Global market driving diversity in Hollywood: 'The Meg' actor Masi Oka

Japanese-American actor Masi Oka, who features in the upcoming creature-thriller "The Meg", believes a growing international market for Hollywood films is driving the trend of diverse casting.

The actor, best known for his roles in "Heroes", "Hawaii Five-0" and "Friends With Benefits", says the industry has changed a lot in recent years and there is a need for stories that are "real and relatable".

"More than the West, the global market is a huge factor in the success of a film, so you have to have an international cast. It is also the make-up of the work now. The world is is full of different places, cultures, races and genders. We are a melting pot of amazing individuals," Oka told PTI in a telephonic interview from Los Angeles.

"Now Hollywood is a lot more open to diverse casting. We have to represent individuals from different walks of life. It makes for more real and relatable stories. In this climate, this is what we need. It is not just good for business but also great for creativity," he added.

"The Meg", an ambitious creature-horror from Warner Bros, has Jason Statham in the lead as a former Naval captain and expert diver who heads a mission to rescue the crew stranded at the bottom of the sea, facing an attack from a massive prehistoric white shark.

The actor, who plays a crew member on the submarine, says it was an honour to be a part of an international cast and crew.

"Jon Turteltaub (the director) was a fan of mine, which is strange because I am his fan. He reached out to me and said, 'Hey, 'Would you like to be in this film'. It was a huge opportunity to work with Jon and such an international cast."
"This is a film that could not have been done years ago. Visual effects is a huge component of this. We had to create a creature which is as real and as terrifying as possible."