Masi Oka
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Those who watched the American sci-fi series Heroes likely remember the beloved character Hiro Nakamura, portrayed by Japanese-American actor Masi Oka. In addition to his work as an actor, Oka is also recognized for his contributions to digital effects in film.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 27 Dec, 1974
- Age
- 45 yrs
- Citizenship
- Japan
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- Birth Place
- Tokyo
- Education
- Brown University
The Mirman School
Harvard-Westlake School - Gender
- Male
- Description
- Japanese actor, digital effects programmer
- Twitter Id
- MasiOka
- Net Worth 2021
- 5 million
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Early Life and Education
Born Masayori Oka on December 27, 1974, in Tokyo, Japan, Masi Oka moved to Los Angeles at the age of six with his mother following his parents' separation. He has never met his father, who separated from his mother shortly after Masi’s birth.
Oka's introduction to the entertainment world began early. At eight years old, he appeared on the game show Child's Play. He pursued a strong academic path, beginning at the Mirman School in Los Angeles and graduating from Harvard-Westlake School in 1992. That same year, he also served as a language translator in Japanese, Spanish, and English during the Summer Olympics. He later attended Brown University, graduating in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Mathematics.
Career in Digital Effects
Before his breakthrough in acting, Masi Oka worked in special effects at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), a company founded by George Lucas. At ILM, he contributed to major blockbuster films including the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, War of the Worlds, and The Perfect Storm. His expertise in computer science and his background in mathematics played a critical role in his success within the digital effects field.
