They always say "don't give up your day job" when you're trying to be an actor or a writer or an artist, and that goes for the stars of hit TV shows too.Masi Oka, who plays the teleporting Hiro on the NBC show (just given a full season order by the network) still works three days a week as a research and development technical director for George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic. He's been working the job ever since leaving college, and signed a contract with ILM saying that he would have to work in San Francisco if he didn't get a role on a pilot or a series. He got a role, so he's allowed to stay in Los Angeles and work as an actor while still working part-time.
[via TV Tattle]
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-16-2006 @ 2:24PM
Captain Obvious said...
I'm still waiting for Hiro to start speaking English, which the writers will explain away by saying that he stopped time for three years to learn the language. Damn the subtitles!
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 2:33PM
Ray said...
YOU DID IT!!! Hiro, quit your day job - You are the star of the show!
BTW, subtitles makes the show more believable and authentic. Next, your going to ask them to dub the Japanese... please noooo.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 2:53PM
david said...
this guy is the only reason i watch the show.
and for god's sake, please keep the subtitles - even if they are placed around the screen randomly to give an annoying comic book vibe that no one likes. although i have a feeling that hiro will pull a sun and mysteriously start speaking english and then a whole series of episodes will be used to explain how he went back in time to learn english blah blah. maybe hiro can go back in time and tell me how john locke become paralyzed or what the black smoke monster is... just maybe.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 3:20PM
nalgae said...
Hiro the character is the best thing about the show.
Hiro the plot device is the worse thing about the show. I mean, seriously, he is a walking Deus Ex Machina. If you look at episode 3 and how they used Hiro in that episode, you can see how contrived and arbitrary the plot really is.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 3:35PM
Franklin said...
I don't think Hiro's power is "arbitrary". My guess is that he can go forward in time, but will be "snapped back" eventually to the point in time that he left. (Thus, he cannot go forward to a point in time and stay there permanently.) Additionally, he can freeze and slow down the movement of time -- but that's not exactly the same thing as "skipping ahead" to a point in the future.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 3:39PM
Franklin said...
Forgot to add:
Additionally, I don't think Hiro's power allows him to go back in time.
So to sum up: 1) He can go forward for a temporary moment. 2) He can slow down or stop time, but I'm guessing the effect won't last too long. He can't freeze/slow down the progression of time indefinitely.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 3:58PM
thisIsMyBrainOnDrugs said...
poop de jour!
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 5:14PM
Dwayne Conyers said...
Someone said Hiro is the only reason you watch the show? I hope it was a woman!
the only reason I watch is Ali Larter. Well, okay... and because it is a well-written and produced show.
--
dwacon
http://dwacon.blogspot.com
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 4:07PM
Senator K said...
I'm still annoyed that Hiro, one of the few Asian males on TV, is a nerdy character.
Ethnic typecasting?
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 5:23PM
LA Dave said...
Almost all asian roles on TV are "stereotypes". Just like most other minorty groups.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 5:10PM
Kelsberry Crawdad said...
I Love Hiro, and I Love the sub titles... Keep him, keep them... He is why I watch the show.
Reply
10-16-2006 @ 5:12PM
thormite said...
At least he's a comic book nerd and not some math/science whiz. If he computes an integral or throws a karate kick I'm outta here.
Reply
10-17-2006 @ 11:57AM
Karen said...
Well, if you saw the episode on Monday the 16th, you now know both that Hiro CAN go back in time and that he learns to speak perfect unaccented English.
Unless Peter was hallucinating. Which I could also believe.
Reply