Ever since Daniel Dae Kim was in Lost, the actor has been a television mainstay. He recently made the jump to leading his own streaming show in the 2025 TV schedule with the new Prime Video action series, Butterfly. The 57-year-old actor has also pointed out one kind of role that he’s never had the chance to land despite it being a longtime “goal.”

When Kim spoke to NPR about his career, he got into his hopes to play a wider range of roles, including in one specific genre while talking about Asian representation in movies and TV. In his words:

During Kim’s career across the last three decades, he’s seen a lot of progress for Asian representation, pointing out how there are more actors with Asian backgrounds in TV shows than we’ve ever seen before, and name-dropping big TV shows like Squid Game and Beef as becoming huge successes while also featuring predominantly Asian talent and creatives. However, Kim is still waiting to get a call about playing a romantic lead in a Hollywood movie.

We’ve certainly seen more Asian leads in romantic movies lately, including Manny Jacinto being Lindsay Lohan’s leading man in Freakier Friday, Ali Wong and Randall Park in Netflix’s Always Be My Maybe, and Lana Condor in the To All The Boys trilogy. But when it is going to be Daniel Dae Kim’s turn? He also said this:

Crazy Rich Asians was definitely a huge accomplishment for visibility for Asian Americans, since it was not only written and directed by Asian talent but also starred an Asian massive cast. It became a box office hit and is thought of as one of the best romantic comedies Hollywood has ever made.

Just this past weekend, the animated musical film KPop Demon Hunters, which stars a predominantly Asian voice cast (including Kim) and is written and co-directed by Maggie Kang, just earned the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office and has also become Netflix’s most-watched original ever. As the movie breaks all the records, it’s once again proof that there’s a massive audience for authentic stories by Asian filmmakers.

So, hey, it feels like it’ll be only a matter of time before Daniel Dae Kim gets his romantic lead moment. Goodness knows he’s already a heartthrob and deserves to break into the rom-com genre after all his action roles.

Daniel Dae Kim has officially returned to the small screen with Butterfly, an action-packed addition to the 2025 TV schedule courtesy of Amazon Prime Video. Based on a graphic novel by Arash Amel out of Boom! Studios, the show also stars Reina Hardesty, Louis Landau, and Piper Perabo. Critics have already seen all six episodes, and while some were bigger fans than others, the consensus seems to be that the plot plays it "too safe" with action vs. storytelling.

The trailer for Butterfly was an early clue that the spy thriller had the potential to deliver Reacher-esque levels of action. Hyped by Prime Video as a spy thriller driven by characters also dealing with complicated family dynamics, Daniel Dae Kim plays a former U.S. intelligence operative by the name of David, living in South Korea until he has to face the consequences for past decisions. He must flee an assassin and thwart spies, all while his daughter Rebecca (Hardesty) is in the mix.

If you're on the fence about whether you want to check out Butterfly with a Prime Video subscription, check out what critics have to say about the series! Starting with THR's Angie Han, who writes:

With a streaming catalogue including action-packed shows like Alan Ritchson's Reacher and Jensen Ackles' Countdown (which has not yet been renewed for Season 2), it was a safe bet that another Prime Video series could deliver when it comes to "fistfights and shootouts." The family drama is apparently more compelling and unique to Butterfly. Aramide Tinubu of Variety writes:

Considering that Daniel Dae Kim is best known for TV work as a member of the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action show cast, a longtime Lost star, and after a solid run of more than 150 episodes of Hawaii Five-0 despite the CBS drama unceremoniously writing him out, it just seems natural for him to star in Butterfly as a TV show rather than a two-hour feature film. The six episodes may give a different impression upon viewing, however! Robert Lloyd of the LA Times writes:

It sounds like Butterfly is a good candidate for a binge-watch without necessarily requiring a break or two to process a tricky political plot, which may be a good thing. Unlike many other Prime Video shows that release new episodes weekly, all six episodes are available streaming now. RobertEbert.com's Sherin Nicole says:

While the trailer mostly hyped the shootouts, car chases, spies, and action sequences, a popular sentiment among reviewers seems to be that the family moments in between are more intriguing. That doesn't necessarily mean that the show suffers for splitting focus, according to a review from ReadySteadyCut's Jonathon Wilson:

On the whole, Butterfly may appeal to fans of other intense shows on Prime Video, as well as to existing fans of Daniel Dae Kim. Critics just don't seem to be universally all-in on the new series. Screenrant's Grant Hermanns gets into some light spoilers with this review:

All in all, it sounds like critics en masse can all find something to praise about Butterfly, and action-oriented stories are pretty safe bets for Amazon Prime Video after some of its other hits. At the time of writing, Butterfly holds a respectable 72% on Rotten Tomatoes.

If you want to check it out for yourself, all six episodes are available streaming now with a subscription to the streamer.

Sure, I’ve grown accustomed to the fact that the 2025 TV schedule isn’t going to suddenly feature any golden goose-egg surprises such as a secretly already produced fourth season of Reacher. Alan Ritchson & Co. are currently filming new episodes in the wake of the Neagley spinoff’s production wrapping, but those won’t be around for another year or so. That knowledge doesn’t make waiting any easier, but something that 100% does help is having another taut action thriller to watch in its stead.

I had my suspicions that the upcoming spies-and-’splosions series Butterfly could scratch that itch, due in part to it boasting a star and executive producer in Hawaii Five-0 vet Daniel Dae Kim. Also, like Reacher, The Boys, and several other action-packed TV faves in recent years, it’ll be available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription. Now take a look at Butterfly’s first trailer to see why I’m excited.

Based on the 2015 graphic novel Butterfly — written by Marguerite Bennett & Arash Amel with art by Antonio Fuso — the Prime Video series stars Daniel Dae Kim as David Jung, a former U.S. intelligence operative living a second life in South Korea when his past comes back to haunt him. Or perhaps to learn to love him and get parental advice from him.

For all the years that he was officially believed to be dead in the States, there was a certain someone who would have been pretty jazzed to know he existed, and David’s life is about to be exposed in every way possible when he’s pursued by a young spy named Rebecca, portrayed by The Flash and It’s What Inside’s Reina Hardesty. She is uncannily just as unpredictable and off-the-handle as David is, and it’s no coincidence.

That’s right, Butterfly is as much about facing one’s familial regrets and inner demons as it is about exposing and dismantling the nefarious organization that Rebecca works for. (Where your daddy-daughter storyline, Reacher? Wait, no, don’t even answer that.) The two actors look like they gave it their all for a variety of stunts and action sequences.

I love close-quarters fisticuffs where someone’s arm inevitably gets snapped backwards in the most painful fashion, and it seems like this show might knock a few of those out during its run. But also on display are some gunfights, some car stunts, leaping off of buildings, explosions and…bonding! The most dangerous stunt of all.

Heading up the dubious organization hunting David down is Piper Perabo, which is not the actress one might expect to see in this role. Of course, it wasn't long ago when she jumped from fighting Beth Dutton on Yellowstone to a Grey's Anatomy hostage situation, so I guess it's a natural enough evolution for her. I do hope she doesn't spent most of the movie glaring at screens and phones inside an office, though.

Developed for TV by Gotham and The Mentalist vet Ken Woodruff and novelist Steph Cha (Your House Will Pay), Butterfly also stars Charles Parnell, Kim Ji-hoon, Park Hae-soo, Kim Tae-hee, Nayoon Kim and Sean Dulake.

Daniel Dae Kim is set to be celebrated around the globe when his Fire Lord Ozai is featured in a far bigger way for the upcoming Netflix series Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2. But he'll get to kick ass in a totally different way in this new series that is already making me forget Reacher's name. Okay, not really.

Butterfly will make its debut on Prime Video on Wednesday, August 13.

James Sawyer, played by Josh Holloway, had some amazing nicknames for his fellow castaways on Lost. Many - or even most - of them were pretty mean, but in a show filled with heavy, intense scenes, and some of the most shocking moments in TV history, it was important to have at least one character that we could laugh at or with when he spouted off a nickname. One of the reasons Lost is a rewatchable show is to catch moments and nicknames you might have missed the first time. Like these, our list of great nicknames from Sawyer. 

Deep Dish - Hurley

Hugo Reyes, aka Hurley, played by Jorge Garcia, was often the target of Sawyer's taunts. They usually focused on Hurley's weight. Sure, that's really mean, but Hurley (and Garcia) took it all in stride. His weight was a major component of his character to shying away from the subject wasn't in anyone's interest. Sawyer calling him "Deep Dish" is a perfect example. 

Tokyo Rose - Sun

We do have to address the casual racism of Sawyer. It's not to be excused, of course, but it still made for some creative nicknames. This is when it's best to laugh at the creativity or even lack of it. Calling Sun (Yunjin Kim) "Tokyo Rose" is insulting on many levels, not the least of which is that Sun is Korean. 

Hobbit - Charlie

This just might be the funniest inside joke on Lost. Charlie is played by Dominic Monaghan. It was Monaghan's second big role in his career. His first, of course, was Meriadoc Brandybuck in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Brandybuck was a hobbit. So while Sawyer is insulting Charlie's height, he's using a great inside joke to do it. 

Moonbeam - Libby

Libby (Cynthia Watros) is a tallie that fans met in Season 2 of Lost. It doesn't take long for Sawyer to come up with a nickname either: Moonbeam. Libby has a pretty relaxed, hippie-like attitude about a lot of things, so the nickname is pretty spot on. 

Jumbotron - Hurley

Sawyer is pretty relentless with Hurley, but honestly, it's pretty hard not to giggle a little a "Jumbotron." No one would ever use that as an insult anywhere in the normal world. Mean? For sure. Creative? Yep. 

Dr. Quinn - Jack

Jack Shephard, played by Matthew Fox, is pretty much the main character on Lost, even among the ensemble cast. He's also frequently at odds with Sawyer, so it stands to reason that Sawyer would have a lot of nicknames for the good doctor. "Dr. Quinn" is among the best, referencing the classic TV show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. 

Shaft - Mr. Eko

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who played Mr. Eko, had too short of a run on Lost and fans wish he'd stuck around longer. It was long enough to earn a few nicknames, with maybe the best being "Shaft" in reference to the legendary '70s movie. Sawyer was great at quickly referencing pop culture. 

Thelma - Kate

Kate (Evangeline Lilly) was a complicated character on Lost. Despite often being cast as a hero, she could be somewhat unlikeable sometimes. Her love triangle between Jack and Sawyer is a big reason why. Despite all the flirting, Sawyer could still get his digs in, like calling her "Thelma" in reference to the movie Thelma & Louise when she struck out looking for revenge one time. 

Yoda - Ben

Michael Emerson joined the cast as "Henry Gale" late in Season 2 of Lost. Eventually, we learned his real name was Ben Linus. He was full of wisdom and never afraid to let everyone know just how smart he was, leading to Sawyer calling him "Yoda." 

Colonel Kurtz - Locke

John Locke (Terry O'Quinn) is one of the most important characters throughout the entire run of the show. As such, he's often the target of Sawyer's insults and nicknames. One of the funniest has got to be "Colonel Kurtz" in reference to Marlon Brando's character in Apocalypse Now. It's just perfect for a bald guy in the jungle, right? If only he could have stayed out in the jungle, away from Sawyer...

Han - Michael

In Season 1, Sawyer gets in on building the raft with Michael (Harold Perrineau) and Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) and this leads to a slew of nicknames for both of them. While on the raft, he refers to them collectively as "Han" (Michael) and "Chewie" (Jin) as they try to drive the janky raft, much like the famous duo do with the janky Millennium Falcon in the Star Wars movies. 

Magic Leprechaun - Desmond

Henry Ian Cusick's character Desmond is introduced in a flashback in Season 1, but it's really at the beginning of Season 2 when we start to learn all about him. When Sawyer calls him "Magic Leprechaun" it makes it easy to laugh at Sawyer. Desmond, you see, is Scottish, not Irish, but a guy like Sawyer just doesn't care about the important distinction. 

Captain Bligh - Michael

One of the many nicknames Sawyer uses on Michael while they are on the raft at the end of Season 1 is "Captain Bligh," referring of course to the sadistic captain of the HMS Bounty in Mutiny on the Bounty. 

Reject From VH1's Has-Beens - Charlie

"(You All) Everybody" is a hit song by Charlie's band, Drive Shaft. Drive Shaft was sort of like a store-brand version of Oasis, right down to the bickering brothers. They also seem exactly like the type of band that would have appeared on VH1 as a has-been band from a bygone era. The fact that Sawyer tosses in the "reject" part makes the insult even more biting. 

Red Beret - Sayid

Of all the characters on Lost that Sawyer is racist towards, Sayid (Naveen Andrews) has it the worst. Some of them are incredibly horrid, but "Red Beret" is actually pretty creative. Sayid is a former member of the Iraqi Republican Guard, who were famous for the red berets they wore. 

Sheena - Kate

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, is one of the many comic book references scattered through Lost. On the island, Kate is the group's very own queen of the jungle, so Sawyer pulling out this gem is pretty hilarious. It's a deep cut that not everyone would get, which makes it all the better. 

Chewie - Jin

When Michael builds the raft, his right-hand man is Jin. The two bicker the whole time, but they build a bond. Just like Han and Chewie in the Star Wars movie. Sawyer uses the "Chewie" nickname for Jin a couple of times when in reference to the raft and shortly after they wash back up on the island. 

Rambina - Ana Lucia

It doesn't take long for Sawyer to come up with a quick-witted name for Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez). After she is thrown into the pit with them, the first time she's seen on the island, Sawyer calls her "Rambina" which is, frankly, the perfect nickname for her character at that point. She's one of the toughest women on the island, befitting the name. 

Stay-Puff - Hurley

Sawyer is clearly a member of Generation X. A lot of his nicknames stem from that. Take, for example, calling Hurley "Stay Puff." Anyone causally referencing Ghostbusters and the marshmallow man at the end has to be Gen X. Sure, it's another shot at Hurley's weight, but it's also creative! 

Cool Hand - Jack

Towards the end of Season 2, tension had been building between Sawyer and Jack over some medicine Sawyer was refusing to share with the group. What starts as a friendly game of poker for fruit, turns into a showdown between the two over the meds. Jack wins, earning the nicknames "Amarillo Slim" and "Cool Hand" from Sawyer. 

Mr. Miyagi - Jin

Sometimes Sawyer's prejudices get the better of him. When he calls Jin Mr. Miyagi, he's not trying to be racist, it's almost like a compliment, but really, it's just problematic. Though somewhat creative, and another clue that Sawyer's pop culture knowledge is limited mostly to the 1980s. 

Daniel Boone - Locke

John Locke spent a lot of time on the island alone. What he's doing isn't always exactly clear, except that he's exploring. Daniel Boone is one of the most famous American explorers, and a man who had no problem living off the land, just like Locke in Lost. 

Donger - Miles

Okay, okay. So this is an insult that references a movie that in and of itself is pretty problematic. "Donger," which Sawyer calls Miles (Ken Leung) is a reference to Gedde Watanabe's character Long Duk Dong in Sixteen Candles. That character is problematic as is Sawyer using the nickname for another Asian man. It's a great way to laugh at Sawyer, not with him. 

Ponce De Leon - Ana Lucia

Sawyer seems to have pretty good knowledge of great explorers and uses them a few times. One time it's Daniel Boone for Locke, another is Ponce De Leon for Ana Lucia as she leads the group of tallies through the jungle to meet up with the main group of survivors on the beach. 

Metro - Jack

"Metro" was a term in a specific time, notably the time Lost aired in the mid-00s. It's a description that soon fell out of favor, but it fits perfectly in this time and place on Lost. And yes, it's definitely a way to describe Matthew Fox in almost any of his roles, including Jack. 

Bluebeard - Michael

Most of Sawyer's most creative nicknames for Michael come from the time building and sailing the raft at the end of Season 1. Many of them are great nautical references, even calling him Magellan at one point. "Bluebeard" is meant to be in reference to a pirate, but the character comes from French folklore that has nothing to do with crime on the high seas. This makes it both creative and factually incorrect, perfect for Sawyer. 

Betty - Sun

It's hard to pinpoint why Sawyer called Sun "Betty" after Betty White, is so funny, but it just is. It's maybe the deepest cut on this list too. He calls her that just after Jin finds out she secretly speaks English, and the reference is to the Betty White movie "Liar's Club." Yeah, it's an obscure one, for sure, but that's part of what made Lost so great. 

Mr. Clean - Locke

Many of Sawyer's nicknames for Locke reference Locke's bald head. "Mr. Clean" is one of the more obvious ones, of course. Still, in the '80s Mr. Clean commercials were all over daytime TV and there isn't anyone around from that era who doesn't think of Mr. Clean as the quintessential "bald guy" on TV, with all due respect to Telly Savalas' character Kojak. 

The Artist Formerly Known As Henry Gale - Ben

When audiences first met Ben Linus on Lost, he used the pseudonym "Henry Gale." There are some great theories as to where it came from, but for many, the best thing about it is when Sawyer pulls out a reference to The Purple One, Prince, and the era when he went by "The Artist Formerly Known As Prince" during a dispute with his record company. 

Dr. Giggles - Jack

Dr. Giggles is a long-forgotten horror movie from the early '90s. Just referencing the movie must have had some fans of Lost jumping for joy because of the obscurity. It's also kinda the perfect nickname for Jack, who rarely lets his guard down and is very serious most of the time. 

Barbar - Hurley

Well, he finally did it. Sawyer finally just came out and called Hurley an elephant. Specifically the beloved "Babar." It comes in a particularly tense moment between the characters as they trudge through the jungle together. There is just something so funny about the name "Babar" used in any context, even as an offensive insult. 

Sulu - Jin

TV references were always a key part of Sawyer's nicknames. It might seem like calling Jin "Sulu" in reference to the iconic character played by George Takai in Star Trek is just another lazy reference based on Jin's race. But you have to remember Jin was steering the raft at the time and Sulu was the pilot of the USS Enterprise. So, really, it's pretty perfect. 

A lot of famous actors came and went on Lost over the years, but for the most part, the nicknames were reserved for the regulars. The cast members who made up the core of the cast. 

The notion of a TV show going through cast changes for one reason or another isn’t all that unusual. In some cases, an actor might choose to leave a show in order to pursue other opportunities. And, at other times, a character naturally runs their course and is written out, leading to a star being ushered out of a production gracefully. However, there have been a number of instances in which an actor has dramatically exited a popular show for more salacious reasons. And we’re going to talk about a number of those situations.

Mackenzie Phillips (One Day At A Time)

Mackenzie Phillips dealt with substance and alcohol abuse during her tenure on One Day at a Time. As her problems increased and she allegedly became erratic on set, the actress was fired after the fifth season of the Norman Lear-produced sitcom. After voluntarily receiving treatment, Philips was invited back to the series at the start of Season 7. But, as mentioned in her Biography special she was fired one more time early in Season 9.

Delta Burke (Designing Women)

Designing Women cast member Delta Burke, who played breakout character Suzanne Sugarbaker, left the beloved CBS comedy after its fifth season. At the time, Burke was having issues with series creator Linda Bloodworth-Thomason. While appearing on the Glamorous Trash podcast years later, Burke said she and the EP “tried to kill each other” but “survived.” They eventually patched things up and teamed up again for a short-lived spinoff series, Women of the House.

