Masi Oka

2.1. Birth and Childhood

Oka was born in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, on December 27, 1974, to Setsuko Oka. His parents divorced when he was one month old, and he was raised by his mother in a single-parent household, never having met his father. At the age of six, he and his mother moved from Japan to Los Angeles, California. His early exposure to media included an appearance on the CBS-TV game show Child's Play at age eight. In 1987, at 12 years old, Oka was featured on the cover of Time magazine as one of several children for an article titled "Those Asian-American Whiz Kids." Although he was acquainted with the photographer and appeared on the cover, he was not featured in the article itself. He was identified as a gifted individual with an IQ of 189. In 1988, he achieved fourth place in the California state MATHCOUNTS competition, representing the state in the national competition.

2.2. Education

Oka attended the Mirman School, a school for gifted children, and Harvard-Westlake School, a prep school. He then attended Brown University, an Ivy League institution in Rhode Island, where he was the musical director of The Bear Necessities, an all-male a cappella group. He graduated in 1997 with a BS in computer science and mathematics, and a minor in theater arts. He had also been accepted into Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but chose Brown University because he felt that while Harvard aimed to cultivate individuals to fit its ideals, Brown fostered individuality. His decision to pursue theater arts alongside his scientific studies was driven by a desire to explore the full potential of the human mind by engaging both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. He found his theater arts classes greatly broadened his perspective, in contrast to his computer science classes, which he sometimes found tedious.

2.3. Early Career

After graduating from Brown University, Oka secured his first professional position at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), George Lucas's renowned visual special effects company. He joined ILM with the aspiration of one day earning an Academy Award for his technical contributions to motion pictures. He was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle alongside ILM colleague Anthony Shafer in an article published before the dot-com bubble, where he expressed his ambition to combine acting with technology. His work at ILM included contributions to the Star Wars prequel films.

Oka began actively pursuing acting in 2000. He earned his Screen Actors Guild card through appearances in industry films, leading him to relocate to Los Angeles. His contract with ILM allowed him to work at their Los Angeles branch, provided he secured a recurring role in a television pilot within a year; otherwise, he would need to return to their main facility in Marin County, California. Although the pilot he was cast in was not picked up for a full series, it fulfilled the contractual requirement, enabling him to remain in Los Angeles and continue his acting endeavors.

3.1. Visual Effects and Digital Artist

Oka made substantial contributions as a digital artist and visual effects professional at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). He was involved in the development of image rendering applications for special effects and worked on numerous high-profile films. His credits include the Star Wars prequel films, such as Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) and Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). He also contributed to films like Mighty Joe Young (1998), Mission to Mars (2000), The Perfect Storm (2000), Hulk (2003), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003), War of the Worlds (2005), and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006). Even after achieving mainstream recognition as an actor, Oka continued to work at ILM for up to three days a week as a research and development technical director, writing programs for special effects.

3.2. Acting Career

Oka's acting career progressed from minor roles to international stardom, largely due to his iconic portrayal of Hiro Nakamura.

3.3. Producer and Game Development

Beyond his acting and visual effects work, Oka has ventured into entrepreneurial and creative roles, particularly in the video game industry. He founded the video game development studio Mobius Digital, where he served as a producer. The studio is best known for the critically acclaimed game Outer Wilds, released in 2019, which received numerous international accolades, including the British Academy Games Award for Best Game. Mobius Digital has also released other games such as "Our Superhero" and "Terra Chroma" on the iTunes Store. Oka's involvement in game development showcases his continued interest in combining technology with creative storytelling.

4.1. Language Skills and Cultural Identity

Oka is fluent in multiple languages, including Japanese, English, and Spanish. He also speaks some French. His trilingual abilities were put to use when he worked as an English, Spanish, and Japanese translator at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Despite spending most of his life in the United States, Oka maintains his Japanese citizenship. His mother ensured he attended Japanese supplementary school every Saturday for nine years during his elementary and junior high school years, covering a week's worth of Japanese history and language curriculum in a single day. While he initially resented this, he later expressed gratitude, as it allowed him to speak fluent Japanese, albeit with a slight English accent. He has described himself as a "Japanese immigrant living the American dream," reflecting his unique cultural identity. He has surprised those around him by conversing in Spanish with Heroes co-star George Takei during filming breaks.

