Joe Anderson

In Mira Nair’s latest film, Amelia, a biopic about pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart, Joe Anderson plays Wilmer “Bill” Stultz, the pilot who helmed the first transatlantic crossing with a female passenger-Earhart-in 1928, despite his belief that a woman’s place was not in the cockpit. Anderson, though, had no such qualms about flying alongside Hilary Swank, who plays Earhart in the film, as the two actors reenacted the 20-plus-hour, near-freezing flight. “Most of the time, we were sweating our asses off in leather jumpsuits, pretending to be cold,” says the 27-year-old British-born Anderson, who drew attention a couple of years ago for his performances in a pair of choice indies about rock bands: Julie Taymor’s valentine to the Beatles, Across the Universe, and Anton Corbijn’s ode to Joy Division, Control. In addition to Amelia, Anderson recently completed Rogue’s Gallery, a political satire produced by Richard Kelly, as well as The Crazies, a remake of the 1973 George A. Romero zombie thriller about contaminated water that turns people nuts. “There’s some nice human aspects other than ‘Bang! Bang! Zombie!'” Anderson says of the latter film. “It’s so apt today, especially with swine flu and other epidemics.”

Watch Amelia trailer:

Photo credit: Joe Anderson in Los Angeles, June 2009. Jacket: Gap. Grooming Products: Bumble and Bumble, including Surf Spray. Fragrnace: Bold Eau De Cologne by Gap. Styling: Laetitia de L’Escaille Hair: Shon/Julian Watson Agency. Makeup: Maki Ryoke/Tim Howard Management. Special Thanks: 5th and Sunset Los Angeles.