Masi Oka Makes The Jump From Behind The Scenes To Movie Star With ‘Searching For Sonny’

Masi Oka got his start in Hollywood as a special effects artist on movies like Hulk, The Perfect Storm, and the Star Wars trilogy, but, after making the jump to the other side of the camera in NBC’s Heroes, he has become a star in his own right.

Since the end of Heroes, Masi Oka has been keeping very busy, I Am Rogue reported. He has appeared in the films Get Smart, Balls of Fury, The Promotion, and Friends with Benefits as well as a role on the hit television series Hawaii Five-O.

Now Masi Oka has hit the big screen again in the film noir comedy Searching for Sonny. The movie hit theaters, VOD, DVD, and Blu-ray at the end of August, earning accolades for Masi Oka and first-time director Andrew Disney.

Searching for Sonny tells the story of four friends who become chief suspects in a murder at their ten-year high school reunion.

Oka said he enjoyed the movie and its title role, even if the part was smaller:

“I think it was a very fun script. It’s a great cast, great crew, and it’s a lot of fun to work with a very young energy. It’s was also fun to have that trailer with everybody in it, we were all in one trailer so we were always just goofing around, playing games and singing, so that was our big thing there. The script was also really smart. I loved all the tonal things he was going to do with the murder mystery and the kind of a noir-ish feel vs. the juxtaposition with real the world as well.”

After working as a special effects artist, television actor, and now movie star, Masi Oka said he’s adjusting to the busy life of an in-demand actor.

He told I Am Rogue:

“Well right now I’m commuting between L.A. and Hawaii. I do have an apartment here in Hawaii, but you know even as a series regular I have a lot of time off because on the show I’m not carrying the show like I was with Heroes. So I have a lot of time and I’m trying to do a lot of producing. I shuttle back from L.A. and even Tokyo back and forth trying to keep things moving. But it’s been a great experience.”

Masi Oka can be seen on television again this weekend, UPI noted. He is one of the many stars appearing on Friday’s “Stand Up to Cancer” telecast.