The new Warner Bros. Pictures action thriller THE MEG is about to surface everywhere.

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Japanese American actor Masi Oka (TV’s “Hawaii Five-0,” “Heroes”) about this monster movie, his character, and much more.

How exciting was it for you, being a pop culture geek, the opportunity to be in a monster movie?

I am very excited and proud of being part of this huge creation.

Do you see some DNA from classics like “Jaws” trickling down into “The Meg”?

Absolutely. It is a homage to “Jaws” in some ways, you can see that in the posters. It is a legendary film, and a cultural phenomenon. “The Meg” is “Jaws” for a new generation: an over the top mix of horror, action, and fun. It has that DNA, but it has definitely grown now. There is nothing like it out there, which is great.

THE MEG
In this movie, your character is trapped in a small, confined space. Was it claustrophobic?

Luckily, we could get out at any moment. But yeah, it was kind of claustrophobic, specially with five people in there, and someone huge like The Wall [actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson]. It definitely added to the experience. I wouldn’t have wanted it to be an open space.

Did you get a chance to interact with cast members that you don’t share a scene with?

Yes, in terms of hanging out or sharing a meal. I think that our Director, Jon [Turteltaub], did a great job: before shooting he would take us out. So he was the Captain, and we all enjoyed the camaraderie.

We have the “Greek Hero” prototype in Jason Statham’s character. But Toshi, your character, is also a hero, right?

One of the things that is great about him, is his enthusiastic passion for knowledge, but also his concept of self sacrifice. In Japanese culture, we relate to helping other people, so I naturally gravitate towards that.

How do you see the cultural feedback between the U.S. and Japan, nowadays?

I think that is great, and it keeps getting better. When there is a constant collaboration, things can only move forward. Both have a lot to learn from each other. I have always been very proud of my culture.

THE MEG will be released in theaters on August 10.

Five years ago, expert sea diver and Naval Captain Jonas Taylor encountered an unknown danger in the unexplored recesses of the Mariana Trench that forced him to abort his mission and abandon half his crew. Though the tragic incident earned him a dishonorable discharge, what ultimately cost him his career, his marriage and any semblance of honor was his unsupported and incredulous claims of what caused it – an attack on his vessel by a mammoth, 70-foot sea creature, believed to be extinct for more than a million years. But when a submersible lies sunk and disabled at the bottom of the ocean – carrying his ex-wife among the team onboard – he is the one who gets the call. Whether a shot at redemption or a suicide mission, Jonas must confront his fears and risk his own life and the lives of everyone trapped below on a single question: Could the Carcharodon Megalodon – the largest marine predator that ever existed – still be alive … and on the hunt?