The new face of gripping sports drama F1, Callie Cooke delves into her role in the blockbuster hit, and reveals all about working with the star-studded cast.

Everyone is suddenly talking about racing. It is — undisputedly — one of summer’s crazes. Since when are cars sexy? Well, the new eponymous fictional depiction of the sport could have something to do with it. Brad Pitt and Damson Idris battling it out to be the best driver, looking intensely into each other’s ambition and maybe, eventually, reaching a mutual respect? Sounds like our cup of coffee. 

The blockbuster new sports drama is poised to be one of the biggest films of the year, showing early success in the box office and critics corner alike. It’s giving the opportunity for young talent to shine through too, namely in the shape of Callie Cooke. The British actor has a plethora of television credits to her name — from BBC dramedy Cheaters to Doctor Who and Hulu’s Wedding Season — but F1 is undoubtedly her breakthrough to date, appearing alongside A-listers, and captivating in her role as female mechanic, Jodie.

Below, Cooke reveals all to Wonderland — talking early influences, her incredible on-set experience for F1, and getting into the mind of an adrenaline junkie. 

Watch the F1 trailer…

Read the interview…

Callie, thanks so much for chatting with us today. How are you? What’s been keeping you busy lately?

Hiiii! I’m good thanks!!! Well, I just got back from Glastonbury so I feel like I’ve lost most of my brain cells but jeeeeez was it worth it. Life has been crazy busy over the past few months so this was the perfect way to end it. 

Before we dive into your latest project, let’s take it back to the beginning — did you always know acting was your calling?

I think so? I grew up in a pub in the countryside in the midlands and used to spend my days putting on plays to any of the locals who would suffer through them. 

Who were some of your earliest influences in the industry? Was there anyone in particular who inspired you?

I watched a lot of Mike Leigh films when I was younger, some of the performances in those have stuck with me forever. I also grew up watching soaps and school trips to the Royal Shakespeare Company. 

Huge congratulations on F1! How did the project find its way to you? Are you an F1 fan?

It was a long audition process from our casting directors Lucy Bevan and Emily Brockmann. They were amazing during the whole thing, it was so nice to have such talented people routing for me. I wouldn’t say I was an f1 fan but I did grow up not too far from Silverstone so I used to waitress there when I was 16. I actually had the first read through in the same room! Madness!!! 

Do you remember when it first landed on your radar?

I wasn’t allowed to read a script until I was deep into the audition process, but I knew from the beginning it was going to be special. 

What did the audition process look like?

Long and terrifying. I never ever thought I’d get it. But Lucy and Emily were just so amazing. They’re the best in the bizz for a reason. My final round was spent at the Carlin garage where I learnt to change the tyres, refuel etc. It was such an amazing experience, whatever the outcome I was so grateful for the ride. 

Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon… what a cast of heavyweights! How was your experience on set? Any favourite memories from that time? And what are you taking away from the project?

I know right!!! They were all such beautiful people. I cannot stress enough what a positive, wonderful experience I had on that set. There wasn’t a single bit of ego in that room. They really all set the bar for how the workplace should be. Every day was pretty magical but race days were particularly special- our nerves really brought us together. 

Tell us a bit about your character’s storyline. What did you enjoy most about stepping into her shoes?

Jodie is the only female mechanic in the pit crew. She goes on a real journey through the film as we see her learn to cope with her anxieties and stresses of being a woman working in a very male dominated world. I loved learning about the world of formula one and being mentored by some of the most unbeilable women that work in it. Ruth Buscombe and Bernie Collins were my mentors and they are so badass. It was a real honour to represent some of the real women in this sport. If I can inspire one girl to get involved with formula one then that’s just so special to me.  

F1 is set in such a high-adrenaline world. What kind of prep did you do to get into that headspace? Did you get to spend time on real tracks or with professional drivers?

We spent so much time on track at times we forgot we weren’t the real deal. The teams were so generous with their time to us. Every spare hour we had we would spend in other teams garages watching them work and learning about the job. Also having Lewis Hamilton as a boss is pretty handy when you need it to be. 

Without giving too much away, what do you hope people take from the film?

I hope people just have a really fun time at the cinema. To me there is nothing more special than a film that brings families together to go out and watch it. The last time I went to the cinema with my whole family was Top Gun Maverick, so if Joe can do that for me, I hope he can do it for you guys too. 

Looking ahead, what’s lighting you up? Any roles, genres, or dream collaborators sitting at the top of your list?

I’m not gunna lie, I’ve got a taste for the movies now. It’s so exciting being on a set where almost anything is possible. This was my first ever film and I really hope long may it continue. I would love to work with someone like Greta Gerwig, she’s my hero. 

Photography — Klara Waldberg