4.2. Hobbies and Interests

Oka has a wide range of personal passions. In his youth, he played chess and achieved an Elo rating of 1800. Leveraging his experience in an a cappella group, he has also showcased his voice percussion skills on Japanese television programs. Similar to his character Hiro Nakamura, Oka is an avid collector of manga. He grew up reading Japanese manga, enjoying a variety of genres from older school romance comedies like Kimagure Orange Road to more recent works such as Monster and Death Note. He is a particular fan of manga artist Naoki Urasawa. In Heroes, he intentionally incorporated the phrase "Muda Muda Muda Muda Muda" (無駄無駄無駄無駄無駄_Useless!^Japanese) as an homage to the manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, of which Hiro Nakamura is also depicted as a fan. His character's blog, "Hiro's Blog" on the NBC website, also referenced Japanese manga and games like Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, and Chrono Trigger, as well as American franchises such as Star Trek and Spider-Man.
Oka is also a big fan of comedy, both Japanese and American. He particularly admires the Japanese comedy duo Ninety-nine, considering them a source of vitality and hope for children. He is knowledgeable about contemporary Japanese comedians and aims to incorporate elements of Japanese comedy into American productions. He has expressed a strong liking for the Japanese variety show Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!, especially the "Bakuretsu Otosan" (爆裂お父さん_{Exploding Father}^Japanese) segment. He also mentioned Taka and Toshi as a favorite Japanese comedy duo. In American comedy, he is a devoted fan of The Office (American version) and deeply respects comedian Steve Carell, stating that he chose to appear in Get Smart specifically to work with Carell, turning down other offers.

His other interests include Kendo, in which he holds a black belt. He also enjoys playing the piano and composing music in his free time. He writes scripts as a hobby, often focusing on romantic comedies or science fiction, influenced by the manga genres he enjoys. Oka is passionate about technology, particularly computers and iPhones. He owns seven Macintosh computers and has assisted his Heroes co-star Adrian Pasdar with improving his high-tech devices. His preferred car is a 2000 Honda Accord, and he has stated he would consider a hybrid car for future purchases. Since serving as a translator at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he has developed a keen interest in Spanish culture, even reading Gabriel García Márquez's works in their original Spanish.

4.3. Charity Work

Masi Oka is actively involved in philanthropic activities and public service. In November 2007, he was appointed a global ambassador for the OLPC project, an initiative aimed at providing educational devices to children in developing countries. In December 2009, he participated in a "Stand Up To Cancer" event, where individuals who donated to the cancer awareness organization could speak with participating celebrities by phone. He also became a member of the American Red Cross's "National Celebrity Cabinet" in 2008.

5.1. Major Awards and Nominations

Oka has received several prestigious awards and nominations for his acting, primarily for his role as Hiro Nakamura in Heroes:

• Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television**: Won in 2006. Nominated in 2007.
• Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film**: Nominated in 2006.
• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series**: Nominated in 2007.
• Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film**: Nominated in 2007.

He was also recognized as the "Coolest Geek" at the Spike TV Guys' Choice Awards in 2007.

5.2. Impact and Influence

Oka's career has had a notable impact on the entertainment industry. He has been instrumental in improving Asian representation in Hollywood, demonstrating that Asian actors can achieve mainstream success in diverse roles. He has stated that his ultimate goal is to become a film director, believing that by creating new types of roles, he can inspire Asian children growing up in America to pursue their dreams, especially given the limited roles traditionally available for East Asian actors in Hollywood. Oka has also articulated a business-minded perspective on Asian actors breaking into Hollywood, noting that while stereotypical roles are common, comedy offers a universal appeal that can bridge cultural gaps and make it easier for Asian actors to achieve mainstream success. He has also observed that while more Japanese actors are entering Hollywood, sustaining a long career is challenging, particularly without fluency in English, which can limit available roles. His technical background and contributions as a digital effects artist further highlight his unique blend of artistic and scientific talents, influencing both the creative and technical aspects of filmmaking and game development.

6.1. Film

6.2. Television

6.3. Video Games

6.4. Audiobook

6.5. Digital Effects Work