Ncuti Gatwa’s Masters Of The Air Role Is Not What I Expected (But It’s A Good Thing)

This article contains spoilers for Masters of the Air.

While Masters of the Air has always had an exciting ensemble cast, including key actors like Austin Butler and Callum Turner, it took several episodes for fan-favorite Ncuti Gatwa to appear on the show, and now that he has, it is clear that his role may not be exactly what audiences expected. Ncuti Gatwa plays Second Lieutenant Robert Daniels in Masters of the Air. Daniels was a real-life fighter pilot who was a member of the legendary all-Black Tuskegee Airmen. After being shot down in France, Daniels became a POW along with Alexander Jefferson and Richard Macon.

Having Ncuti Gatwa in Masters of the Air was exciting due to his bubbly and fun personality and exciting acting credits. Gatwa first made a name for himself in Sex Education, and has since garnered roles in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and is the newest Doctor in Doctor Who. In this way, Gatwa’s appearance in Masters of the Air seemed to be yet another big ticket item on his resume, and also, a chance to see him in a role he has never really played before. However, Ncuti Gatwa’s Masters of the Air role is different than expected.

Ncuti Gatwa’s Role In Masters Of The Air Is Smaller Than Expected

The biggest difference in Ncuti Gatwa’s role versus what audiences anticipated is how big it is. Since Gatwa is picking up more big roles, it seemed likely that he would play a significant part in Masters of the Air, but based on his introduction in episode eight, that does not seem to be the case. Although Gatwa’s Daniels is part of the three-man group of Tuskegee Airmen that end up at Stalag Luft III, he does not appear nearly as much as his counterparts. While Jefferson and Macon live together and form bonds with the 100th, Daniels only appears occasionally.

It is obvious that, among the newly introduced Tuskegee Airmen, he is more of a minor character. As Jefferson becomes closer with Gale Cleven and Macon recovers from his spinal injury, Daniels will simply act as a support mechanism and a friendly face. There is still time for Gatwa’s character to make a splash in the final episode of Masters of the Air, but that does not seem very likely.

Why Ncuti Gatwa’s Smaller Role In Masters Of The Air Works

Although Gatwa’s more confined Masters of the Air role may have been disappointing at first, it actually works for the war drama. Masters of the Air has a huge cast of incredible actors, and while some have overwhelming screen time, others have more cameo-like roles. These cameos are just as important as the larger roles because they give audiences someone to look forward to, even if just for a short time. Barry Keoghan’s three-episode arc is a great example of this. Ultimately, Ncuti Gatwa still adds to Masters of the Air, even if it is in a small way.