nicholson’s career.
Spotlight on Nicholson’s Overlooked Masterpieces
Five Easy Pieces, which followed Nicholson’s breakout in Easy Rider, really cemented him as a leading man. The film, directed by Bob Rafelson, is a grounded road drama about a blue-collar bloke wrestling with what could have been. It gave Nicholson the chance to bounce off Karen Black, and the chemistry between them is still talked about. The film scored a bunch of Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Nicholson, but it’s not always front of mind when people chat about the defining films of the 1970s.
Looking at the films that came after, with their honest takes on small-town life, it’s hard to imagine directors like Hal Ashby or Richard Linklater getting the same shot if Five Easy Pieces hadn’t paved the way. The King of Marvin Gardens, another Rafelson-Nicholson team-up, tells a bleak story about a late-night radio host in Atlantic City. Bruce Dern, playing Nicholson’s brother, delivers one of his early standout performances. The film’s gritty realism, shot on location in New Jersey, gives it a documentary-like feel that was rare for the time.
Rafelson’s Quiet Influence and Turner’s Dedication
Bob Rafelson might’ve been a big deal back in the day, but he’s not usually mentioned alongside the heavyweights of New Hollywood like Scorsese or Forman. Still, Turner’s shout-out to Rafelson’s early work could help shine a light on some of those overlooked gems—especially the ones he made with Nicholson, like Head or the remake of The Postman Always Rings Twice.
Turner’s deep knowledge of film history and his genuine admiration for these underappreciated classics show he’s not just in it for the glitz. Whether or not he ends up donning the Bond tux, it’s clear he’s in the game for the long run, with a real passion for the craft.