John Amos (Good Times) 

Fans, like myself, would probably argue that Good Times – one of the greatest sitcoms of all time – changed tremendously after John Amos’ James Evans Sr. was written out following Season 3. That creative decision was the result of Amos being incredibly vocal about his frustrations with the direction of the show and even threatening the writers. As the actor explained during an interview, series EP Norman Lear called him up personally to tell him he’d been fired. 

Rob Lowe (The West Wing)

Before he dazzled on Parks and Recreation and after rising to prominence as a “Brat Pack” member, Rob Lowe starred on The West Wing. The show was originally set to center around his character, Sam Seaborn, though the focus shifted early on. Feeling underutilized as time went on, Lowe left the show after four seasons.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

Roseanne Barr’s eponymous ABC sitcom was revived for a tenth season that aired in 2018, and it saw considerable success. Following its renewal, Barr was fired after posting a tweet about former government official Valerie Janet that was condemned as being racist. Her dismissal led to the cancellation of Roseanne and the conception of a spinoff sequel series The Conners.

Janet Hubert (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

Two actresses portrayed Vivian “Aunt Viv” Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the first being Janet Hubert. By the NBC sitcom’s third season, she and lead actor Will Smith began to butt heads. Both were also dealing with situations in their personal lives. Ultimately, Hubert left Fresh Prince due to getting an unsatisfactory new contract offer and, years later, she and Smith made amends during the show’s 2020 reunion.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

House of Cards experienced a significant shake-up after Kevin Spacey was accused of being inappropriate towards actor Anthony Rapp while he was still a minor. Netflix eventually cut ties with Spacey and, as a result, he was replaced as the lead of the show by co-star Robin Wright.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

When it comes to an exit from a TV series, few get more dramatic than Charlie Sheen’s departure from Two and a Half Men. During the eighth season of the hit CBS show, he made headlines for partaking in wild parties and even entered rehab. Sheen’s fate was sealed, however, when he made disparaging remarks about series co-creator Chuck Lorre. Men would continue for four more seasons, with Ashton Kutcher taking over as co-lead.

Katherine Heigl (Grey’s Anatomy) 

There are a lot of moving parts to Katherine Heigl’s Grey’s Anatomy exit, but it was truly set in motion after the actress kept her name from Emmy consideration in 2008. Heigl did that because she didn’t think the work she’d done for that particular season was Emmy-worthy. In 2009, the Izzie Stevens actress accused series creator Shonda Rhimes and the producers of initiating long work hours for the cast and crew. And, in 2010, amid Season 6 of the drama series, Rhimes released Heigl from her contract early.

Valerie Harper (Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family)

Amid the second season of Valerie, lead actress Valerie Harper became engaged in a salary dispute with both NBC and production company Lorimar. It was after that season that the Emmy winner was fired, and she ultimately sued both of the aforementioned companies for breach of contract. The series aired for four more seasons – and had two more names. But, ultimately, Harper won her case and was awarded $1.4 million and future show profits.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Robert Downey Jr. had experienced a number of personal issues by the time he was cast for Season 4 of Ally McBeal, and they continued throughout his tenure. During that season, he was arrested in November 2000 for drug possession and was taken into custody again under suspicion of being under the influence in Culver City in 2001. With that, Downey was fired from McBeal.

Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)

In 2017, amid the MeToo Movement, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of inappropriate behavior by his former assistant. Shortly after, one of Tambor’s Transparent co-stars accused him of misconduct as well. Amazon, which had renewed the Emmy-winning dramedy for a fifth and final season, officially fired Tambor in early 2018. His character, who was the lead, was ultimately killed off in the musical series finale special.

Esther Rolle (Good Times)

Esther Rolle took issue with some of the creative decisions made on Good Times, not unlike her co-star, John Amos – who was fired after Season 3 even though Rolle was more publicly vocal about her disdain. Given her discomfort, Rolle left after the fourth season when her contract expired. She did, however, return as a main cast member for the sixth and final season. 

Suzanne Somers (Three’s Company)

Some TV devotees may not be aware that Suzanne Somers exited Three’s Company after five seasons due to a salary dispute with ABC’s execs. Her attempts to renegotiate a new deal proved to be unsuccessful, and her contract was not renewed. Throughout the remainder of the show's run, Somers' Chrissy Snow would be succeeded by two other characters.

Chad Michael Murray (One Tree Hill)

Many were likely surprised when Chad Michael Murray was one of two major stars to exit One Tree Hill ahead of its seventh season. At this point, there’s been no clear reason as to why Murray, who played Lucas Scott parted ways with the show. Some contend that he was ready to leave, but Murray was even recorded saying that the network wanted to drop him to save money.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Veteran actress Lori Loughlin was starring on Netflix’s Fuller House when she was indicted as part of the 2019 college admissions scandal. In 2020, Loughlin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and was sentenced to two months in prison. Given her legal woes, Loughlin’s Aunt Becky was excluded from the sitcom’s final season.

Isaiah Washington (Grey’s Anatomy)

It was in October 2006 that Isaiah Washington made headlines after it was reported that during an on-set conflict with Patrick Dempsey, he insulted their fellow Grey’s Anatomy co-star, T.R. Knight, with a homophobic slur. Washington reportedly issued an apology though, by the summer of 2007, his contract with ABC was eliminated after Season 3. Washington did, however, reprise the role for a Season 10 episode.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds fired Thomas Gibson amid production on Season 12. As has been reported, Gibson, who was directing an episode at the time, had a disagreement with the episode’s writer. The scribe was on set at the time and, during an encounter with Gibson, the actor apparently kicked him. Gibson subsequently expressed regret over his actions.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Few TV deaths were more tragic than that of Shannen Doherty’s Prue Halliwell during Charmed’s third season finale. In the years since she departed the show, Doherty has claimed that her on-set tension with co-star Alyssa Milano caused her to be let go. For her part, Milano said she was “sad” that Doherty blamed her for how everything panned out.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

While starring on Netflix’s The Ranch, Danny Masterson was investigated by police due to allegations of assault by multiple women. Masterson was soon fired from the series amid production on Season 3 and, in 2023, he was sentenced to prison.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

After leading Batwoman for just one season, Ruby Rose exited the Arrowverse show in 2020. The actress initially attributed her decision to the “taxing” nature of heading up a TV show as well as an allergic reaction to the latex in her costume. However, Rose later made claims of an abusive workplace against her ex-co-stars, The CW and more. Warner Bros. TV denied the allegations as did Rose’s former scene partners.

Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley)

Laverne & Shirley lost co-lead Cindy Williams early into the show’s eighth and final season. Williams became pregnant early into production and, as she explained to Today, she wouldn’t sign a new contract due to the producers having her work on her due date. So Penny Marshall’s Laverne DeFazio finished out those last episodes without Williams’ Shirley Feeney.

Chevy Chase (Community)

It’s been well documented that Community’s Chevy Chase had creative differences with series creator Dan Harmon over his character, Pierce Hawthorne. While working on Season 4, the veteran funnyman reportedly had an on-set tirade during which he dropped the N-word. Chase departed the show shortly after that.

Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0)

Daniel Dae Kim’s exit from CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot after seven seasons came down to a salary dispute with the network. After the news of his departure was reported, Kim himself (who was one of the procedural’s most recognizable stars) addressed the situation, confirming that he and the network couldn’t agree to terms on a new deal.

Lisa Bonet (A Different World)

Cosby Show spinoff A Different World finished its first season on NBC in early 1988 and, afterward, lead actress Lisa Bonet announced her pregnancy with then-husband Lenny Kravitz. The sitcom’s incoming showrunner, Debbie Allen, wanted to keep Bonet on the show and depict her character, Denise Huxtable, as a single mom. But, as Allen explained years later, series creator Bill Cosby preferred that Bonet be dropped from the show.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

After three seasons on ABC’s Scandal, Columbus Short was removed from the cast of the hit drama series. It was during that time that the actor was dealing with personal issues and was even arrested on a domestic violence charge. Short later explained that he was cut due to his struggles with drugs and alcohol.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

MMA fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano established a polarizing social media presence during her two-season stint on The Mandalorian. Among the controversial posts she shared was a message that seemingly compared being a modern-day conservative to being a Jewish person during the Holocaust. Disney and Lucasfilm fired Carano in 2021 ahead of the highly popular Star Wars show’s third season.

Nicollette Sheridan (Desperate Housewives)

Desperate Housewives star Nicollette Sheridan was written out of the show after the show’s fifth season, with her character, Edie Britt, being killed off. Several years later, the actress filed suit against Marc Cherry, the show’s creator and ABC. Sheridan alleged that Cherry assaulted her on the set and that she was fired for reporting it. Cherry provided an account of events and, in time, the harassment claims were thrown and Sheridan was unsuccessful in getting a retrial.

T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy)

In 2009, T.R. Knight – who played Dr. George O’Malley on Grey’s Anatomy – left the show after the fifth season. Knight said his reason for leaving was due to a “breakdown of communication” with series EP Shonda Rhimes, his own decision to come out as gay and more. This also all came a few years after Knight was allegedly insulted with a homophobic slur by ex-co-star Isaiah Washington. 

Hilarie Burton (One Tree Hill)

Much has been said about Hilarie Burton’s exit from One Tree Hill after the sixth season. The most common assertion has been that the Peyton Sawyer actress couldn’t agree with the network on a new deal. Interestingly, while Burton recalled filming her final scene for the show, she noted that while shooting another sequence, a producer announced on set that the show was renewed for Season 7. However, both Burton and co-star Chad Michael Muray were surprised as they apparently hadn’t been offered new deals.

Justin Roiland (Rick And Morty)

Rick and Morty actor and co-creator Justin Roiland was fired from the Adult Swim show in 2023 after it was revealed that he was facing a domestic violence charge and other offenses in court. Roiland’s case was eventually thrown out later that year. However, the animator and voice actor was later accused of assault and messaging underage girls.

John Rhys-Davies (Sliders)

The sci-fi cult classic Sliders lost cast member John Rhys-Davies when the actor opted to depart after three seasons amid other cast changes. Sometime later, Rhys-Davies explained that he left due to conflicts with the writers. The veteran actor later explained that by the time he left the show, the scripts had become “incomprehensible gibberish.”

Actor Taylor Wily’s entertainment journey began in part with the onset of the UFC, as he was a celebrated sumo wrestler at the time, but it was Forgetting Sarah Marshall and later Hawaii Five-0 that turned him into a fan-favorite. Unfortunately, Wily’s manager confirmed going into the weekend that his client passed away on Thursday, June 20, citing natural causes as the reasoning.

Understandably, the news came as a shock to Wily’s former CBS TV family (or families, if one counts his multiple appearances as Kamekona on Magnum P.I.), as well as to the fanbase that has grown over the years. Many shared their respects on social media, including some of the drama’s stars and its creator.

Creator Peter Lenkov Pays Respect

As the main creative force who was behind putting Taylor Wily in the Hawaii Five-0 universe, the reboot’s developer Peter Lenkov has clearly been taken aback by Taylor Wily’s death, and after posting his initial state of shock online, he then shared a tribute filled with fun pictures on Instagram, along with the touching message seen below:

It’s awesome to hear that Lenkov and Wily were still in touch as recently as a week before the actor’s passing. It’s been a little over four years since Hawaii Five-0 was canceled and its unplanned Season 10 finale aired, though Kamekona’s final TV appearance actually took place on Magnum P.I. in an episode that aired a few weeks after the former drama’s final ep. Lenkov (who was fired from the latter drama) shared another post that reflected on the hypothetical plans to open a single Kamekona Shaved-Ice stand for Wily to visit. In his words:

Maybe that dream will still happen one day, though I don’t know if they’d ever extend those entrepreneurial goals to opening up a Kamekona Shrimp Truck and/or a helicopter tour business.

Daniel Dae Kim's Tribute

Though Daniel Dae Kim’s time on the network drama was controversially cut short when he and co-star Grace Park exited Hawaii Five-0 early over contractual disputes, the Good Doctor vet shared an Instagram Stories tribute to Taylor Wily, as seen below.

Kim vacated the role of Chin Ho Kelly during the hiatus between Seasons 7 and 8, and didn’t return at any point during the following three seasons. But it does seem like Taylor Wily left as much of a mark on the actor as he did with everyone else.

Jorge Garcia Shares Love For Taylor Wily

Lost vet Jorge Garcia is another Hawaii Five-0 vet who didn't make it through to the end of the series' network run, as his character Jerry Ortega was written out in the Season 10 premiere. But it certainly seems like he had a solid bond with Taylor Wily, as seen in the costumed post below.

As Garcia revealed in his post, it wasn’t even Wily’s Kamekona that first won him over, but rather the Hawaiian actor spoofing Garcia’s Lost character Hugo “Hurley” Reyes in a local ad. If only that could have been turned into a full-length project.

Will Yun Lee's Video Post

Though he wasn’t one of the main characters in Hawaii Five-0’s run, Will Yun Lee is one of the CBS drama’s most memorable recurring guest stars, having appeared just under a dozen times as informant Sang Min Soo, who just loves to get under the team members’ skin. Lee also took to his Instagram page to share love for his former co-star with the following post:

We here at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of Taylor Wily during this time of mourning. Those wishing to relive all of Kamekona’s appearances can do so by streaming all ten seasons of Hawaii Five-0 with a Paramount+ subscription.

Here’s some simple TV math: the longer a series airs, the less likely its original cast will remain intact, regardless of how beloved the show or actor is. The majority of popular series over the years have gone through at least one major exit, and it’s bad enough when changes are revealed early, and characters’ last episodes are planned out and logical. It's far worse, however, when actors suddenly exit projects without any on-screen closure.

Surprise departures can curb audiences' enjoyment of a show, whether from disrupted cast dynamics or shoddy storytelling. And depending on how controversial the exits are, a key departure can completely derail a show's success. So let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable instances when stars parted ways with projects without closing their characters' stories.

Anna Faris (Mom)

During Mom's hiatus following Season 7, co-star Anna Faris suddenly revealed she was leaving the show, which reportedly shocked the creative team as much as fans. Allison Janney & Co. went forward with the eighth season, occasionally referencing Faris’ character Christy, but it was canceled without any kind of conclusion for the character, though the creators made it clear they didn’t want to kill her off.

Chevy Chase (Community)

Community already suffered the exodus of creator Dan Harmon and more creatives in Season 4, and then Chevy Chase allegedly used a racial slur on the set, leading him to drop out of the NBC comedy through mutual agreement with network execs. His character Pierce appeared multiple times after his official exit, due to episodes airing out of order, as well as that hologram cameo in the Season 5 premiere, but the SNL vet never returned as a regular, and was unceremoniously killed off via dialogue two episodes after the cameo.

Danny Masterson (The Ranch)

That ‘70s Show vet Danny Masterson reteamed with Ashton Kutcher on Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch, but was fired in December 2017 after multiple assault allegations against him were publicized. Masterson later faced trial, was convicted and sentenced to prison in September 2023, and did not return as Rooster Bennett, who was written as missing and presumed dead via motorcycle accident.

Suzanne Somers (Three's Company)

Three’s Company's early seasons were bolstered by the popularity of Suzanne Somers’ Chrissy Snow, but network execs reportedly refused the actress’ salary increase requests, leading to a unique stalemate agreement. Somers made only contractually obligated appearances in Season 4 episodes' closing tag scenes, which she filmed separately from her co-stars. Somers was fired by the season’s end, with Chrissy said to be caring for her sick mom in Fresno.

Corey Hawkins (The Walking Dead)

Corey Hawkins joined The Walking Dead Season 6 as comic book fan-favorite Heath, but Straight Outta Compton's release that same year shot him to Hollywood’s stratosphere. In one of TWD’s most baffling moments, Heath disappeared in Season 7, and was never seen from again. Reportedly, Heath would have returned for the movies, but those plans have been shut down.

Emmy Rossum (Shameless)

The final two years of Shameless' 11-season run were without Emmy Rossum’s Fiona Gallagher. The actress announced her shocking exit in 2018, and Fiona’s final appearance came in the emotional Season 9 finale. Despite fans’ hopes, Rossum opted not to return for cameos in the remaining seasons, and the series finale wrapped without any major Fiona updates.

Mandy Patinkin (Criminal Minds)

Criminal Minds began its lengthy run with Mandy Patinkin’s Jason Gideon running the BAU, but that changed ahead of the third season when Patinkin left the show entirely over his disgust with the violent storylines. (He called joining the crime drama his “biggest public mistake” in 2012.) Gideon was replaced and killed off-screen seven seasons later, with Ben Savage guest-starring as young Gideon in flashbacks.

Columbus Short (Scandal)

Ahead of Scandal's Season 3 finale, co-star Columbus Short was arrested over a physical altercation at an L.A. restaurant, and eventually confessed he’d developed drinking and drug habits while dealing with a divorce and custody disputes. Short was fired from Scandal in April 2014, and his character Harrison Wright was revealed in Season 4 to have been killed off.

Gina Carano (The Mandalorian)

Former MMA badass Gina Carano landed the role of Star Wars merc Cara Dune in The Mandalorian, but lost the gig in February 2021. Following a series of controversial social media moves, Lucasfilm announced she would no longer be involved in the show. Cara Dune was not recast, and has not returned to the franchise since the Season 2 finale.

Valerie Harper (Valerie)

The Hogan Family began its existence as Valerie, starring the Emmy-winning Valerie Harper as its lead matriarch for two seasons. She was later fired after salary disputes and sued NBC and production company Lorimar. While her initial claims were dismissed, a judge ruled Harper was indeed wrongfully terminated, netting her a financial win. Her character suffered an offscreen death, leading to the series' name changes.

Robert Downey Jr. (Ally McBeal)

Following a string of 1990s scandals, Robert Downey Jr. landed the role of love interest Larry Paul in Season 4 of Fox’s hit dramedy Ally McBeal, which earned him a Golden Globe. But additional arrests in late 2000 and 2001 led creator David E. Kelley to cut ties with RDJ completely. The fifth season, which would have chronicled Ally and Larry’s post-wedding bliss, had to be completely rewritten.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed)

Though Charmed’s eldest sister Prue Halliwell was the trio's most powerful, the third season finale left Shannen Doherty’s character facing possible death. Though presumptions held that she’d return for Season 4, tensions and more issues surrounding Doherty and Alyssa Milano led to Doherty’s firing via phone call. As such, Prue’s wounds turned out to be fatal, but Doherty did not return for the funeral episode.

Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon)

Fox’s iteration of Lethal Weapon paired Rectify vet Clayne Crawford with Damon Wayans. But instead of buddy cop love, reports indicated strife and hostility building between the co-stars, along with complaints about Crawford's directorial work. His exit was reported on the day of the Season 2 finale, which ended on a cliffhanger for his character Riggs, who was unsurprisingly revealed to have succumbed to his wounds. Seann William Scott joined Season 3 as a replacement.

