As Apple CEO Tim Cook was making the rounds on the red carpet at the July premiere of the newest season of “Ted Lasso,” the 65-year old was being shadowed by an unfamiliar figure.

Other than their age, the two men shared distinct similarities, namely their matching outfits: Both wore white shirts and blue suits and the same yellow “Believe” pin. It turns out, the “Ted Lasso” premiere was a coming out party for Cook’s successor John Ternus, who, as of today, becomes one of the most powerful, if enigmatic, figures in Hollywood.

Some anxiety has set in among Hollywood’s elite over what Ternus’ appetite for showbiz will be. Under Cook, Apple has become a key bidder on high-profile projects from top creatives. Appearing at Apple Studios’ launch in 2019 with Cook were VIPs including Steven Spielberg, JJ Abrams, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell and Oprah Winfrey.

Ternus has yet to meet with top Hollywood brass, we hear — and has bigger priorities, like AI. So will we spot the mystery exec lunching at the Polo Lounge or supping at Sunset Tower anytime soon?

That little is known about the 51-year-old Ternus — including whether he is married or has family — should come as no surprise. Apple is a famously secretive company and Apple Studios which Cook founded in 2019 is notoriously private, loath to share any information about its internal workings or its viewership numbers. (Apple did not respond to request for comment).

But even in the modern day version of Hollywood which is dominated by the ethos and culture of Silicon Valley, some old school gestures remain. Sitting down with the town’s two most powerful agents — CAA’s Bryan Lourd and WME’s Ari Emanuel — would seem like an obvious gesture for the studio to maintain and improve talent relations. But Ternus, at least so far, hasn’t met Emanuel and it’s unclear whether he has sat down with Lourd.

“No one knows him,” says one entertainment CEO which was a sentiment shared by a range of industry professionals interviewed by Page Six Hollywood. 

Here’s what we do know about Ternus: He joined Apple in 2001 and became VP of hardware engineering in 2013. He has been senior VP of hardware engineering since 2021. He’s most responsible for introducing new Apple product lines including the iPad, AirPods and new versions of iPhones, Macs and Apple Watch.

He holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Pennsylvania — where he was also a competitive swimmer. (Per the WSJ, Ternus can also be seen racing his Porsche at the Laguna Seca raceway near Monterrey.)

These days, Apple Studios is mostly overseen by Eddy Cue, who heads up the company’s services division where Apple TV is housed. The studio bosses Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht are the day-to-day operators interfacing with the town.

Cue is set to take on a more influential role within Apple, having regained oversight of the company’s App Store in an exec reorg, according to Bloomberg. With his background in engineering, it seems likely that Ternus will be focused on making Apple TV’s viewing experience more user friendly than weighing in creatively on drafts of scripts.

“AI is probably a much bigger priority for him right now,” says a veteran agency source. “The content side of their business is doing well and they have a better reputation now than they did a few years ago so he’s probably not focusing on that at the moment… I doubt that he’s going to want to take a phone call about a project getting made and it seems like Zach and Jamie are doing a good job.”

Under Cook, Apple became known for its willingness to spend top dollar for projects and has positioned itself as a creative-friendly studio — though it wasn’t always that way. In the earliest days of the service Cook was known for being heavy handed, reportedly spiking a Gawker-inspired series and a Dr Dre semi-autobiographical series for being too violent. There were also reports of Cook not wanting any iPhones damaged on screen.

Cook, who now transitions to executive chairman, was also a reliable fixture at virtually every Apple Hollywood event and was a regular attendee at the major award shows.

Cook may not have been involved in the day-to-day, but it was clear he reveled in being in the Hollywood glow and he leaves the streamer in a stronger place than when it launched seven years ago.  

Apple is currently on a roll and has become an awards darling capturing top Emmy awards for “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso.” Its freshman comedy, “Widow’s Bay,” is up for 19 trophies this year. In 2021, the streamer was also the first to win the Best Picture Oscar for “Coda,” and the upcoming “Being Heumann” is said to be another Oscar contender.

 “I think we have such tremendous momentum right now in Apple TV,” Ternus said on the red carpet for “Ted Lasso.” “There’s so many amazing shows, so many amazing characters and stories, and so we’re just going to keep building on the momentum.”

It’s unclear if Ternus will turn his attention to Hollywood and have a major impact on Apple’s business and there’s always a fear that an absentee CEO can have a domino effect on creatives who like to be woo’ed. But true to his nature as a product guy, and considering Apple TV’s place in the sprawling tech behemoth’s pecking order, Ternus’ first order of business will be presiding over next week’s Apple Event, which is expected to unveil the latest set of iPhones and other devices.

But he’ll also get a taste of the new responsibilities that come with being a de facto chief exec of a Hollywood studio: The Emmys are five days later.