Emma
12-04-2006, 09:30 PM
<img src="http://www.fanbolt.com/forums/images/avatars/heroes/101806heroes07.jpg" width="85" height="85" vspace="5" hspace="5" align="right" border="0" alt="Heroes, NBC"> All the attention lavished upon NBC’s hit “Heroes” has been a big rush for Masi Oka, who plays the time-bending Hiro. Oka, 31, pursued acting on a part-time basis while working in the Bay Area at George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic.
Oka still might be toiling in relative obscurity had “Heroes” creator Tim Kring stuck to his original script draft for the show, which contained no trace of the character. But after Kring realized the dark story could use some levity and a character who would “embrace his power with enthusiasm,” a Hiro was born.
Q: You’re one of the few breakout stars of the new TV season. How is life different?
A : It’s so surreal. I used to be able to go out for dinner and be completely alone. Now, not so much. I get asked by people to pose for photos a lot. I’m starting to feel like the big Goofy character in Disneyland.
Q: Speaking of goofy, there has been plenty of Internet chatter among women who think you’re so adorable that they want to cuddle with you. What do you make of that?
A: Some friends recently sent me a post they found from a woman who was saying she wanted to make me her pet. She wrote that she wanted to “put me in a cage to keep and kiss me and love me.”
Q: What was your reaction?
A: As long as she feeds me, I’m totally game.
Why do you think people love Hiro so much?
A: I’m not sure, exactly. I know why I like him. He’s basically a wide-eyed kid full of wonder. He’s the kind of person so many of us want to be, but we lose much of that wonder as we grow up and grapple with societal pressures. Also, television is so full of dark, stern characters these days. I think the medium needs some more lightness and optimism.
<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/16123567.htm" target="_blank">Click here for more!</a>
Oka still might be toiling in relative obscurity had “Heroes” creator Tim Kring stuck to his original script draft for the show, which contained no trace of the character. But after Kring realized the dark story could use some levity and a character who would “embrace his power with enthusiasm,” a Hiro was born.
Q: You’re one of the few breakout stars of the new TV season. How is life different?
A : It’s so surreal. I used to be able to go out for dinner and be completely alone. Now, not so much. I get asked by people to pose for photos a lot. I’m starting to feel like the big Goofy character in Disneyland.
Q: Speaking of goofy, there has been plenty of Internet chatter among women who think you’re so adorable that they want to cuddle with you. What do you make of that?
A: Some friends recently sent me a post they found from a woman who was saying she wanted to make me her pet. She wrote that she wanted to “put me in a cage to keep and kiss me and love me.”
Q: What was your reaction?
A: As long as she feeds me, I’m totally game.
Why do you think people love Hiro so much?
A: I’m not sure, exactly. I know why I like him. He’s basically a wide-eyed kid full of wonder. He’s the kind of person so many of us want to be, but we lose much of that wonder as we grow up and grapple with societal pressures. Also, television is so full of dark, stern characters these days. I think the medium needs some more lightness and optimism.
<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/entertainment/16123567.htm" target="_blank">Click here for more!</a>