Grace Park (Hawaii Five-0)

After seven seasons portraying Kono Kalakaua for CBS’ Hawaii Five-0 reboot, Grace Park opted to vacate her role alongside Daniel Dae Kim after their attempts to secure pay equality with co-stars Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan were turned down by CBS Television Studios. Kono was revealed to have relocated to Carson City, Nevada, as part of a trafficking task force, with Danny sharing their break-up update in Season 9.

Thomas Gibson (Criminal Minds)

Various Criminal Minds stars exited the drama for different reasons, but Thomas Gibson’s case. stands out. Despite the show still being early into filming Season 12, ABC Studios and CBS Studios revealed the actor’s termination via a joint statement in August 2016, less than a week after Gibson was suspended over an on-set altercation with a writer-producer. A later episode revealed his character Aaron “Hotch” Hotchner entered Witness Protection after discovering serial killer Peter Lewis stalking his son Jack.

Roseanne Barr (Roseanne)

One of the '90s' biggest sitcoms returned to ABC in 2018, with Roseanne bringing comedian Roseanne Barr back as its matriarch. But that return only lasted for a single season, as Barr tweeted a message about former White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett that was considered racist, and two months after its Season 11 renewal, Roseanne was effectively canceled. The network relaunched without Barr as The Conners, which kicked off its run by killing off Roseanne Conner via drug overdose.

Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

Two and a Half Men thrived on the chemistry between Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, but the show went into hiatus in 2011 due to Sheen’s then-latest rehab stint, at which point the actor began slamming CBS and Chuck Lorre in a variety of high-profile interviews. Season 8 was then shut down mid-production, with Sheen’s firing later capping things off. His public meltdowns continued capturing headlines as Ashton Kutcher helped fill the Charlie void, and unfortunately didn't make good on rumors of his series finale return.

Lisa Edelstein (House)

Across her years as Dr. Lisa Cuddy, House star Lisa Edelstein went from playing contentious boss to adoring lover. Upon Season 7’s end, she and two co-stars were asked to take salary cuts during contract negotiations, with Edelstein being the lone holdout. She announced her exit ahead of Season 8, and Cuddy was later revealed to have quit as Dean of Medicine, with Omar Epps’ Eric Foreman taking on the duties for the final season.

James Garner (Maverick)

For three seasons, James Garner portrayed Maverick's title character Bret Maverick, but the 1960 writers' strike helped bring that run to a sudden close. When Warner Bros. attempted to lay Garner off due to a lack of scripts, he fought back and successfully sued the studio for breach of contract. According to the actor, he personally turned down an offer to return with a raise, saying, “I want out,” and though Bret appeared in an airing-delayed Season 4 ep which was filmed far earlier, Garner did not return, with fill-in stars Roger Moore and Robert Colbert added later.

Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy)

Katherine Heigl took a temporary leave from Grey’s Anatomy in Season 6 to shoot a movie and spend time with her adopted daughter, which sparked her to request to be released from her contract 18 months early. Disputes have raged on over how her sudden exit was handled, considering Izzy never experienced an official “farewell” scene. Alex Karev’s final ep specifically noted that he and Izzy were back together and raising twins in Kansas. While Heigl notably reunited with former co-stars at the Emmys, giving fans hope that Izzy could return, she has yet to justify those hopes.

Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs)

Nine months after The Goldbergs co-star George Segal died at 87, lead actor Jeff Garlin vacated the show following multiple HR investigations into allegations of misconduct. The departure was said to be a mutual agreement between the actor and the producers and network, and because it happened in the middle of filming Season 9, the producers used CGI, physical stand-ins, and archival audio to make it appear as if Murray was still around. The writers ditched that idea going into Season 10, though, and revealed Murray's off-camera death.

Freema Agyeman (New Amsterdam)

Freema Agyeman portrayed New Amsterdam's oncology chief Dr. Helen Sharpe for four seasons, and while many expected her back for the fifth and final season, the actress shockingly announced her exit amid the summer hiatus, cheekily pleading for fans to continue Sharpe’s story via fan-fiction. She went on to co-star in the series Dreamland, cementing Sharpe and Dr. Goodwin’s break-up, and though the character did appear on TV in a later Season 5 episode, it was without any overarching updates.

Hartley Sawyer (The Flash)

In 2017, actor Hartley Sawyer landed his stretchiest role yet as The Flash’s Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. Elongated Man. Three years later, in response to his comments about Black Lives Matter, social media users pulled up multiple derogatory and offensive tweets the actor posted between the years of 2009-2014. He publicly apologized for the posts, but a week after waves were made, Warner Bros. TV and The CW fired Sawyer from The Flash, which used an uncredited body double for Season 7’s “Mother” to write Ralph out alongside Sue Dearbon.

Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends)

Jill Marie Jones crushed it as Girlfriends’ ego-driven Toni Childs for six seasons but was the only main cast holdout who exited the dramedy ahead of Season 7 over her contract expiring. Jones' exit was explained through Toni moving to New York City at the end of Season 6, but Jones spoke openly in 2007 about feeling that Toni’s story wasn’t over and that she'd be willing to return if the writers put something together. Alas, the show was canceled in 2008 before that could happen.

Lori Loughlin (Fuller House)

Lori Loughlin returned to her Full House role of Rebecca for the Netflix continuation series Fuller House, but her appearances ceased in Season 4 after she was fired by Netflix over her and her husband Mossimo Giannulli’s actions regarding the 2019 college admissions bribery scandal. Though the actress was later able to reprise her When Calls the Heart character, Aunt Becky didn't return at all for Season 5.

Kevin Spacey (House Of Cards)

Alongside Robin Wright, Kevin Spacey made streaming TV normal with Netflix’s House of Cards. In the weeks ahead of Season 6's production, Spacey faced widely publicized accusations from actor Anthony Rapp, was subsequently fired by Netflix and was removed from executive producer duties. His character Frank Underwood was revealed to have been poisoned and died ahead of the Season 6 premiere.

Leanna Creel (Saved By The Bell)

Leanna Creel’s Tori Scott remains one of pop culture's biggest curiosities, having slid into NBC’s Saved by the Bell for its final season during a run of episodes lacking Tiffani Thiessen’s Kelly and Elizabeth Berkley’s Jessie. The leather-clad character shook things up for Zack & Co. for just ten episodes, and was never heard from again.

Wayne Rogers (MASH)

Three years after joining CBS' MASH, actor Wayne Rogers grew discouraged by his character Trapper John not reaching his expectations, and unexpectedly opted to quit the hit series ahead of its fourth season. But while fellow exiting co-star McLean Stevenson was able to be written out of the Season 3 finale, Trapper John's absence had to be explained away in the Season 4 premiere without Rogers around.

Ruby Rose (Batwoman)

Batwoman’s first foray into live-action saw Ruby Rose wearing Kate Kane's cape and cowl, but she left the Arrowverse series shortly after the first season ended. Reports noted she was fired over on-set behavior, with Rose claiming the show’s taxing nature led her to suffer back surgery following an alleged on-set accident. Replaced as a lead by Javicia Leslie's Ryan Wilder, Kate later returned in a different physical form without Rose’s involvement.

Kate Jackson (Charlie's Angels)

O.G. Charlie’s Angels star Kate Jackson won viewers’ hearts for three years as Sabrina Duncan, which is when she followed former co-star Farrah Fawcett out the door. Jackson spoke warily of the writers’ scripts, and after being denied the opportunity to join Kramer vs. Kramer due to scheduling, she intentionally caused an on-set mess that led to her dismissal ahead of Season 4. Replaced by Shelley Hack’s Tiffany Wells, Sabrina was revealed to have left the agency to become a mother.

Jon Seda (Chicago P.D.)

Jon Seda’s Antonio Dawson jumped from Chicago Fire to P.D. to Justice and back again for seven years. Surprisingly, NBC and Wolf Entertainment chose not to renew Seda’s contract ahead of Chicago P.D.'s seventh season, and he was let go. Later episodes revealed the character fell back into pill addiction following the prior finale's cliffhanger, and he was checked into rehab, eventually moving to Puerto Rico after resigning from the force.

Selma Blair (Anger Management)

Charlie Sheen followed Two and a Half Men with the comedy Anger Management, co-starring Selma Blair for part of its run as his colleague and fling interest Dr. Kate Wales. Conflict between Blair and Sheen bled into the tabloids, and a reported ultimatum from Sheen led producers to fire Blair, with her character suddenly being explained away as having moved to India.

Not only is Mark Hamill beloved for playing Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies, he’s also the renowned voice actor behind iconic villains like Batman’s Joker and Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Fire Lord Ozai. Now, as Daniel Dae Kim prepares to play the big bad in Netflix’s adaptation of Avatar, he spoke to CinemaBlend about Hamill’s voice performance and how it impacted his portrayal of the Fire Lord in Netflix’s live-action adaptation. 

Hamill’s performance as Ozai in the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender is wicked, iconic and barely recognizable. He really doesn't sound like himself, much like his voice for Joker. So, when I asked Daniel Dae Kim about how his predecessor inspired his own performance as the Fire Lord, he talked about the Star Wars star's work as a voice actor overall first, saying: 

I’m so with him! I didn’t know Mark Hamill voiced Ozai until years after I watched the show for the first time, and I mean that as such a high compliment. He’s so committed to this terrifying role that you become immersed in the show, and you don't spend much time thinking about who is voicing the character. 

Now that the Lost star is playing this iconic villain in the Avatar: The Last Airbender cast, he told me how Hamill’s performance as the Fire Lord impacted his own take on the character, telling me:

He makes such a great point, Hamill’s performance as Ozai is “full-throated and wholehearted.” When I watch the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, I’m always terrified of the Fire Lord, because he’s so driven and passionate about his quest to take over the world and bring down the Avatar. The iconic voice actor has a lot to do with that, and now it’s Daniel Dae Kim’s turn to bring that spirit to the world of live-action. 

With Ozai being incorporated into Avatar earlier than he was in the animated series, we’ll get to see how Mark Hamill’s performance impacted Daniel Dae Kim’s quickly, and I can’t wait. While some fans are already upset about Netflix’s ATLA, the first reactions to the live-action adaptation are cautiously optimistic. Between that, as well as the new Fire Lord's passionate love for his predecessor, I think we’re in for a treat. 

For a while now we’ve been aware that Season 1 of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender would feature two primary characters who aren’t fully introduced until Season 2 of the animated series. Of course, I’m talking about Prince Zuko’s sister Azula and his father Fire Lord Ozai. Played by Elizabeth Yu and Daniel Dae Kim, respectively, in the live-action The Last Airbender cast, we’ve now learned why these characters will come into the story earlier than they did in the Nickelodeon show, and I think it’s pretty genius. 

While the disdain and competition between Zuko and Azula is felt throughout all three seasons of the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, in the Netflix series the origins of their rivalry will become clearer. Elizabeth Yu explained that as she told EW what her princess of the Fire Nation will be up to in Season 1:

In the animated series, Azula appears in 23 of the 60 episodes, and when it comes to Season 1 she’s only briefly in two of them, and they’re uncredited appearances. At the end of the first book though, it becomes clear that Zuko’s sister will be a formidable foe in the upcoming seasons. 

When it comes to Fire Lord Ozai, he briefly appears in three episodes in Season 1 – once in a vision where he has no lines, once in a flashback and then fully in the finale. So, we don’t really see him in the present until Season 2. Overall, Mark Hamill voiced Aang’s biggest adversary in 11 episodes, and based on these comments, it sounds like Daniel Dae Kim’s Fire Lord will actively be in a lot more of the show. 

As Yu stated, in the Netflix series on the 2024 TV schedule, we’ll get to know more about what drives Azula, and why she has such a rivalry with her brother. In the animated series, we learn about the Fire Nation royal family through the eyes of the banished prince Zuko, which is a big reason why we don’t see much of Azula and Ozai in Season 1. However, with this new series, changes will be made to ATLA, and many of them are seemingly for the better, including this one. 

Personally, I think this is genius. Azula’s rivalry is Zuko is passionate, she’s willing to do just about anything to show their father that she’s the sibling most deserving of being the next Fire Lord. That’s all implied and eventually shown in the OG series, however, getting to see the origins of it in this new series will make this sibling rivalry even better. It will also give us more of a chance to see and understand Ozai's relationships with both his children. 

We’ve seen hints of Ozai and Azula in the trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender, and they’re both featured prominently on the poster. So, we know their stories will deeply impact Season 1. Getting this insight into how they will be involved in this first installment makes me oh so excited for this adaptation, and it gives me even more faith in the cast and crew behind this show. 

To see how these two royal Fire Nation family members impact Season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender in a way that wasn’t shown in the Nickelodeon series, you’ll be able to stream the live-action adaptation with a Netflix subscription on February 22. 

It’s official, Avatar: The Last Airbender is making its way to the world of live-action. This classic animated series was a staple for many kids who grew up with Nickelodeon, and now it’s headed to Netflix with a new cast playing the iconic fantastical characters. 

The first season of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is slated on the 2024 TV schedule for a February 22 release, and the first look at The Last Airbender’s core characters and its official trailer got us really hyped for this show. So, we figured it's about time we break down the expansive cast that Netflix has confirmed for its upcoming series. 

Gordon Cormier 

The master of all four elements, and the Avatar tasked with defeating the Fire Lord will be played by 14-year-old Gordon Cormier. Aang is the main character of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the story follows his journey to perfect every type of bending after being on ice for 100 years. So, like our titular character, Cormier is setting off on a big journey as the kid who has been chosen to “save the world.” 

Before being cast as everyone’s favorite Airbender, Cormier appeared in the holiday movies A Christmas Miracle and Christmas Under the Stars. He also voiced a character in Team Zenko Go and appeared in the mini-series The Stand.  

Kiawentiio 

Playing Katara, one of the best female benders in the Avatar universe, is Kiawentiio. Katara and Sokka have been whisked away on a worldwide journey with Aang, and while the Avatar learns to master all the elements, she becomes a master water bender. 

Before taking on this legendary role, Kiawentiio appeared in the Netflix series Anne with an E as well as the short N’xaxaitkw and the film Beans. 

Ian Ousley 

Sokka, is the boomerang-loving boy and non-bender among the core characters, will be played by Ian Ousley. While he might not be able to bend like his sister, Sokka is a great strategist, incredibly funny and overall a big ball of charisma. 

This marks the first principal role for Ousley. Before being cast as Katara’s big brother, he had small roles on shows like Young Sheldon, 13 Reasons Why and Physical. 

Dallas Liu 

Dallas Liu will be playing Zuko, our beloved prince of the Fire Nation, and a man trying to catch the Avatar. We already know Liu and Cormier have an A+ rivalry brewing, making them the perfect pair for this iconic duo, and I can’t wait to see how this young actor plays out the complex and brilliant story of Zuko. 

Before signing on to play the scarred prince, Liu appeared in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ted Rings as well as the comedy PEN15. 

Elizabeth Yu 

Zuko’s sinister older sister Azula will be played by Elizabeth Yu. The royal fire bender is a hot-headed character, who acts as her father’s right-hand woman. She is out to take down the Avatar and her brother at times, making her one of the scarier characters in the series.

Before playing the master fire bender Yu starred in two other films: Somewhere in Queens and May December. The Last Airbender will be her first TV series. 

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee 

Keeping things in the royal fire family, Zuko’s beloved Uncle Iroh will be played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee. Iroh acts as a mentor and father figure to the young fire bender, and he is also his nephew’s moral compass. 

After appearing in 272 episodes of Train 48, Lee popped up in various projects before landing the role of Appa on Kim’s Convenience. Then, before making his way to the world of benders, he was in a galaxy far, far away playing Captain Carson Teva in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. 

Daniel Dae Kim 

The primary antagonist of Avatar: The Last Airbender is Fire Lord Ozai, and he’ll be played by Daniel Dae Kim. The evil leader of the Fire Nation has been part of a generation of leaders who have corrupted their nation, and now Aang and the gang are out to stop him.

The actor behind Zuko and Azula’s evil father has a long career in the entertainment industry, but seeing him play a true villain will be new. Before the Netflix series, Dae Kim starred in Lost, Hawaii Five-0 and the series of Divergent movies, among many other projects. 

Ken Leung

Admiral Zhao is the primary antagonist of the first season of the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, and he'll be played by Ken Leung. As a servant of the Fire Lord, he is out to capture the Avatar, however, he is also really rude and violent toward Zuko.

Leung is best known for his recent role in the HBO Max series Industry and for his time as Miles on Lost. 

C.S. Lee 

Avatar Roku was the master of the elements before Aang took over the mantel. He acts as a guiding light to the young Avatar, and provides context to the Fire Nation’s complex past. 

C.S. Lee is best known for his time on Dexter, where he played Vince, and has also played recurring characters on shows like East New York and Chuck. 

Maria Zhang 

Suki is the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, an absolute legend and Sokka’s love interest. She’ll be played by Maria Zhang, and this will be her first major project. Before this, the actress starred in shorts like All I Ever Wanted and Dear Mom.  

Yvonne Chapman 

The creator of Kyoshi Island, founder of the Kyoshi Warriors, and the Avatar who came before Roku and Aang is Avatar Kyoshi. She will be played by Yvonne Chapman who is best known for her role in the CW series Kung Fu.

Amber Midthunder 

Along with playing a powerful woman in Prey (and its potential sequel?) Amber Midthunder has joined the Airbender cast as Princess Yue. 

Yue is the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, and plays a pivotal role in the final portion of the first season of the animated series. 

Along with Prey, Midthunder is best known for her work in Legion and Roswell, New Mexico among other projects like Hell or High Water and The Wheel. 

A Martinez  

Pakku is a master water bender from the Northern Water Tribe who helps Aang and Katara, and plays a pivotal role in both of them mastering this type of bending. He will be played by A Martinez, who played Jacob Nighthorse in Longmire and appeared in the live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop.

Arden Cho 

June is a bounty hunter who goes around the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom on her shirshu, which is a creature who can sniff out just about anything. She pops up throughout the show to execute various missions to find people, however, her allegiance is always unknown. 

Arden Cho will play this incredibly cool character. She’s best known for starring as the badass Kira on Teen Wolf, and she recently starred in the Netflix series Partner Track.  

Utkarsh Ambudkar 

Bumi is the high-energy King of Omashu who is a childhood friend of Aang. The chaotic and hilarious Earth bender will be played by Utkarsh Ambudkar. 

Ambudkar is known for his work on Ghosts and Free Guy. He also had a movie on the 2023 movie schedule, World’s Best. On top of acting, he’s also a fantastic freestyle rapper.  

Danny Pudi 

Aang and the gang meet the Mechanist and his son Teo when they visit the Northern Air Temple. He’s an engineer and inventor, and this fun character will be played by Danny Pudi.

You’ll likely recognize Pudi for his role as Abed in Community. Along with the NBC cult classic, he is in Mythic Quest and voices Huey in Duck Tales. 

Lucian-River Chauhan 

The Mechanist’s son Teo is a high-flying, high-energy kiddo who becomes friends with Aang, Katara and Sokka when they visit the Northern Air Temple. 

The youngster will be played by Lucian-River Chauhan, who has appeared in shows like Heartland and Gabby Duran & The Unsittables. 

