There are so many things about Heroes that are remarkable: that such a middling show could be so big, that a mass audience could take to series heavily influenced by comic books, that comic fans wouldn’t mind grossly obvious stealing from better comic book stories just because the show is popular. But most shocking of all is the fact that it has made a goofy Japanese dude who used to work as a CGI artist into the breakout star from the show, and that he’s been launched into movies (Milo Ventimiglia did his atrocious turn in Rocky Balboa before becoming the most annoying hero on NBC’s show).
Masi Oka, who plays Hiro on Heroes, is in talks to star in 21, a thriller based on the book Bringing Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions. The title is sort of self-explanatory. Kevin Spacey is producing and will also probably star in the film. What kind of role will Masi Oka play? Let’s put on our thinking caps… a movie about MIT nerds who use math to win big at blackjack… I’m drawing a blank. I guess this is why I’m not a casting director.