James Sie 

One of the most fun recurring characters/Easter eggs in The Last Airbender is the Cabbage Merchant, the poor man who just wants to sell his cabbages in peace. What makes this an even better Easter egg is the live-action Cabbage Merchant will be played by James Sie, the voice actor who originated the character in the animated series. 

Momona Tamada 

Ty Lee is one of Azula’s friends and a master gymnast. Playing the bubbly character is Momona Tamada, who was previously in The Baby-Sitters Club. 

Thalia Tran 

Mai, is the exact opposite of Ty Lee, and the much more serious friend of Azula. She also plays a big role in Zuko’s life, but no spoilers here. Thalia Tran will be playing the monotone warrior, and she’s best known for voicing a character in Raya and the Last Dragon.  

George Takei 

A true legend has been hired to play the face-stealing spirit Koh. When Aang travels to the spirit realm he’ll be met by George Takei’s voice and one haunting spirit. Of course, Takei is best known for his work in Star Trek as Sulu and he’s had a successful voice acting career.  

Randall Duk Kim 

Also joining the spirit world is Randall Duk Kim who will voice Wan Shi Tong, the owl who runs the Spirit Library. This role will be added to quite the list of voice acting work for Duk Kim as he played Oogway in the Kung Fu Panda movies. On top of that, he also played the Keymaker in The Matrix Reloaded. 

As you can see there’s a lot to look forward to from this massive ensemble, and if you’ve seen the animated series, you know that this isn’t even a fraction of all the characters we have to look forward to as the show moves forward. While it will be a while before we see this cast in their roles, you can go back and watch the original Avatar: The Last Airbender with a Netflix subscription, and you’ll be able to find its live-action companion there too super soon.  

Success has its ups and downs, especially when centered around a cultural phenomenon like the film adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians. Though director Jon M. Chu’s rom-com blockbuster opened doors for more films focused on stories involving Asian leads, there was a drawback to the attention those sorts of projects were receiving.

It’s a double edged sword that’s been highlighted by actor Daniel Dae Kim during a panel discussion at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Speaking about how the Warner Bros. smash hit caused problems for Asians trying to make films, NBC News picked up on these key comments made by Kim: 

Daniel Dae Kim mentions a valid concern when it comes to Asian representation on screen, which invites an interesting parallel in the post-Crazy Rich Asians landscape. The recent arrival of the 2023 Oscar nominations saw the most nods going to Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All At Once, which is definitely not a film that meets the criteria of “super rich, super wealthy, and super happy.” 

While that project’s success could be seen as helping turn the tide for Asian-centric movies, it should also be noted that the Michelle Yeoh-led film comes from indie studio A24. So major studios are still on notice when it comes to the matter. 

As both a Crazy Rich Asians sequel and spinoff are currently developing at Warner Bros., the franchise looks to be getting back on its feet. Though in light of Daniel Dae Kim’s sentiments above, the amount of time it’s taken those projects to progress also feels like a problematic development. With the very franchise that increased interest in more “Asian projects” finding itself delayed, it makes for an even more troubling picture. 

Kim’s role in Avatar: The Last Airbender’s reboot showcases another touchstone of multi-ethnic diversity in fiction resurging in its prospects. That Netflix series is hotly anticipated, but also could set up as similar trap to the Crazy Rich Asians saga has laid down. Success for Asian talent is still a favorable outcome, but would be seen as even more successful if the projects available developed as focused on diversity of story. 

At the moment, Daniel Dae Kim is set to be seen next in the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series. That project is still awaiting an official release date, so fans will have to keep their ears open for future developments. Meanwhile, Crazy Rich Asians is currently streaming for those with an HBO Max subscription. 

Medical drama New Amsterdam has come to an end on NBC after five seasons, with an emotional final run of episodes that concluded in a way that even the most diehard of fans may not have seen coming. Despite the show wrapping its run on network television, it has already found viewers via streaming. In fact, more than a week after the finale aired as a two-part event on January 17, New Amsterdam is trending in Netflix’s Top 10 TV shows. 

Like Manifest before it, New Amsterdam’s cancellation hasn’t meant that people won't check out the episodes. So, read on for how the show is still reaching an audience and what executive producers David Schulner and Peter Horton had to say about bringing back one notable star for the finale and why the ending for Helen Sharpe “wasn’t on purpose.”

New Amsterdam Is Trending

At the time of writing, New Amsterdam is trending in the #3 spot on Netflix’s Top 10 TV shows, and it has had a spot in the Top 10 for several days. This is particularly notable due to Netflix subscribers only having access to two of the five seasons that aired on NBC. Viewers will have to head over to Peacock for a subscription to find all five seasons streaming. 

New Amsterdam is also currently listed among the trending series on Peacock, although without a ranking like what Netflix provides. All things considered, the medical drama is doing exceptionally well on streaming for a show that recently aired its series finale! 

In the wake of that finale, let’s dig into what the executive producers had to say about the return of Daniel Dae Kim as Dr. Cassian Shin, who they couldn’t get back before the end, and why Helen’s story concluded the way that it did. 

Spoilers ahead for the final episodes of New Amsterdam, in case you’re still catching up on Netflix or Peacock!

How New Amsterdam Got Daniel Dae Kim Back (And Not Freema Agyeman)

News that Daniel Dae Kim would join the cast of New Amsterdam broke in early 2020, not too long before production shutdowns began happening across the country due to the spread of the COVID pandemic. Kim’s debut episode was pulled due to sensitive subject matter in light of the pandemic, and his entrance was different from the original plan. 

In a fun surprise for fans, trauma surgeon Dr. Cassian Shin made one last appearance in the series finale as one of the very many doctors who contributed to the surgery that would save a single mom’s life. Executive producer David Schulner explained how the unexpected cameo happened, saying:

The climactic surgery of New Amsterdam’s very last episode required all surgical hands on deck, which brought back Cassian as a trauma surgeon and Agnes as a top neurologist to join forces with Reynolds and Wilder. Daniel Dae Kim didn’t get a lot of screen time, but the actor was evidently willing to accommodate the show for however he was needed. Given that his character didn’t get a particularly big farewell, one last check-in was nice before the final credits rolled. 

That said, there is one particularly notable character who didn’t get their one last check-in. According to the executive producers, it wasn't for lack of trying. When asked if there were any cameos they were hoping for but ultimately didn’t work out, EP Peter Horton immediately said “Freema,” and David Schulner elaborated:

Freema Agyeman’s final appearance in New Amsterdam proved to be Episode 11 (directed by Peter Horton), when she returned to New York briefly and wanted to spend some time with Max. The show had to recycle footage from past seasons, however, and the last scenes that she filmed were for Season 4. She did lend her voice to the Season 5 premiere, though! So, what did the EPs have to say about how her story ended?

Why Helen's Ending 'Wasn't On Purpose'

With Freema Agyeman not making an appearance in the finale, the last that fans heard about Helen was that she skewed a cancer drug trial to focus on predominately white participants, with the assumed goal that she did it to get Max the drugs he needed to save his life because she loved him. Helen wasn’t able to give her side of the story, but Max and Wilder deemed it unethical and established that they wouldn’t have done the same thing. 

It was a surprising twist that fans couldn’t have seen coming ahead of Episode 12, which was the first of two episodes that aired on finale night. The executive producers opened up about how they came up with that ending for Helen’s character, with David Schulner saying:

The bosses had previously teased that “closure is never closure” after Max decided not to see Helen again and instead pursue a future with Wilder. According to Schulner, the drug trial story came before the decision to incorporate Helen into it rather than planning this storyline for Helen and then brainstorming the drug trial. It painted her character in a different light than when fans last saw her in the Season 4 finale, and Peter Horton explained his perspective on it:

The love story of Sharpwin ultimately didn’t prove to be endgame for New Amsterdam, but the show also didn’t end with Max settling down in any romantic relationship. In fact, there was originally a clue about his choice that was ultimately cut from the finale, with the message clear that he was prioritizing Luna over anybody and anything else. 

If you want to revisit the highs and lows of New Amsterdam in the wake of its finale, you can find the first two seasons streaming on Netflix and all five streaming with Peacock. There are also still plenty of new and ongoing series to enjoy, and you can find options on our 2023 TV premiere schedule. 

Friends is one of the most beloved and successful sitcoms of all time, even 18 years since its final episode aired on NBC. However, there’s one big issue that will always haunt the show as its 236 episodes continue to draw in fans on streaming and in syndication: its lack of diversity. New Amsterdam vet Daniel Dae Kim, who has become an advocate for Asian American and Pacific Islander rights, shared some honest comments about the sitcom’s lack of representation, even as he said he totally loved the hit comedy.

Daniel Dae Kim is known for playing Jin-Soo Kwon on Lost, Chin Ho Kelly on Hawaii Five-0 and for appearing in a ton of other major shows. He also started the production company 3AD, which develops content that specifically features underrepresented characters and stories, including The Good Doctor. The actor told Esquire that he and his wife have gotten into the habit of pointing out Asian faces to their children when they’re watching TV or a movie, which not only allows them to take note of representation, but also makes it obvious when such diversity is lacking, he said:

The main cast of Friends — Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), David Schwimmer (Ross), Matt LeBlanc (Joey), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Matthew Perry (Chandler) and Courteney Cox (Monica) — are all white, but the lack of representation didn’t stop there. Except for a couple of notable exceptions, most of the recurring cast, guest stars, and random people they encountered, including their love interests and fellow Central Perk patrons, were pretty lacking by way of people of color — a ridiculous thought when considering what New York City's population actually comprises.

Daniel Dae Kim consistently speaking out on the issue and shining a light on such missteps is one way to help change the landscape of what’s on our screens. He and Grace Park famously left Hawaii Five-0 due to pay discrepancies with their white co-stars. CBS said at the time that Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan were the leads of the series, and Kim and Park were supporting characters, which didn't sit right when the latter pair. More conversations are being had about minority cast members being paid less than their white co-stars in the TV industry. Not that Friends, with one of the highest-paid casts in TV history, had such discrepancies to worry about.

Sherri Shepherd had a memorable guest appearance on the sitcom as Joey's museum colleague Rhonda, and she  has addressed Friends’ diversity problem, saying it was hard to see a New York depicted with no other characters who looked like her. Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman also spoke about the issue on the CNN special History of the Sitcom, admitting that representation on the series was lacking. According to her, the issue is a product of the time and her own ignorance, saying back then there were “black shows and there were white shows. There weren’t a lot of shows that were interracial.”

David Schwimmer, however, has said he was aware of the problem and made a conscious push to have his character date women of color. Ross dated Julie (Lauren Tom) early in the series, then had a relationship with Charlie (Aisha Tyler) later on, with he and Joey fighting over Kristen Lang (Gabrielle Union) in one particularly amusing storyline. Simply put, however, it’s not enough, and the under-representation is a fair criticism that Friends will always carry. So if Kim wants to bring an Asian-geared iteration of the sitcom to TV anytime soon, we'll take it.

Currently Kim is set to appear in the upcoming live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series on Netflix. Check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what premieres are coming soon to television and streaming.

Following his main role on Hawaii Five-0 as Chin Ho Kelly, and accompanying his currently recurring role as Dr. Cassian Shin on medical drama New Amsterdam, Daniel Dae Kim is getting ready for a brand new Netflix series, though the role is one that certain viewers will be familiar with. The prolific actor is set to join the upcoming live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series as a villainous character.

Specifically, Daniel Dae Kim will portray Fire Lord Ozai, the ruthless leader of the Fire Nation, in Netflix's live-action reboot of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series, according to Variety. Much like in the original, Ozai’s thirst to unite the nations under the firebenders brings a family burden and his son, Prince Zuko, is forced to live up to his lordly standards. Fire Lord Ozai was voiced by Star Wars icon Mark Hamill in the animated series, so it should be fun to have a totally different vibe with Kim in live-action.

Daniel Dae Kim will join previously announced cast members Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley and Dallas Liu. Avatar: The Last Airbender ran for three seasons on Nickelodeon and is considered one of the best animated shows ever, at least to fans. There was a live-action movie, The Last Airbender, based on the series, though the M. Night Shyamalan feature was considered a box office bomb.

Coincidentally, this is not Daniel Dae Kim’s first time being part of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The Hawaii Five-0 alum voiced earthbender and Earth Kingdom Army officer General Fong in a single episode from Season 2. He also voiced Hiroshi Sato, Asami’s father and Amon’s third in command in the spin-off, The Legend of Korra, recurring in seven episodes.

Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the story of four nations, Water, Earth, Fire and Air, living together in harmony until the Fire Nation attacked. The Avatar is known for mastering all four elements and is the only one who would be able to stop the war. 100 years after the initial attack, waterbenders Sokka and Katara find an Avatar, Aang, frozen in ice and once unfrozen, the three of them go on a journey to prepare Aang for the war, making allies and enemies and saving the nations along the way. 

Other than Hawaii Five-0 and New Amsterdam, Daniel Dae Kim can also be seen in Lost, Star Trek: Enterprise, 24, and Crusade. He also serves as executive producer on ABC medical series The Good Doctor, which he also recurred on in 2019.

It will be interesting to see just how the new Avatar: The Last Airbender series will work out. After the original became available to stream on Netflix last year, it immediately shot to the top of Netflix’s charts and stayed in the upper echelon for nearly the entire summer. Fans are still attached to The Last Airbender so hopefully Netflix will do the series right.

Although original series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are no longer attached to the series, they have since announced they will establish Avatar Studios with Nickelodeon, which will include new animated series and films set in the Avatar universe. And if Daniel Dae Kim gets invovled with any of those projects, nobody's going to complain about it.

There is currently no word on when Avatar: The Last Airbender will premiere but hopefully it’s soon! In the meantime, watch all three seasons of the OG and all four seasons of The Legend of Korra on Netflix!

Now that it's well into its fourth season, NBC’s New Amsterdam is proving to be a reliable and — either appropriately or not — healthy medical drama hit for the network, particularly as it provides Ryan Eggold, Janet Montgomery, Tyler Labine, Jocko Sims, and Freema Agyeman with many chances to shine, often on a weekly basis. If you’re wondering why the ensemble looks familiar, it’s because the New Amsterdam cast has proven their star power in a number of other projects, on screens big and small. With that said, we’ll take this time to highlight their most notable appearances, while also discussing what projects they have in the future.

Ryan Eggold (Dr. Max Goodwin)

As Dr. Max Goodwin, the new medical director at the hospital that shares this show's name, Ryan Eggold plays the male lead in New Amsterdam. Away from this series, the actor is known for playing Tom Keen in NBC’s The Blacklist and its short-lived spin-off, The Blacklist: Redemption. Also, Eggold was seen as Ryan Matthews in The CW’s 90210. His other television credits include The Young and the Restless, Dirt, Entourage, Sons of Liberty, Out of Jimmy’s Head, Daybreak, United States of Tara, Brothers & Sisters, The War at Home, and Veronica Mars. 

Away from television, Ryan Eggold played Walter Breachway in BlacKkKlansman. He also appeared in Never Rarely Sometimes Always, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Fathers & Daughters, Lovesong, Battle Scars, The Single Moms Club, Beside Still Waters, Lucky Them, B-Side, Trophy Kids, Sirona, and Driving by Braille. Outside of acting, Eggold wrote, directed, produced, and composed Literally, Right Before Aaron. Next, the actor will be seen in A Jazzman’s Blues. 

Janet Montgomery (Dr. Lauren Bloom)

In the role of Dr. Lauren Bloom, the head of the emergency department, Janet Montgomery plays a main character on NBC’s New Amsterdam. Most notably, she starred in WGN America’s Salem. Additionally, Montgomery is recognizable from Fox’s Human Target, CBS’s Made in Jersey, NBC’s This Is Us, and HBO’s Entourage. Her other TV credits include Black Mirror, The Romanoffs, Downton Abbey, Spies in Warsaw, Dancing on the Edge, Merlin, The League, and Skins. 

Away from television, Janet Montgomery played Madeline/Little Swan in Black Swan. She also appeared in The Hills Run Red, Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead, Our Idiot Brother, The Republic of Two, Amateur Night, 10 Things I Hate About Life, Happily Ever After, The Space Between Us, Retaliation, In a Relationship, and Nighthawks. Most recently, Montgomery was seen in 2020's Think Like a Dog. 

Freema Agyeman (Dr. Helen Sharpe)

Playing the part of Dr. Helen Sharpe, the head of the oncology and hematology department, Freema Agyeman has a prominent part in New Amsterdam. For many TV viewers, the actress is best known for playing Martha Jones in BBC’s Doctor Who. She also appeared in ITV’s Law & Order: UK and Netflix’s Sense8. Additionally, Agyeman can be seen in Old Jack’s Boat, The Carrie Diaries, Little Dorrit, Torchwood, and The Bill. Furthermore, the actress appeared in Casualty, Mile High, and Silent Witness. As a voice actress, moreover, Agyeman is heard in Totally Doctor Who as well as the video game, Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest. 

Additionally, outside of television, Freema Agyeman can be seen in Eat Locals, North v South, Six Degrees of Assassination, and Rulers and Dealers. She also appeared in 2004's short film, Aisha the American, at the very start of her career.

Jocko Sims (Dr. Floyd Reynolds)

As Dr. Floyd Reynolds, the deputy chair of surgery, Jocko Sims plays one of the main characters in NBC’s New Amsterdam. Most notably, the actor was seen as Lt. Carlton Burk on TNT’s The Last Ship. He also appeared in Starz’s Crash, Fox’s The Resident, ABC’s Castle, and Showtime’s Masters of Sex. Additionally, Sims had guest roles in I’m Dying Up Here, Franklin & Bash, Covert Affairs, NCIS, Burn Notice, Criminal Minds, Bones, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, CSI, NYPD Blue, The Shield, MacGyver, and Yes, Dear. He can also be heard in American Dad! 

Furthermore, outside of TV, Jocko Sims was seen in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Dreamgirls, Jarhead, Something Is Killing Tate, Petting Zoo, and Beyond White Space. The actor also appeared in 2019's short film, Evelyn x Evelyn. Away from acting, Sims produced as well as directed the radio show, Apollo Night LA. 

Tyler Labine (Dr. Ignatius “Iggy” Frome)

In the role of Dr. Ignatius "Iggy" Frome, the head of the psychiatry department, Tyler Labine has a high-standing part in New Amsterdam. Prior to this series, the TV actor starred in The CW’s Reaper, UPN’s Breaker High, Hulu’s Deadbeat, and ABC’s Invasion. Additionally, Labine can be seen in Boston Legal, Sons of Tucson, Animal Practice, Dead Last, That Was Then, Jake 2.0, Kevin Hill, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. As a voice actor, furthermore, he can be heard in Netflix’s Voltron: Legendary Defender as Hunk. 

Moreover, away from TV, Tyler Labine is best known for playing Dale in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. He can also be seen in Someone Marry Barry, Super Troopers 2, The Boss, Little Evil, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, Best Man Down, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Flyboys, My Boss’ Daughter, Fathers & Sons, Cottage Country, and Escape Room. Additionally, Labine lent his voice to Monsters University. Most recently, the actor was briefly seen in Escape Room: Tournament of Champions. Next, Labine is set to star in Killing Winston Jones. 

Anupam Kher (Dr. Vijay Kapoor)

Playing the part of Dr. Vijay Kapoor, the head of the neurology department, Anupam Kher was in three seasons of NBC’s New Amsterdam. An esteemed actor with over 500 credits to his name, Kher’s other TV credits include Sense8, The Boy with the Topknot, Mrs. Wilson, The Indian Detective, ER, MI-5, and 24: India. The actor was also the host of Lead India, Sawaal Dus Crore Ka, Say Na Something to Anupam Uncle, The Anupam Kher Show, People, and Bharatvarsh. Additionally, Kher was the Chairman of Film and Television Institute of India. 

Moreover, away from television, Anupam Kher can be seen in a large swath of films, including (but certainly not limited to) Bend It Like Beckham, Silver Linings Playbook, Lust, Caution, Saaransh, Ram Lakhan, Lamhe, Khel, Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Daddy, Vijay, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara, Hotel Mumbai, The Accidental Prime Minister, Khosla Ka Ghosla!, and The Big Sick. Next, he’ll appear in Sooryavanshi, Zamaanat: And Justice For All, The Last Show, Koochie Koochie Hota Hai, Alert 24X7, and Shivshastri Balboa, to name only a few titles. 

Alejandro Hernandez (Casey Acosta)

As Casey Acosta, Alejandro Hernadez plays a comedic but also serious-minded character in New Amsterdam. Prior to this series, the actor was best known for playing Det. Rafael Sosa on CBS’s Instinct. Hernandez’s other TV credits include Chicago P.D., Law & Order: SVU, FBI, Blue Bloods, Elementary, Madam Secretary, and Gotham. Next, he’ll appear in Amazon Prime’s The Horror of Dolores Roach. 

Moreover, away from TV, Alejandro Herandez can be seen in American Dreamer and Netflix’s Monster. The actor also appeared in short films such as 2014’s Doce Hombres Sin Piedad, 2018’s Lucid, and 2019's The Six. Furthermore, Hernandez wrote 2018's short film, The Spectacular Tito Garcia, based on his own stageplay. 

Debra Monk (Karen Brantley)

In the supporting role of Karen Brantley, the Chair of the Board of Directors at New Amsterdam, Debra Monk is an authority figure who frequently clashes with Max in this well-seen NBC drama series. Most notably, the actress won an Emmy for her recurring role as Katie Sipowicz in ABC’s NYPD Blue. Monk also won a Tony for her lead performance in Broadway’s Redwood Curtain. Moreover, her other television credits include Mozart in the Jungle, Damages, Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order, A Nero Wolfe Mystery, Loving, Desperate Housewives, Dietland, Tell Me A Story, The Closer, and Girls. Next, Monk appears in HBO’s The Gilded Age. 

Furthermore, on the big screen, Debra Monk appeared in movies like The Devil’s Advocate, The Bridges of Madison County, One for the Money, In & Out, The First Wives Club, Bulworth, Center Stage, Palindromes, The Great Buck Howard, This is Where I Leave You, Quiz Show, For Love or Money, Extreme Measures, The Brass Teapot, The Producers (2005), The Savages, Demolition, Dark Water, and Ass Backwards. Most recently, she was seen in last year’s Standing Up, Falling Down. 

Daniel Dae Kim (Dr. Cassian Shin)

Playing the part of Dr. Cassian Shin, a trauma surgeon, Daniel Dae Kim was a notable new addition to New Amsterdam. The actor is best known for playing Jin-Soo Kwon in ABC's Lost, and Chin Ho Kelly in CBS's Hawaii Five-0. Also, Kim can be seen as Gavin Park in The WB's Angel. His other TV credits include recurring roles in ER, 24, Star Trek: Enterprise, Miss Match, Unsolved Mysteries, and Beverly Hills, 90210. Furthermore, Kim’s other recurring roles were found in Amazon Prime's Flack and CBS's The Good Doctor, where he's an executive producer. Most recently, the actor guest-starred on FX’s The Premise. Next, Kim will be seen in National Geographic's The Hot Zone: Anthrax, and he's also expected to be heard in AMC's upcoming adult animated series, Pantheon.

Additionally, outside of television, Daniel Dae Kim played Ben Daimio in Hellboy (2019). Also, he appeared in Always Be My Maybe, Crash (2004), Hulk, Cradle 2 the Grave, For the Love of the Game, The Jackal, The Onion Movie, Blast Blast (which he also produced), The Cave, and The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Allegiant, respectively. Additionally, as a voice actor, Kim was heard in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Recently, the actor was seen in Netflix’s Stowaway. 

Zabryna Guevara (Dora)

As Dora, Dr. Goodwin’s assistant, Zabryna Guevara had a supporting part in NBC’s New Amsterdam. Most notably, the actress is known for playing Sarah Essen in Fox’s Gotham. Additionally, Guevara was seen as Melania Ortiz in CBS’s 3 lbs. Following her time in New Amsterdam, she became a main player on ABC’s short-lived Emergence. Also, Guevara guest-starred on The Get Down, Chicago Med, Burn Notice, Castle Rock, Snowfall, Tell Me a Story, The Handmaid’s Tale, Limitless, Elementary, CSI, Blue Bloods, The Sopranos, and Law & Order. Most recently, she has appeared on Peacock’s Dr. Death and NBC’s Law & Order: SVU. 

Furthermore, away from the tube, Zabryna Guevara’s film credits include Marley & Me, X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Guilt Trip, The Incredible Jessica James, Irreplaceable You, The Rebound, All Good Things, Pariah, Yelling to the Sky, and last year’s Swallow. Moreover, she did some voice work for Can You Ever Forgive Me?, The Shape of Water, The Girl on the Train, and, most recently, The Stand-In. 

New Amsterdam Season 4 is now airing on NBC. Additionally, you can stream the first three seasons of the popular medical drama series exclusively on Peacock. 

It is no question that Seinfeld helped launch some great careers in entertainment. However, I am not necessarily referring to the main Seinfeld cast, but the guest stars who were not so well known at the time, such as a pre-Entourage cast Jeremy Piven. Also, you may remember Bryan Cranston’s recurring role, but may not realize he is not the only Breaking Bad cast member to appear on the sitcom, nor is Courteney Cox the only Friends cast member with a prominent guest role. When Seinfeld hits Netflix on October 1, 2021, see if you can spot any of the following as soon-to-be stars, starting with another groundbreaking comedian.

Sarah Silverman (Emily)

With a short stint on Saturday Night Live and a couple of years on HBO’s Mr. Show with Bob and David, Emmy-winning comedian and actress Sarah Silverman was still an up-and-comer when she appeared on the Seinfeld Season 8 episode, “The Money.” She plays Kramer’s girlfriend, Emily, whom Michael Richards’ character claims is great in bed, but not fun to share a bed with when it comes to getting shut-eye afterward.

Bob Odenkirk (Ben)

Also known for Mr. Show with Bob and David as the “Bob” from the title, Bob Odenkirk, who played a medical student Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) dates in the hope of eventually achieving her dream of dating a doctor in another Seinfeld Season 8 episode, “The Abstinence.” The former Saturday Night Live writer went on to lead a hit action movie called Nobody and, of course, earn Emmy nominations as Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad and the prequel spin-off Better Call Saul.

Anna Gunn (Amy)

Another Breaking Bad alum who appeared on Seinfeld earlier in her career is two-time Emmy winner Anna Gunn (Walter White’s wife, Skyler), who played a girlfriend of Jerry’s whom George (Jason Alexander) is convinced he saw smooching with Jerry’s cousin after losing his glasses in Season 5’s “The Glasses.” I could actually make a whole list of Breaking Bad actors who have appeared on Seinfeld, but let’s move on to another cable drama star for now.

Michael Chiklis (Steve Pocatello)

Michael Chiklis rose to fame as the Emmy-winning lead of FX’s The Shield, as The Thing in two Fantastic Four movies, and as part of the American Horror Story cast in Season 4. Years earlier, he was on Seinfeld Season 3 as a party host who ends up hosting Jerry and Elaine longer than anticipated, after their ride (George) leaves early for a one night stand, and later causes Jerry trouble when he appears at his building unexpected.

Daniel Dae Kim (Student #1)

Another star of a popular TV crime drama is former Hawaii Five-0 cast member Daniel Dae Kim, who is also well known from the Lost cast as Jin-Soo Kwon. On Seinfeld’s final season, Kramer and his friend Mickey (Danny Woodburn) were hired to pretend they had symptoms of certain diseases for medical students to guess, and the actor plays the student who correctly diagnoses Kramer with gonorrhea.

Mariska Hargitay (Melissa)

One of TV’s top crime procedural stars is Law and Order: Special Victims Unit cast member Mariska Hargitay, who has earned several Emmy nominations and one win during her two decades playing Olivia Benson. She probably would have earned some awards recognition for playing a fictionalized version of Elaine on the sitcom-within-a-sitcom, Jerry, if George had not cut off her audition (and if the show hadn’t been cancelled, too) in the Seinfeld Season 4 finale, “The Pilot.”

Jeremy Piven (Michael Barth / TV George)

Also in the Seinfeld Season 4 finale, Michael Barth does an unmistakable imitation of George Costanza when trying out for the role based on Jason Alexander’s character, which he ends up landing. However, you could have mistaken Barth for someone other than Jeremy Piven, who looks nothing like his Emmy-winning Entourage character, Ari Gold, in the episode.

Brad Garrett (Tony Abado)

Another Emmy-winning sitcom star who once guest starred on Seinfeld is Brad Garrett, who made his Season 7 appearance mere months before debuting on Everybody Love Raymond as Robert Barone. He plays a mechanic so overly protective of Jerry’s car that he steals it for himself, unaware that he is carrying a set golf clubs once used by President John F. Kennedy.

Megan Mullally (Betsy)

A winner of two Emmys as Will & Grace’s Karen Walker (and who should have been nominated for playing the ex-wife of her real-life husband, Nick Offerman's, character on Parks and Recreation) is Megan Mullally. One of her earliest sitcom appearances was on a classic Seinfeld Season 4 episode (“The Implant”) as a woman dating George, who accompanies her to the funeral of a loved one where he is accosted for “double-dipping” a chip.

Jennifer Coolidge (Jodi)

Seinfeld also marked the acting debut of Jennifer Coolidge, who later played Stiffler’s Mom in American Pie, Paulette in Legally Blonde, and joined the 2 Broke Girls cast as Sophie Kachinsky. The White Lotus cast member appeared in Season 5 as a masseuse dating Jerry, whom he can’t seem to get to give him a massage. Not to mention, she hates George so much, he starts to become obsessed with her.

Courteney Cox (Meryl)

Jennifer Coolidge has also guest starred on Friends, which, of course, made a star out of Courteney Cox just months after her Seinfeld appearance. She also appeared in Season 5 as a girlfriend of Jerry’s who pretends to be his wife so they can both get a discount at their local dry cleaners.

Debra Jo Rupp (Katie)

You may remember that Debra Jo Rupp had a recurring spot on Friends as Phoebe’s sister-in-law, Alice, before she played Kitty in the That ‘70s Show cast and, even later, had a role on WandaVision. However, she also had a recurring role on Seinfeld, appearing in two episodes as Jerry’s loyal, but extremely incompetent, agent, Katie.

Maggie Wheeler (Cynthia)

Probably the funniest and most memorable recurring role on Friends was Janice, played by Maggie Wheeler, who also had an earlier role on Seinfeld. In Season 3’s “The Fix Up,” Jerry and Elaine crack a scheme to pair the romantically challenged George with Elaine’s romantically fed-up friend Cynthia (Wheeler), which, expectedly, has its ups and downs.

Jon Favreau (Eric The Clown)

Another actor who landed a recurring role on Friends was Jon Favreau, before he became one of the most successful filmmakers working today as the director of Iron Man and the creator of the Star Wars spin-off series The Mandalorian, to name a few achievements. I bet you had no idea that he was the birthday clown who told George to get over his predilection for Bozo in the Seinfeld Season 5 classic “The Fire.”

Tobin Bell (Ron)

Speaking of clowns, one of the creepiest clowns in horror movies is Billy, the puppet whom Jigsaw often talks through in the Saw movies. I bet you didn’t realize that the man who played Jigsaw, Tobin Bell, appeared on a Seinfeld Season 4 episode (“The Old Man”) as a record store owner who offers Kramer and Newman an unjustly low price for some used vinyl, including a Frank Sinatra album in mint condition.

James Spader (Jason Hanky)

Also known for playing great villains (such as Raymond “Red” Reddington on The Blacklist or the AI enemy of 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron) is James Spader. The three-time Emmy-winner actually channels some of that same signature sinister energy to play Jason Hanky, who refuses to apologize to George for a past insult despite being required to make amends as part of a 12-step program, on a Seinfeld Season 9 episode.

Patton Oswalt (Video Store Clerk)

Also known for playing a Marvel villain (voice of the title character in the animated series M.O.D.O.K.) is Patton Oswalt, a popular comedian even better known for sitcoms like The King of Queens and movies like Ratatouille. One of his very first acting appearances was on Seinfeld as an employee at a video store from which George tries to rent Breakfast at Tiffany’s so he does not have to read the book.

Catherine Keener (Nina West)

A Scream Queen in her own right (mostly for appearing in one of the best horror movies in recent memory, Get Out) is Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener, who also had an early Seinfeld appearance. In Season 3, she plays the painter of Kramer’s iconic portrait and a girlfriend of Jerry’s who toys with his head with a letter she plagiarizes from a Neil Simon movie.

Stephen Tobolowsky (Tor Eckman)

A character whose methods to cure George’s inflamed tonsils remind me of Catherine Keener role in Get Out is Tor Eckman in the Season 2 episode, “The Heart Attack.” The holistic specialist is played to ridiculous perfection on Seinfeld by actor Stephen Tobolowsky, whom many will recognize from Groundhog Day, his recurring role in the Silicon Valley cast, and as Sammy Jankis in Christopher Nolan’s Memento.

Lauren Graham (Valerie)

Another acclaimed star of TV (like from being in the Gilmore Girls cast) and movies (such as Bad Santa) is Lauren Graham, who played the other half of one of Jerry’s most overly complicated romantic relationships on Seinfeld. When Valerie (Graham) puts Jerry on her speed dial, her stepmother (Louan Gideon) is initially furious, until she begins to take a liking to him and wants to put him on her speed dial, which threatens Jerry’s position on Valerie’s list!

I am not even sure if that is the weirdest relationship Jerry has ever been in, nor am I convinced that we have covered all the best Seinfeld characters with this list. However, what I do know is that you may never watch the hit sitcom the same way again, knowing that it was once a big break (or an obscure highlight) for some of your favorite celebrities.

For 10 seasons and 240 episodes, CBS's modernized reboot of Hawaii Five-0 became a mainstay on the popular network. Starring Alex O'Loughlin, Scott Caan, Grace Park, and Daniel Dae Kim, the procedural detective drama was a dependable franchise, spanning a few more shows, before its cancellation. Now that a year has passed since the series finale, fans are wondering what the Hawaii Five-0 cast is working on now. Let's find out!

Alex O’Loughlin (Lieutenant Commander Steven “Steve” McGarrett, USNR)

As Lieutenant Commander Steven "Steve" McGarrett, the Navy SEAL who founded and led the Hawaii Five-0, Alex O'Loughlin was the star of CBS's long-running reboot series. He also served as a writer, producer, and director. O'Loughlin's other TV credits include Three Rivers, Moonlight, The Shield, Mary Bryant, Criminal Minds, and White Collar Blue. Additionally, in film, the actor starred in The Back-Up Plan. Also, O'Loughlin can be seen in August Rush, Whiteout, The Invisible, The Holiday, Man-Thing, Oyster Farm, and Feed, which he also co-wrote and co-produced. His next project hasn't been announced yet.

Scott Caan (Detective Sergeant Danny “Danno” Williams, HPD)

In the role of Detective Sergeant Danny "Danno" Williams, a former New Jersey police detective who moves to Hawaii to be closer to his daughter, Scott Caan was the co-lead of CBS's Hawaii Five-0. He also played this part in NCIS: Los Angeles. The son of screen legend James Caan, the actor's other TV credits include Entourage and Vice Principals.

Away from television, Scott Caan starred in Ready to Rumble, A Boy Called Hate, Into the Blue, Black and White, Boiler Room, American Outlaws, In Enemy Hands, Brooklyn Rules, 3 Geezers!, and A Beginner's Guide to Endings. He's also known for his role as Turk Mallory in the Ocean's movies. Also, Caan appeared in Gone in 60 Seconds, Meet Dave, Novocaine, and Varsity Blues. Additionally, Caan wrote, directed, and starred in Dallas 362 and The Dog Problem. He also wrote and acted in Mercy. Outside of this series, Caan was most recently seen in Untogether. The actor's next project is unknown.

Daniel Dae Kim (Detective Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly, HPD)

Playing the part of Detective Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly, a former HPD cop who gets recruited to the Five-0, Daniel Dae Kim played a main character on this series for seven seasons. The actor also directed an episode. Most notably, Kim appeared in ABC's Lost and The WB's Angel. His other TV credits include ER, 24, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Beverly Hills, 90210. Additionally, Kim plays recurring roles in NBC's New Amsterdam, Amazon Prime's Flack, and CBS's The Good Doctor, where he's an executive producer.

Outside of television, Daniel Dae Kim starred in Hellboy (2019). Also, the actor appeared in Always Be My Maybe, Crash (2004), Hulk, Cradle 2 the Grave, For the Love of the Game, The Jackal, Blast Blast (which he also produced), The Cave, and The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Allegiant. Most recently, Kim was seen in Netflix's Stowaway and heard in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Next, he'll star in National Geographic's The Hot Zone: Anthrax, and he'll be seen in FX's The Premise and heard in AMC's Pantheon.

Grace Park (Officer Kono Kalakaua)

As Officer Kono Kalakaua, an expert sniper in the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, Grace Park played the female lead in this long-running detective series for seven seasons. She also played this part in an episode of MacGyver. Most notably, Park is known for her role as Lt. Sharon Valerii in Battlestar Galactica. The actress can also be seen in Edgemont, The Cleaner, The Border, The Outer Limits, Dark Angel, Stargate SG-1, The Dead Zone, CSI, and LA Law: The Movie. Her other TV credits include Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, Jake 2.0, Human Cargo, The Immortal, and Secret Agent Man. Furthermore, as a voice actress, Park lent her voice to American Dad!

Additionally, in film, Grace Park appeared in Romeo Must Die, West 32nd, Adventures in Public School, Run Rabbit Run, and Freaks, as well as two short films, 2003's Fluffy and 2012's The First Days. Currently, she stars in ABC's family drama, A Million Little Things.

Masi Oka (Dr. Max Bergman)

In the role of Dr. Max Bergman, the Chief Medical Examiner for both the Honolulu Police Department and the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, Masi Oka was a prominent character throughout the majority of the show's time on television. Most notably, Oka played Hiro Nakamura in NBC's Heroes and Heroes Reborn. His other TV credits include Mozart in the Jungle, Scrubs, The Jamie Kennedy Experiment, Gilmore Girls, Dharm & Greg, Yes Dear, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Reno 911!, Reba, Still Standing, and Without a Trace.

Outside of TV, Masi Oka played Bruce in Get Smart and starred in the direct-to-DVD film, Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control. His other film credits include The Meg, Jobs, Friends with Benefits, Fired Up, The Promotion, Balls of Fury, House of the Dead 2, Legally Blond 2: Red, White & Blonde, Along Came Polly, Searching For Sonny, Austin Powers in Goldmember, and Death Note, which he also produced. Also, Oka is heard in The Proud Family Movie and Spies in Disguise. Next, the actor will star in Bullet Train.

Michelle Borth (Lieutenant Catherine Rollins, USNR)

Playing the part of Lieutenant Catherine Rollins, Steve McGarrett's on-and-off love interest, Michelle Borth was a recurring presence throughout Hawaii Five-0's 10 season run. Away from this show, Borth played main roles in ABC's The Forgotten and Combat Hospital and HBO's Tell Me You Love Me. Her other TV credits include Law & Order: SVU, Supernatural, The Cleaner, and Dark Blue. Additionally, Borth starred in Lifetime's Devious Nanny. In film, Borth can be seen in Shazam!, A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, Easy Rider 2: The Ride Home, Timer, Trespassers, and Teenage Cocktail. She also appeared in John Mayer's "Bigger Than My Body" music video and Burger King's "Lunch Break" advertising campaign. Away from acting, Borth is an executive producer on 2010's Everything Will Happen Before You Die and the co-founder of Roll Up Your Sleeves.

Most recently, Michelle Borth starred in the TV movie, No Good Deed, which is also known as No Good Deed Goes Unpunished. Her next project hasn't been announced.

Taylor Wily (Kamekona Tupuola)

As Kamekona Tupuola, Hawaii Five-0's loyal, confidential informant and the local entrepreneur behind Wailoa Shave Ice, Taylor Wily played an affable and dependable character throughout this reboot's entire run. Previously a sumo wrestler and mixed martial artist, Wily made his acting debut in a 1982 episode of Magnum P.I. He can also be seen in Marker, One West Waikiki, North Shore, MacGyver, and, to bring things full circle, the Magnum P.I. reboot, where he reprised his role as Kamekona Tupuola. Away from television, Wily is best known for playing Kemo in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. He can also be seen in Radical and a pair of short films, 2014's Where I Come From and the upcoming Gut Instinct, respectively. Next, Wily is attached to Here Comes the Sun.

Dennis Chun (Sgt. Duke Lukela)

In the role of Sgt. Duke Lukela, a good friend of the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, Dennis Chun could be seen throughout the show's extensive TV tenure. The son of the original Hawaii Five-O's Kam Fong Chun, the TV actor is among the few stars to appear in both iterations of this procedural detective series. His other TV credits include The Brady Bunch, Jake and the Fatman, Raven, and the original Magnum P.I. Additionally, Chun's film credits include Inferno in Paradise and Goodbye Paradise. Outside of acting, he produced and directed 2012's short film, Family. Most recently, Chun reprised his role as Sgt. Duke Lukela in Magnum P.I. Next, he'll be seen in the short film, Same T'ing.

Chi McBride (Captain Lou Grover)

Playing the part of Captain Lou Grover, the former captain of the Honolulu Police Department's SWAT team, Chi McBride was a main cast member on CBS's Hawaii Five-0 following his Season 4 introduction. In addition to starring in the long-running show, McBride also wrote a few episodes. Most notably, McBride is known for playing Principal Steven Harper in Fox's Boston Public, Emerson Cod in ABC's Pushing Daisies, and Detective Laverne Winston in Fox's Human Target. His other television credits include House, The John Larroquette Show, Monk, Golden Boy, Suits, and The Practice.

Furthermore, as a voice actor, Chi McBride can be heard in Max Steel, Rocket Power, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel, Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Maximum Overload, and Hulk and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Outside of TV, he's best known for The Terminal, Gone in 60 Seconds, Roll Bounce, Draft Day, Narc, The Kid, Waiting..., Undercover Brother, Let's Go to Prison, and I, Robot. Most recently, McBride guest-starred on NBC's This Is Us. Next, he'll star in CBS's Smallwood.

Jorge Garcia (Special Consultant Jerry Ortega)

As Special Consultant Jerry Ortega, a conspiracy theorist who regularly consults and assists the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, Jorge Garcia was a main character on this CBS series following a recurring role in Season 4. Most notably and memorably, the actor played Hugo "Hurley" Reyes in ABC's Lost. His other notable TV credits include Becker, Alcatraz, Once Upon a Time, Californication, Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories, How I Met Your Mother, Spin City, Columbo, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Additionally, in film, Garcia appeared in The Ridiculous Six, Deck the Halls, Cooties, The Wedding Ringer, Get a Job, The Healer, iSteve, Little Athens, and The Wrong Missy. He's also heard in Rock Dog.

Outside of acting, Jorge Garcia co-hosted the podcast, Kaiju Podcast. He also produced the 2014 documentary, Extinction Soup, and wrote 2012's short film, Shredded. Most recently, the actor starred in Netflix's Nobody Knows I'm Here. He also guest-starred in CBS's MacGyver. Next, Garcia will star in When We Were Pirates, which he will produce.

Meaghan Rath (Officer Tani Rey)

In the role of Officer Tani Rey, a young member of the Hawaii Five-0 Task Force, Meaghan Rath became a primary character in the final seasons of this CBS drama. Outside of this series, Rath starred in 15/Love, The Assistants, Being Human, Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life, and Rogue. She also had recurring roles on New Girl, Banshee, and Secrets and Lies. Her other TV credits include Kingdom, Schitt's Creek, Motive, and Flashpoint. Additionally, Rath reprised her role as Tani Rey in Magnum P.I.

Away from television, Meaghan Rath co-wrote, produced, and starred in Three Night Stand. She can also be seen in The Clinic, Another Kind of Wedding, Prom Wars: Love is a Battlefield, and Lost and Delirious. Most recently, Rath guest-starred in The CW's Supergirl. Next, she'll star in and executive produce CTV's Children Ruin Everything.

Ian Anthony Dale (Adam Noshimuri)

Playing the part of Adam Noshimuri, the head of the Special Division of Organized Crime, Ian Anthony Dale was a long-standing recurring character on Hawaii Five-0 before he became a main player in the final seasons. He also directed an episode. Outside of this series, Dale starred in Surface, The Event, Day Break, Murder in the First, and Salvation. He can also be seen in Charmed, Criminal Minds, JAG, Angel, Las Vegas, CSI: Miami, Cold Case, Burn Notice, American Horror Story: Coven, and Hart of Dixie.

Additionally, Ian Anthony Dale starred in the web series, Mortal Kombat: Legacy, where the actor reprised his role as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion from Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. Furthermore, his other film credits include Mr. 3000, The Bucket List, The Hangover, Tekken, XOXO, and Wakefield. Most recently, Dale was seen in CBS's short-lived All Rise.

Hawaii Five-0 is available to stream on Paramount+.

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One of the most acclaimed 2021 movies thus far is the coming-of-age drama Blast Beat - a refreshingly and brutally honest commentary on the struggle to achieve the American dream as seen through the eyes two Colombian teenage brothers whose family moves to the United States in the late 1990s. The young protagonists are played by Mateo Arias and his real-life sibling Moisés Arias, who is just one familiar face from the film based on co-writer and director Esteban Arango’s 2015 short you may recognize, such as Wilmer Valderrama among others. If you cannot seem to place where you may know these actors and the rest of the Blast Beat cast from, allow us to help refresh your memory, starting with ambitious lead.

Mateo Arias (Carly Andres)

Playing Colombian born, heavy metal-loving aerospace prodigy Carly Andres in Blast Beat is Mateo Arias - a 25-year-old American born actor of Colombian descent who made his acting debut in the 2005 remake of Yours, Mine & Ours alongside Drake Bell, whose hit Nickelodeon sitcom Drake & Josh would be his next credit in 2007. Arias’ first starring role, after more small parts on other TV shows like Cold Case, was as a martial arts student on the Disney XD series Kickin’ It, followed by more feature-length films like lesbian teen romance First Girl I Loved or the 2016 coming-of-age dramedy Good Kids opposite Zoey Deutch. I should also mention his early guest spot on Hannah Montana, which was also his first time sharing the screen with his brother.

Moisés Arias (Mateo Andres)

Despite playing Carly’s troubled younger brother in Blast Beat, Moisés Arias is one year older than Mateo Arias, but both started acting around the same time, with Moisés debuting on Everybody Loves Chris before hitting the big screen in the Jack Black luchador comedy Nacho Libre in 2006. That same year, he joined the Hannah Montana cast as Rico, which opened the door for him land bigger roles, such as in The Kings of Summer, young adult sci-fi novel adaptation Ender’s Game in 2013, the 2019 teen romance Five Feet Apart (reuniting him The Suite Life of Zack & Cody’s Cole Sprouse), and The King of Staten Island with Pete Davidson the following year. Arias will reunite with the SNL cast member in the Vietnam War drama The Things We Carried and stars opposite Sylvester Stallone in the superhero movie Samaritan, which is now in post-production.

Diane Guerrero (Nelly Andres)

Speaking of superheroes, Diane Guerrero’s latest claim to fame is playing Crazy Jane on Doom Patrol - one the most acclaimed DC TV shows exclusive to HBO Max - although her role as Maritza Ramos on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black cast is what really began to get her noticed. Like her onscreen sons Blast Beat, the 35-year-old Latinx actress is also a Disney star, having voiced Vestia on Elena of Avalor, and also had a recurring role on the Jane the Virgin cast as the title character’s good friend and co-worker Lina Santillan. Guerrero’s upcoming animated horror series Woman in the Book is now in pre-production and she was recently cast as Buddy Holly’s wife, Maria Elena Holly, in the historical music drama Clear Lake.

Wilmer Valderrama (Ernesto Andres)

Playing Diane Guerrero’s onscreen husband, Ernesto in Blast Beat is Wilmer Valderrama, who is also of genuine Colombian descent, as well as Venezuelan, despite being born originally in Miami, Florida in 1980. Best known as Fez on the That ‘70s Show cast, the actor quickly found more dramatic roles, such an illegal immigrant in 2006’s Fast Food Nation, a drug lord on El Rey’s From Dusk Till Dawn series, and an NCIS cast regular since 2016, in addition to also being a Disney star voicing the title role of Handy Manny. Valderrama would reunite with Ashton Kutcher for a recurring role on his sitcom The Ranch and continues to stretch his voice acting talents as the title role of the animated Netflix movie Charming and a small part in Pixar’s Onward in 2020.

Daniel Dae Kim (School Professor)

Another CBS crime procedural veteran in the Blast Beat cast is Daniel Dae Kim, who played Chin Ho Kelly on the Hawaii Five-0 cast for seven seasons after his stint with the Lost cast ended with that strange drama’s series finale. South Korean Kim also has voice acting in common with Wilmer Valderrama - for both Avatar: The Last Airbender and its spin-off The Legend of Korra as well as Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon - and he is no stranger to the comic book movie genre after playing Major Ben Daimio in the 2019 Hellboy reboot. His most recent movie is the the latest of Netflix’s space movies, Stowaway, and he is currently preparing two new TV series, the animated sci-fi drama Pantheon and a follow-up to National Geographic’s The Hot Zone covering the post-9/11 fear of anthrax.

Andrene Ward-Hammond (Mrs. Johnson)

Another superhero movies veteran in the Blast Beat cast is Andrene Ward-Hammond, who appeared in the Netflix original Project Power in 2020, which proved to be a big year for the Just Mercy star in several other ways. She also played a cop in The Lovebirds (another one of the most popular Netflix movie releases from 2020), a magic practitioner on the HBO horror hit Lovecraft Country, and joined the Manifest cast that year. Ward-Hammond, also known for Mindhunter Season 2, the Oscar-nominated Loving, and the comedy Instant Family from 2018, also appears on the Bryan Cranston-led miniseries Your Honor, just completed the sci-fi TV movie Cipher, and is preparing to star in executive producer Michael B. Jordan’s upcoming series 61st Street.

Kali Uchis (Mafe)

Outside of her own music videos or that of her peers in the music industry, Grammy-winning R&B artist Kali Uchis is not very well known for acting. In fact, the singer-songwriter of Colombian descent (known for hits like “After the Storm,” which also features rapper Tyler the Creator and funk legend Bootsy Collins) makes her official debut in Blast Beat as Mafe. However, Uchis (born Karly-Marina Loaiza) seems to have caught the acting bug and landed a recurring role on the telenovela What Happens to My Family, which premiered in February 2021.

Because Blast Beat is a story of great importance, especially to its creator and those of the same cultural identity that understand the characters’ struggles, it is right that the cast come from the same cultural identity as their characters. It allows them to channel their genuine understanding of the material into the story, ensuring a richly personal experience for fellow Latinx people and immigrants as well as enlightening experience for those less familiar with the struggle. Blast Beat hits theaters Friday, May 21, 2021.

Minor SPOILERS are ahead for Stowaway, which is streaming on Netflix now.

Over the weekend, the latest Netflix original Stowaway took us into the orbit of a spaceship en route to Mars on a two-year mission. The tense thriller starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim and Toni Collette felt primed to conceal some sort of intergalactic mystery or horrific tale, but it was what it was. Stowaway is about the pitfalls of traveling through the stars. If you were shocked the movie didn’t involve aliens or bloodshed, you wouldn’t be the only one, as Daniel Dae Kim was too.

When the Lost alum spoke about Stowaway’s lack of a big bad other than, well… space, he shared his own early reactions to the storyline. Here’s what Daniel Dae Kim said:

Well look at that, I had the exact same thought process while watching the movie from writer/director Joe Penna. As Daniel Dae Kim shared to Collider, when he found out about the small crew’s limited oxygen, he expected them to come across some kind of alien or fight each other to the death. The movie certainly offers up the setup for situations like these, and we’ve seen so many other movies in space by now that we fully expect that kind of thing to go down.

Instead, Stowaway is more about walking the audience through the types of honest human errors that could happen during space travel and what sacrifices may need to be made. Despite sharing some of the hard realities when humans leave Earth’s orbit, the Netflix release does have an optimistic viewpoint on decision-making during a crisis.

Stowaway was even fact checked by NASA, which revealed that the events of the movie could in fact happen, and some of the decisions made would be in line with what would help a mission survive. The storyline revolves around Shamier Anderson’s Michael, who is the titular stowaway by error and complicates the mission to Mars by simply breathing the same air as the three other astronauts on board. Check out the Stowaway trailer:

Now the question becomes, did we want to see aliens and murder in Stowaway? Critics overall enjoyed the movie and audiences seem to be in the mixed category regarding the film. You tell us by voting in the poll below and check out what’s new to Netflix in May.

Netflix’s latest original is a tense thriller set in space, as a small crew of three head to Mars and are faced with an impossible moral dilemma. Stowaway is packed with a small but incredibly talented cast, including Anna Kendrick’s medical researcher (Zoe), Daniel Dae Kim’s biologist (David), and Toni Collette’s ship commander (Marina). What happens when the skeleton crew is burdened with one more crew member (Shamier Anderson’s Michael) with their limited resources? Let’s get into the Stowaway ending.

The movie, which dropped on Netflix alongside a host of exciting April releases, was co-written and directed by Joe Penna, a Brazilian director who previously made Arctic in 2018 with Mads Mikkelsen. Before we get into Stowaway, be warned that this article includes major SPOILERS for the Netflix film. Stream it before reading on:

What Happened At The End Of Stowaway?

Stowaway has a somber ending that involves the crew struggling to save themselves after Michael accidentally makes his way onto their spacecraft. Once Michael is found as a stowaway on their mission to Mars, the three-person crew find out that by simply existing on the craft with them, he will sabotage the mission and none of them will able to survive. After exhausting a number of options (which we’ll get to in a moment), Zoe decides that she will go out during a deadly solar storm to retrieve the oxygen needed for at least three of them to survive.

Stowaway is a story of sacrifice for the greater good, and that comes at the expense of Anna Kendrick’s character. At the beginning of the movie, Zoe recalls that she joined the program as a joke to watch herself get rejected. As the movie reaches it’s final moments, she realizes that it allowed her to “truly give life meaning” beyond anything she could ever imagine. While sci-fi fans may have expected the film to turn into a bloodbath between the astronauts fighting for their own right to stay alive, the ending of Stowaway is based on what’s best for the entire crew. It’s a sad ending, but also one that focuses on the decision of a community, rather than highlighting the selfishness of human nature.

How Did The Stowaway Get Aboard The Kingfisher?

Let’s backtrack now. How was the problem of Stowaway created in the film? Basically, not soon after launch the crew found Michael in a compartment. He had mistakenly been stuck there since before the launch and no one knew about it. During his fall from the compartment, Toni Collette’s Marina tries to break his fall, but it ends up damaging the ship’s life support systems in a way that cannot be repaired.

Marina finds out that Michael is a launch support engineer. Him being aboard is a major mistake that was somehow made before lift off, leading the crew to question whether Michael was a purposeful stowaway. As the movie continues to unfold, we learn that Michael’s presence on the ship is innocent. He shares that he was arming the second-stage firing pins when he suffered a concussion and was knocked out on the ship as it launched. Michael’s disinterest in being there is made apparent by the fact that his younger sister has been left alone without him. The mission he finds himself on is set to be two-years long, and spacecrafts cannot simply turn back and go home. And, then comes the moral dilemma of Stowaway.

What Options Did The Crew Have?

Marina then learns that the damage to the life support systems caused on the ship will not sustain all four of them on the mission. In addition, they don’t have enough fuel to turn back around. Stowaway was actually fact-checked by NASA during the making of it, and they learned, according to Wired, that a stowaway could absolutely happen on a mission like this. The film’s director, Joe Penna, explained the crew’s dilemma further:

What happens next is Daniel Dae Kim’s David tries to use his expertise in biology to algae scrub the carbon dioxide on the ship and create more oxygen for them. Half of his batch fails, leading Marina to come to the conclusion that the crew will asphyxiate on carbon dioxide just a few weeks before reaching Mars. This leads to David basically asking if Michael will kill himself for the good of the mission. Zoe comforts Michael by telling him they will find another way, which will be to nab a tank of oxygen (that was used for launch) 450 meters above their craft and will save all of them.

Why Did Anna Kendrick’s Zoe Make That Choice?

Zoe and David suit up and go out to space to grab the oxygen tank together (Marina has a fractured arm from Michael’s fall, so she sits it out). When the crew members reach the oxygen tank, they find out that there are over 500 litres of liquid inside, which would solve their problem and keep all four of them alive. But, then they get word about the solar storm and are forced to rush the tank onto the ship.

While Zoe is attempting to get the tank back to the ship, she loses control and the canister floats off into space. The final decision comes down to who will go out into the solar storm to save the remaining three crew members. Marina, once again is injured and cannot do it. Michael volunteers himself but he does not have the skills to complete the mission. David has a family back at home, so Zoe decides it’s the best decision for her to be the one to make the sacrifice.

In the end, Stowaway becomes a realistic depiction of how a real situation could play out during space travel. It may not particularly be the twisty turny space thriller we’d expect, but it does end up being an interesting thought experiment about the struggles that come with traveling among the stars. What did you think of the Stowaway ending? Vote in our poll below.

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If faced with the impossible decision to take a life to save another, could you? And if you could, would you? These are the questions, among others, that are posed by Joe Penna’s Stowaway on Netflix. The film has only four characters who are forced to examine the lengths they’re willing to go to preserve their own lives. Check it out in the clip above.

Starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette, Netflix’s Stowaway follows three astronauts and a launch engineer (Anderson) who accidentally ends up aboard the ship in transit to Mars. The accident that lands the engineer on board also results in permanent damage to the oxygen supply. With the ship moving too quickly to return to Earth and only enough oxygen for three people to survive, the four crew members are forced to evaluate which life is least important.

As seen in the clip above, Shamier Anderson’s character, Michael, is the most obvious choice to sacrifice. The other three spent years training for the two-year mission and are essential to its success as commander (Toni Collette), medic (Anna Kendrick), and scientist (Daniel Dae Kim). As the story progresses, however, we see different skills emerge in all of the characters that may increase survival and begin to question the initial casting aside of the unplanned passenger.

Stowaway was the first feature-length script written by Joe Penna and Ryan Morrison, who share a love for philosophical debates, moral quandaries, and space movies. These three things come together perfectly in the film which keeps audiences guessing and on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Daniel Dae Kim mentions in the exclusive clip above that Stowaway is a story that examines human vs. nature more than human vs. human. It’s an extremely interesting point, and a valid one, as the film really explores these characters and the decisions they make based on the likelihood of their own survival. The human vs. human approach may take more feelings into account, things like who had the most family waiting back on Earth, who would boost morale, etc. But with human vs. nature, it’s purely about survival which causes us to make very different decisions than we probably think we’re even capable of prior to being presented with the choice.

As Anna Kendrick says in the clip, this story has impossible decisions about whose life is more important. It almost seems that commander Marina Barnett’s life is automatically considered the most important because she pilots the ship. But then she sustains an injury, and that begs the question, what if the mission had gone according to plan but something happened on Mars and she couldn’t make it back? Were the other two on her crew incapable of piloting the ship? That seems unlikely.

Stowaway is a great film to watch with friends and family because it will cultivate really interesting conversations. All of the characters have relatable qualities and detestable moments, which makes it all the more intriguing for the audience to see who they relate to most and what decisions they think they would make in the same situation.

Stowaway is now streaming on Netflix. Once you’ve watched, connect with CinemaBlend on social media and let us know which character you relate to the most, and how you feel about the ending. If space travel movies are your thing, there are a lot more of those to check out.

When a spaceship headed to Mars discovers an accidental stowaway, the ship's medical researcher becomes the only dissenting voice against a group consensus with a grim outcome in Netflix's Stowaway, the latest space-based sci-fi thriller from the streaming service. Directed by Joe Penna and starring Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, Shamier Anderson, and Toni Collette in a cast with only a few actors on board, Stowaway hopes to orbit viewers into the stratosphere with their latest blockbuster. And there's a good chance that you're familiar with its starry ensemble (hardy har har). If the Stowaway cast looks recognizable, here's where you've seen these actors before.

Anna Kendrick (Zoe Levenson)

As Zoe Levenson, a medical researcher, Anna Kendrick plays the protagonist in Netflix's newest sci-fi movie, Stowaway. Most notably, Kendrick is an Oscar-nominated actress for her standout supporting turn as Natalie Keener in Up in the Air. She's also known for her leading role as Beca Mitchell in the Pitch Perfect trilogy. Her other notable film credits include The Twilight Saga, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Into the Woods, The Accountant, 50/50, End of Watch, and What to Expect When You're Expecting. She can also be seen in Digging For Fire, The Voices, Life After Beth, Rocket Science, Get a Job, The Day Shall Come, and Drinking Buddies.

Additionally, Anna Kendrick starred in Mr. Right, The Last Five Years, Camp, Happy Christmas, Table 19, A Simple Favor, and Disney+'s Noelle. Furthermore, as a voice actress, she can be heard in Trolls and last year's Trolls World Tour, as well as ParaNorman. Next, Kendrick is expected to star in the upcoming thriller, Unsound.

Away from film, Anna Kendrick starred in Quibi's Dummy, which she also produced. Likewise, the actress stars in and produces HBO Max's Love Life. She also had a voice role in Facebook Watch's Human Discoveries. She also reprised her part as Poppy in NBC's Trolls Holiday. Furthermore, outside of film and television, Kendrick was acclaimed for her Tony-nominated Broadway performance in 1998's High Society. The A-list actress is also the author of the best-selling 2016 memoir, Scrappy Little Nobody.

Toni Collette (Marina Barnett)

In the role of Marina Barnett, the ship's commander, Toni Collette plays an authoritative character in Stowaway. Most notably, Toni Collette is an Emmy-winning actress for her starring role in Showtime's United States of Tara. She's also an Oscar nominee for her supporting turn in The Sixth Sense. Furthermore, Collette received a Tony nomination for her lead performance in 2000's The Wild Party. She was also Emmy-nominated for Tsunami: The Aftermath and Unbelievable. Additionally, Collette received BAFTA nominations for her supporting turns in About a Boy and Little Miss Sunshine, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for her titular lead performance in Muriel's Wedding. Her other TV credits include a lead role in Wanderlust and starring in CBS's short-lived Hostages. Also, Collette will star in Netflix's thriller series, Pieces of Her, later this year.

Toni Collette is well-known for her lead performances in Hereditary, In Her Shoes, Lucky Them, Connie and Carla, and Clockwatchers. Her other notable film credits include Knives Out, Velvet Goldmine, The Hours, Hitchcock, The Way Way Back, Tammy, Imperium, Velvet Buzzsaw, Hearts Beat Loud, and xXX: Return of Xander Cage. She can also be seen in Dirty Deeds, Changing Lanes, Shaft (2000), and The Pallbearer. Additionally, as a voice actress, Collette led 2009's excellent Mary and Max. She's also heard in The Boxtrolls, Blinky Bill: The Movie, The Magic Pudding, and Arabian Knight.

Most recently, Toni Collette was seen in Netflix's I'm Thinking of Ending Things and starred in Dream Horse. Next, the actress appears in Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley. Outside of acting, Collette will make her screenwriting and directorial debut with Writers and Lovers. Furthermore, she's the lead singer in Toni Collette & the Finish.

Shamier Anderson (Michael Adams)

Playing the part of Michael Adams, the launch plan engineer and the titular stowaway, Shamier Anderson hops on-board Netflix's latest sci-fi blockbuster. Most notably, Anderson is known for playing U.S. Deputy Marshal Xavier Dolls in Syfy's Wynonna Earp. He also played a main part in Universal Kids' The Next Step, as well as a recurring role in Family Channel's Overruled! His other TV credits include Defiance, Trailer Park Boys, Goliath, Shots Fired, Dear White People, Soulmates, Degrassi: The Next Generation, and Skins. Additionally, the actor can be seen in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, and Desperately Seeking Santa. Next, Anderson will appear in Apple TV+'s Invasion.

On the big screen, meanwhile, Shamier Anderson played a prominent part in Destroyer. He can also be seen in Race, The Barrens, Love Jacked, and Across the Line. Last year, Anderson provided a supporting turn in Endings, Beginnings. Earlier this year, he appeared in City of Lies and he was in the Son of the South cast. Next, Anderson is slated to star in Netflix's Bruised, Awake, and the short film, Dalia, which the actor wrote and produced.

Daniel Dae Kim (David Kim)

As David Kim, the ship's biologist, Daniel Dae Kim has one of the lead roles in Netflix's Stowaway. Most notably, Kim is known for playing Jin-Soo Kwon in ABC's Lost and Chin Ho Kelly in CBS's Hawaii Five-0. Also, the actor played Gavin Park in The WB's Angel. His other TV credits include recurring roles in ER, 24, Star Trek: Enterprise, Miss Match, Unsolved Mysteries, and Beverly Hills, 90210.

Additionally, Daniel Dae Kim is currently playing recurring roles in NBC's New Amsterdam, Amazon Prime's Flack, and CBS's The Good Doctor, where he's an executive producer. As a voice actor, furthermore, Kim lent this voice to Justice League Unlimited, The Legend of Korra, The Casagrandes, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Elsewhere, the actor is heard in video games like the Saints Row series, 24: The Game, Scarface: The World Is Yours, Avatar: The Last Airbender — The Burning Earth, and Agents of Mayhem. Also, the actor narrated Big Pacific. Next, Kim will be heard in National Geographic's The Hot Zone: Anthrax and AMC's animated series, Pantheon.

Outside of television, Daniel Dae Kim played Ben Daimio in Hellboy (2019). Also, the actor appeared in Always Be My Maybe, Crash (2004), Hulk, Cradle 2 the Grave, For the Love of the Game, The Jackal, The Onion Movie, Blast Blast (which he also produced), The Cave, and The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Allegiant, respectively. As a voice actor, additionally, Kim recently lent his voice to the role of Chief Benja in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Furthermore, Kim was the narrator for the documentary, Linsanity, and he was heard in the English dub for Mirai.

Director Joe Penna

At the helm of Netflix's Stowaway is Joe Penna, who co-wrote the sci-fi blockbuster with frequent collaborator Ryan Morrison. Under the name MysteryGuitarMan, Penna became the most subscribed YouTube channel in Brazil, resulting in over 2.6 million subscribers and over 400 million views. Also, he hosted Xploration Earth 2050, which received eight Emmy nominations. As a director, Penna's other TV credits include Sand Box, Once Upon, T-Shirt Wars, Behind the Glasses, and last year's Release. He also called the shots for short films like Meridian, Instant Getaway, Beyond, and Turning Point. Additionally, Penna was the director behind Avicii's "You Make Me (Avicii by Avicii)" music video.

In 2018, Joe Penna made his feature directorial debut with Arctic, starring Mads Mikkelsen. Following the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, the Icelandic survival drama was well-received by critics and audiences, and it proved the director could transition into films. It's too early to know how Stowaway will be received, but if it does well, it'll be one of the biggest successes of the director's outstanding career.

Stowaway is now available to stream on Netflix.

Critically acclaimed adventure drama Lost is still wildly popular today thanks to streaming services, and rumors of a reboot, despite the series ending over 10 years ago. When the series premiered in 2004, it was a phenomenon from the start and included an ensemble cast. However not everything on the series was sunshine and rainbows at the beginning, as Lost vet Daniel Dae Kim reveals why he was so stressed throughout the first season.

Lost follows a group of people stranded on an island after their plane crashes. Surviving on a jungle island for who knows how long is not easy and characters large and small died throughout the show’s six-season run. However, one character’s fate was almost entirely different, nearly changing the course of the series. Daniel Dae Kim, who portrayed Jin-Soo Kwon for all six seasons, revealed to Vulture that the entire cast was afraid of their character dying early on and his character’s death was actually planned for the very first season:

Daniel Dae Kim went on to say that a writer on the show, Monica Macer, who is African American and Korean American lobbied for him to stay on the show, and he also likes to think that everyone didn’t think he was too terrible and deserved to be on the show. Lost also avoided another big death early on in the series, as it was originally planned to end after Season 3, rather than go all the way to Season 6. However, thanks to the millions of fans tuning in every week, producers decided to continue the series.

It's hard to believe that a character like Jin-Soo Kwon that lasted the entirety of Lost was originally meant to be killed off in the first season. It does, however, raise the question of how different the show would have been if he was killed off and what other projects Daniel Dae Kim could have been pursuing if he had not been focused on the ABC drama for six years. Lost came to an end in 2010 but it will always be a wonder on how different the storylines would have been if one character got killed off instead of another, like Jin-Soo. However, it’s so great Kim was able to stay on for the entire series, because we can’t imagine it without him!

Moral dilemmas can happen anywhere, even in space. And in the new Netflix movie Stowaway, Anna Kendrick and Daniel Dae Kim are among two of the people who are about to run into one of the greatest of them all. When three astronauts on a mission to Mars find a surprise fourth party aboard their vessel, a ticking clock is put into motion that could determine the course of each of their lives.

Co-starring Toni Collette and Shamier Anderson, Stowaway puts a modern spin on an old sci-fi favorite: the stowaway dilemma. With only enough life support for three people, this promising scientific mission may result in the conscious death of one member of this party. That is, unless a daring plan to repair the vessel that’s on a one-way trip to Mars can be pulled off. And as you’ll see in the trailer above, this is one of the most harrowing Anna Kendrick roles we’ve seen in quite some time.

What’s even more stressful is the fact that Shamier Anderson’s character in Stowaway, Michael, is a launch support engineer who happened to be in one of the worst “wrong place/wrong time” scenarios. Not meaning to stowaway on this grand scientific endeavor, the two year journey takes him away from his sister. Oh, and if he’s not careful, fate might end up killing him off, as Stowaway has that pesky “oxygen for three” problem.

Much like The Midnight Sky and Away before it, Stowaway is another Netflix project that looks like it’s ready to examine the human experience in space. With a moral dilemma that we’ve seen depicted before, most notably in various adaptations of author Tom Godwin’s sci-fi story The Cold Equations, it’s another bad day in space for all involved. But on the bright side, in our reality this marks another streaming platform that Anna Kendrick has colonized, in the name of entertaining the masses.

There’s a good chance that by the end of Stowaway, one of these four people are going to die. And before that happens, we’re going to get as close to them as possible, making the eventual decision all the more agonizing and heartbreaking to watch. But that’s probably what makes a movie like this so compelling, as we’d all hate to be in that scenario, but it’s always interesting to watch it unfold in a fictional confines.

At least there’s one bright side to the cosmic dilemma in Stowaways: at least there aren’t any space pets we have to worry about seeing die. Then again, that could change when the movie premieres on Netflix, as of April 22nd. But if you’re an Anna Kendrick fan, and want to see more of here, you’re in luck. Streaming has been her playground as of late, and there’s a host of options for you to keep watching this talented actress do her thing, across a variety of platforms.

You may know him as the lovesick husband on Lost or the level-headed detective from Hawaii Five-0 but, in real-life, actor Daniel Dae Kim is also an advocate for justice. Following the Atlanta shootings this past week, Kim appealed to Congress about the rise of anti-Asian violence in America.

At a Congressional House Judiciary subcommittee hearing, Daniel Dae Kim virtually addressed the representatives and asked for the passage of the No Hate Bill and the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. Per Deadline, Kim said:

The situation that Daniel Dae Kim refers to in his address is the growing number of occurrences of violence and hate against Asian Americans. There have been numerous reports of attacks against Asian American citizens across the country as of late, many of which involve the elderly. Many believe the attacks directly correlate with the rise in racist rhetoric aimed at Asians in regard to the coronavirus pandemic. The latest tragic event in this growing patten was an incident in Atlanta, Georgia, which saw the murder of eight people, six of whom were Asian women, by a white man.

The situation received even more attention after the Cherokee County sheriff's spokesperson gave a statement to the press, saying the alleged killer was having “a really bad day” and that the murders were not racially motivated. In response to the officer’s statement, Daniel Dae Kim said this to the subcommittee:

The Hawaii Five-0 actor also participated in a roundtable interview for Asian entertainers recently that included the likes of Olivia Munn, George Takei and Hari Kondabolu, to name a few, addressing the ongoing plight of Asian Americans. Takei noted that racism against Asians has a long history that dates to Japanese internment camps during World War II and beyond. The panel also discussed the need for further and deeper Asian representation in media, as well as the need for solidarity between the various minority groups. Daniel Dae Kim said at the panel:

It is disheartening to think that in many cases, necessary change and conversation happen only after shocking tragedies, as with the recent shootings in Atlanta. But perhaps we can all take a page out of the book of veteran actor Daniel Dae Kim, and others like him, by being proactive for causes that matter.

This weekend, Disney will introduce their latest princess with Raya and the Last Dragon, a CG-animated fantasy film featuring the voice talents of Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, and more. Early reviews have certainly been glowing for the company's newest animated adventure, and families will have the option of watching the movie in theaters or at home on Disney+ (with a premium fee) in the weeks ahead. If you recognize the voices behind this new movie and you're wondering why, we're here to help. Here are the actors behind Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon.

Kelly Marie Tran (Raya)

As our title character, Raya, a warrior princess on a quest to find the last dragon and save her world from an evil force, Kelly Marie Tran plays the protagonist in Disney's latest animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, Tran played Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. She also voiced Rose in Star Wars Forces of Destiny and Disney+'s The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special. Additionally, the actress appeared in XOXO and lent her voice to last year's The Croods: A New Age.

Online, Kelly Marie Tran played a lead role in Facebook Watch's Sorry For Your Loss. The actress also appeared in CollegeHumor. Her TV credits include About A Boy, Adam Ruins Everything, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Monsterland, Ladies Like Us, and Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street. Next, Tran will be heard in Disney+'s Monsters At Work.

Awkwafina (Sisu)

In the role of Sisu, a self-deprecating water dragon who is the last of her kind, Awkwafina voices a sidekick called upon by our other title character to save humanity in Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, the actress is known for her scene-stealing supporting turn in Crazy Rich Asians, as well as her performances in Ocean's 8, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Dude, and Jumanji: The Next Level. Additionally, Awkwafina is recognized for her acclaimed dramatic lead role in The Farewell, for which she won a Golden Globe Award. She is also the star, co-creator, and writer behind Comedy Central's semi-autobiographical series, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens.

As a voice actress, meanwhile, Awkwafina is heard in The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Tuca & Bertie, The Angry Birds Movie 2, Storks, Animals, and The Simpsons. She can also be heard in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. Most recently, the actress was seen in Breaking News in Yuba County. Next, she'll be heard in The Little Mermaid and seen in Swan Song, which premieres at SXSW.

Gemma Chan (Namaari)

Playing the part of Namaari, Raya's nemesis, Gemma Chan voices our main antagonist in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, Chan is known for Crazy Rich Asians, as well as her supporting turn in Captain Marvel. She can also be seen in Mary Queen of Scots, Transformers: The Last Knight, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Double, London Fields, Shanghai, Submarine, Exam, and HBO Max's Let Them All Talk. On television, Chan can be seen in the lead role of Humans, as well as Sherlock, Doctor Who, The IT Crowd, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Bedlam, Fresh Meat, and Project Catwalk. Next, she'll star in Marvel's Eternals. She'll also appear in Olivia Wilde's Don't Worry, Darling.

Daniel Dae Kim (Chief Benja)

As Chief Benja, Raya's beloved father and the legendary Guardian of the Dragon Gem, Daniel Dae Kim plays a man known as "the baddest blade in the five lands" in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, the actor is known for Lost, Hawaii Five-0, and Angel. He also played recurring roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, 24, ER, Star Trek: Enterprise, and The Good Doctor, where he serves as an executive producer. Currently, Kim plays a recurring character in NBC's New Amsterdam. And as a voice actor, he's heard in The Legend of Korra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, The Casagrandes, Justice League Unlimited, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Additionally, Kim lent his voice to the Saints Row series, as well as other video games like Scarface: The World Is Yours and Agents of Mayhem.

Outside of television, Daniel Dae Kim appears in Hellboy (2019), Always Be My Maybe, The Divergent Series: Insurgent and Allegiant, Spider-Man 2, Crash (2004), Hulk, Cradle 2 the Grave, and For the Love of the Game.

Sandra Oh (Virana)

In the role of Virana, the chief of the Fang Land, Sandra Oh voices a main character in Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, Oh starred in ABC's Grey's Anatomy and BBC America's Killing Eve and won Golden Globes for both. Likewise, she received Emmy nominations for each show, along with nominations for co-hosting The Golden Globes and hosting Saturday Night Live. Her other TV credits include Arliss, Judging Amy, American Crime, and voice roles in American Dad!, American Dragon: Jake Long, The Proud Family, Mulan II, Phineas and Ferb, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

Away from TV, Sandra Oh appears in Sideways, Double Happiness, The Diary of Evelyn Lau, Big Fat Liar, Full Frontal, Bean, The Princess Diaries, Under the Tuscan Sun, Hard Candy, Rabbit Hole, The Red Violin, and Dancing at the Blue Iguana. Recently, Oh lent her voice to Under the Moon. Next, she will be heard in Invincible and seen in Umma.

Benedict Wong (Tong)

Playing the part of Tong, a formidable giant, Benedict Wong voices a large and looming supporting character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, the actor is known for playing Wong in Doctor Strange, as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. He also appeared in The Martian, Prometheus, Kick-Ass 2, Annihilation, Johnny English Reborn, Gemini Man, Moon, The Lady, Sunshine, Dirty Pretty Things, Shanghai, Spy Game, Hummingbird, and, most recently, The Personal History of David Copperfield. Additionally, Wong was recently heard in Disney+'s Lady and the Tramp.

On television, Benedict Wong played Kublai Khan in Netflix's Marco Polo. He was also seen in Deadly Class, Spirit Warriors, Law & Order: UK, Prey, Black Mirror, State of Play, and What We Do in the Shadows, as well as heard in Netflix's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Next, he'll appear in Nine Days and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is now filming. Also, Wong will be heard in The Magician's Elephant.

Izaac Wang (Boun)

As Boun, a savvy entrepreneur and boat restaurant owner, Izaac Wang plays a notable supporting character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, Wang is known for his supporting role in Good Boys. He was also recently seen in Think Like a Dog. On TV, the child actor appeared in Teachers. Next, Wang will be seen in Clifford the Big Red Dog and heard in HBO Max's Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai.

Thalia Tran (Little Noi)

In the role of Little Noi, a thieving toddler, Thalia Tran voices an adorable troublemaker in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, Tran starred in NBC's short-lived Council of Dads. She can also be seen in Little. Her other TV credits include Tiny Feminists, Hotel Du Loone, and Sydney to the Max.

Alan Tudyk (Tuk Tuk)

Playing the part of Tuk Tuk, a bug/armadillo/pug hybrid, Alan Tudyk voices an odd-but-loyal sidekick in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Tudyk is known for his role as Hoban "Wash" Washburne in Fox's short-lived Firefly and its film continuation, Serenity. Also, he appears in Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Wonder Boys, A Knight's Tale, Knocked Up, 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Trumbo, Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, Deadpool 2, 42, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and Death at a Funeral (2007). Additionally, Tudyk wrote, directed, and starred in the web series, Con Man, for which he was Emmy-nominated. As a voice actor, he's heard in I, Robot, Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen and Frozen II, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Big Hero 6, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Ice Age, Zootopia, Moana, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Aladdin (2019).

On television, Alan Tudyk's other credits include Suburgatory, Newsreaders, Powerless, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Dollhouse, and V. Currently, he can be seen in Doom Patrol and heard in Harley Quinn.

Lucille Soong (Dang Hu)

As Dang Hu, the leader of the land of Talon, Lucille Soon plays a sage supporting character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. An actress with nearly 60 years of acting experience, Soong is best known for her main role in ABC's Fresh Off the Boat. She also played a recurring role in Desperate Housewives. Her other television credits include Dharma & Greg, The Troubleshooters, Bones, The King of Queens, Without a Trace, The United States of Tara, According to Jim, and The League, to only name a few credits. In film, meanwhile, Soong can be seen in The Joy Luck Club, Freaky Friday (2003), Nancy Drew, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Mission: Impossible III, Employee of the Month, The Corrupter, Genghis Khan, One More Time, Sky High, and Just Like Heaven.

Patti Harrison (Tail Chief)

In the role of Tail Chief, Patti Harrison voices a prominent supporting character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Most notably, Harrison stars in Hulu's Shrill. She can also be seen in Search Party, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Special Without Brett Davis, where she also wrote, Broad City, High Maintenance, The Chris Gethard Show, History of Swear Words, and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. Additionally, Harrison can be heard in BoJack Horseman and Magical Girl Friendship Squad. Most recently, the comedienne co-starred in Amazon Prime's Yearly Departed.

Furthermore, Patti Harrison is seen in A Simple Favor. She also stars in Together Together, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Away from acting, Harrison wrote for Dispatches from Elsewhere and Big Mouth and co-hosts A Woman's Smile.

Ross Butler (Spine Chief)

Playing the part of Spine Chief, Ross Butler voices a notable supporting character in Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Butler is known for his main role on Netflix's 13 Reasons Why. He can also be seen in Riverdale, Shazam!, Teen Beach 2, K.C. Undercover, Perfect High, The Internship, Teen Wolf, Chasing Life, and the music videos for Steve Aoki's "Waste It On Me" and Juice Wild's "Graduation." Additionally, Butler played supporting roles in To All the Boys I Loved: P.S. I Still Love You and this year's To All the Boys: Always and Forever. Next, he'll be heard in Netflix's Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas. He was also set to star in Quibi's Swimming with Sharks, though the show's status is unknown after the company folded last year.

Raya and the Last Dragon arrives in theaters and on Disney+ on March 5th.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and even before that, hate crimes have generally been on a steady rise in recent years. One specific group that has seen an increase in these heinous acts is the Asian American community. A recent string of hate crimes committed against elderly men and women has drawn outrage from the community, and celebrities are starting to make their support heard. In one instance, Hawaii Five-0’s Daniel Dae Kim and Into the Badlands’ Daniel Wu have teamed up to offer a reward on social media in response to a recent attack on an elderly man that was caught on camera.

Daniel Dae Kim and Daniel Wu have offered up a $25,000 reward for the capture and conviction of the then-unknown assailant. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, surveillance footage from Jan. 31 caught a masked assailant violently shoving a 91-year-old Asian-American man down to the ground in Oakland’s Chinatown. Tragically, the victim later died from his injuries. Kim and Wu took to Instagram to raise awareness about the crime, and to inspire anyone to come forward with more information in connection to the suspect that could lead to that person's arrest. Kim spoke on his and Wu’s commitment to his cause.

The L.A. Times, as well as Daniel Dae Kim himself, pointed out two other incidents with elderly Asian Americans by the same person. A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman were both also attacked in the same area on the same day. Kim’s post about the case highlighted how justifiably upset the Asian-American community is over the rise of hate crimes. Having the backing of Kim and Daniel Wu put a much-needed spotlight on an ever-increasing problem that many have faced after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States. Kim and Wu weren’t the only Asian-American celebrities to raise awareness for the case as Marvel stars Gemma Chan, Chloe Bennett and future Shang Chi star Simu Lu took to social media as well. Crazy Rich Asians co-stars Henry Golding and Harry Shum Jr. even highlighted the incident.

Fans can check out Daniel Dae Kim’s full post below:

Following Daniel Dae Kim’s initial Instagram post, the suspect was caught by the Oakland Police Department, according to an announcement by Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong. The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Yahya Muslim. He was charged with assault, battery, elder abuse and a special allegation of offenses.

Daniel Dae Kim and Daniel Wu’s reward offer showed how fame and success can be used to help highlight injustices affecting your community. This also highlighted that not all celebrities use their platform for petty or self-promoting reasons. Hopefully, their efforts helped to capture the suspect, and will inspire others to respect each other.

Daniel Dae Kim has been a mainstay on television for a long, long time. He’s had major roles in Hawaii Five-0, Lost, 24 and so many more--to the point where you probably couldn't name them all. However, what all of those gigs have in common is that they have been prominent roles in ensemble dramas where Kim has never been the main person on the posters or the first person on the call sheet. Now however, that’s changing, as Daniel Dae Kim has landed his first starring role on TV.

It only took the actor 31 years -- as he wryly noted in a celebration post -- but Daniel Dae Kim is set to headline the new installment of The Hot Zone, a National Geographic series that looks into diseases in the world in an anthology format. It’s also the first time Kim will be the official lead in a television series, as he himself noted on Twitter.

Daniel Dae Kim is set to star in The Hot Zone: Anthrax for Nat Geo. Scandal’s Tony Goldwyn will also star in the series. In an announcement, Nat Geo says the new season of the show will be set just after the events of 9/11 but will still be “timely,” given it will follow the country facing a National threat. The series will be a fictionalized version of the true events that did happen in 2001 leading to the deaths of five people.

Principal photography on Season 2 of The Hot Zone is expected to start this winter, though there’s no mention of when we will actually see the series on the network. Season 1 aired in 2019. Returning from the first season will be executive producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson.

The first season of The Hot Zone was set in 1989 and followed the story of the threat of an Ebola disease that was being studied in primates. Julianna Margulies, Noah Emmerich and Topher Grace starred in the first installment. It did well enough that Nat Geo ordered a second season and the rest is history.

As for Daniel Dae Kim, the actor was memorably a star on Hawaii Five-0, though he and fellow co-star Grace Park left the series before it ended on CBS. There was a dispute over pay between the two actors and the network, with reports mentioning Kim and Park wanted pay parity with two other starts on the show, Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin. CBS said the network offered raises, but declined to reach those requests and the two ultimately left the show. So Daniel Dae Kim’s comment about being a lead ties back in some ways to not being seen as a lead on that ensemble show.

Meanwhile, Daniel Dae Kim knows firsthand there’s bigger stuff to contend with in the world right now. The actor was one of the first to admit he’d struggled with Covid-19 early on in the pandemic and even shared his experiences with the medicine he received when he was sick. It's been a long year and not simply due to the pandemic, but now it seems there's at least good news for Kim's career. We wish the actor the best as he jumps into The Hot Zone: Anthrax. May his first leading role in 31 years on television lead to many more.

Hawaii Five-0 veteran Daniel Dae Kim has a new TV show in the works, and it sounds scary! Kim has been a significant presence in front of the camera through the years, and his new project will put him behind it. The actor is set to produce the haunting series.

What is this mysterious new series? THR reports that Daniel Dae Kim is teaming with Amazon for an unusual take on the “classic ghost story” by bending genre norms. The potential series is titled Tether, and it is from writers Kevin Hamedani and Travis Betz. Kim is executively producing it. What is it about?

Tether follows Madelyn Woods, a wife and mother on a mission to find her husband and son, who have been kidnapped. Madelyn’s goal is to find them and exact revenge on their kidnappers, who are the same people who murdered her. Because she is a murder victim, Madelyn is no longer among the living, existing as a ghost.

“Tethered” (hence the title) to the house she was killed in, Madelyn has to figure out a way to escape her home-turned-supernatural prison to save her husband and son. If you are on the edge of your seat, you are not alone. For those hoping to see Daniel Dae Kim on board in a starring capacity if the show gets the green light, there seem to be no plans for him to do so at this point.

Daniel Dae Kim has a first-look deal with Amazon Studios, and being the fantastic actor that he is you have to imagine a role would be his for the taking. Tether marks Kim’s 3AD production company's first project from that deal. While I would love to see Kim in a starring capacity in Tether (if it gets picked up) it is good news for those of us who are loving him in New Amsterdam.

The Hawaii Five-0 veteran joined the cast of the NBC medical drama earlier this year as Dr. Cassian Shin. At the time of his joining New Amsterdam, it was in a recurring capacity. The show is coming back for a third season, so I hope that changes to series regular status soon. Daniel Dae Kim agreeing to star in Tether if it gets picked up by Amazon could theoretically mess with his ability to do so.

Amazon has been changing its output of sci-fi series over the years, although Tether probably falls more in the horror genre with the ghost and murder situation. As its description says, it is defying genre norms with its storyline. Plus, Tether has a clever premise backing it up.

Stay tuned to see if Tether gets picked and for the latest on Daniel Dae Kim’s career. You can watch Kim in New Amsterdam when it returns sometime after this summer’s premieres on NBC.

Daniel Dae Kim may have most recently been in the news for his bout with the virus currently spreading around the world, but he’s also just had a sick run on TV recently, hopping from Hawaii Five-0 to The Good Doctor and now New Amsterdam. In fact it's been a solid run of TV shows for the actor, particularly in the network sphere, and if you know anything about Daniel Dae Kim, his iconic roles don’t stop there.

In fact, Daniel Dae Kim has solidly done work on some major TV programs since his breakthrough in Lost back in 2004, though it’s worth pointing out he had big roles in Crusade and Angel and even 24 before becoming a household name. Let’s take a look at some of his biggest roles below.

Hawaii Five-0’s Chin Ho Kelly

On CBS’ recently ended popular series, Daniel Dae Kim played Chin from 2010-2017. He ultimately left the series before the end of its run due to himself and co-star Grace Park not being happy with their salaries at the network. The network ultimately did not reach an agreement with the actors, but they were still fondly remembered by the fanbase until the end of their runs.

Lost’s Jin-Soo Kwon

Though Daniel Dae Kim was technically on Hawaii Five-0 for more episodes, Lost was really the series that brought the actor to the forefront and made him a household name on television. Jin is credited with appearing in 116 episodes of the hit series and the actor actually had to re-learn Korean for the role after having not spoken it since he lived at home with his parents.

New Amsterdam’s Dr. Shin

Daniel Dae Kim was actually expected to be introduced on New Amsterdam at the end of the most recent TV season. However, NBC executives ultimately pulled that episode from the schedule, as it was expected to follow a flu epidemic hitting the hospital. Obviously, the timing wasn’t great and it’s unclear whether that episode will see the light of day; however, Kim will be rejoining the show for the 2020-2021 TV season in what is expected to be a recurring role.

The Legend of Korra’s Hiroshi Sato

He’s a man of many talents and did voicework for the popular animated series The Legend of Korra as well. Unlike some of the other shows listed so far, Hiroshi Sato only appeared in seven episodes of the iconic show’s run. He popped up from 2012-2014, but as I said before, Daniel Dae Kim has been a part of a lot of big shows over the years, so voice work should be no surprise. Speaking of…

The Good Doctor’s Dr. Jackson Han

Like New Amsterdam, Daniel Dae Kim was involved in The Good Doctor in an acting capacity. But The Good Doctor has also allowed the actor to flex his muscles elsewhere. He also executive produces the ABC series starring Freddie Highmore, which has been on the air since 2017. Also acting in the series you also executive produce? Not too shabby.

ER’s Ken Sung And Other Guest-Starring Roles

Paging the doctor... again. No, but seriously, if you want to get into all of the guest stints Daniel Dae Kim has signed on for, he’s been in even more shows than you can count. This includes Star Trek: Enterprise, in which he had a three-episode stint, as well as one off stints on a wide variety of major shows like Charmed, Walker, Texas Ranger, CSI, Without A Trace, NYPD Blue, and Beverly Hills 90210. Another big guest stint? Daniel Dae Kim had a role on ER well into that show's run, appearing during several episodes in 2003 and 2004. Back in Season 10, the actor played a social worker at the hospital for several episodes.

24’s Tom Baker

Just before landing the role in Lost Daniel Dae Kim finally started gaining momentum on network TV. From 2001-2003 he popped up occasionally on Angel. Then, around the same time, he landed gigs with Star Trek: Enterprise and ER. Just before Lost, he nabbed a role in 2003-2004’s 24 season, playing Tom Baker, going on field assignments with Jack Bauer during his stint on the show (which encompassed Day 2 and Day 3 that season). Then Lost came calling and the rest was history

These are some of the big shows that have come to define Daniel Dae Kim’s lengthy and prolific career, but they aren’t his only roles. He also has done voice work in 20202 for She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and appeared in the British series Flack. Hopefully, on New Amsterdam he’ll end up being a good fit and will stick around for some time to come. There aren’t a lot of people who have constantly been able to push forward a TV career like Daniel Dae Kim has and we hope he keeps sneakily adding big hits to his resume for years to come.

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New Amsterdam has dealt with a lot near the end of its latest season, as it's faced the effects of COVID-19 in more ways than one. And since the ratings winner is a medical drama that addresses real-world issues, it sounds like the coronavirus will be a topic of conversation in Season 3, according to the showrunner.

In New Amsterdam’s unplanned-yet-official Season 2 finale, the series shook things up in the romance department. Dr. Helen Sharpe seems headed for a potential love triangle, and she's not the only one with exciting romantic prospects, since Karen Brantley basically asked out Dr. Vijay Kapoor in the season-ender. Asked about their future, Schulner explained the impact of the coronavirus, saying TVLine:

Like many other series, New Amsterdam had to shut down production early, which led to an early end for the second season. Considering all that has happened in the real world, it makes sense that showrunner David Schulner would already be thinking about why it might be “irresponsible” to ignore the coronavirus pandemic in Season 3.

COVID-19 has also affected New Amsterdam on a more personal level, as one of its newest stars, Daniel Dae Kim, tested positive before recovering from it. Kim shared in a video preceding the Season 2 finale that he has since recovered. The actor made his official debut as the new head trauma surgeon, Dr. Cassian Shin, in last night’s finale but was initially supposed to make debut in a currently postponed episode.

Daniel Dae Kim was set to make his debut as Dr. Cassian Shin in an episode that, ironically, centered on a flu epidemic that was about to air when production was shut down. To be respectful and sensitive to the real-world pandemic, NBC decided to pull the episode.

But thanks to some editing, fans were still able to see Daniel Dae Kim’s debut from that episode in the finale. Before said episode aired, Kim and Ryan Eggold (Max) shared a message with fans, explaining the situation. With this, New Amsterdam has already chosen not to shy away from acknowledging the coronavirus pandemic.

With the series having felt its impact so strongly, you can see why New Amsterdam can't move forward without acknowledging COVID-19, and it'll be interesting to see how the mega-renewed medical drama goes about addressing it.

Fans will have quite a bit of time to consider all of this, but, on the bright side, New Amsterdam is set to return for Season 3 this fall on NBC. While you wait to see what happens next on the medical drama, you can enjoy this spring’s premieres.

Following the industry-wide shutdowns, New Amsterdam faced a condensed Season 2, and on top of everything else, NBC execs also decided to pull the medical drama’s flu epidemic episode in order to be "sensitive to the current climate.” The removal of the episode not only shortened Season 2 even further, but it highly impacted the introduction of Daniel Dae Kim’s new character. Showrunner David Schulner explained how New Amsterdam will handle the new character's presence after skipping the flu episode.

New Amsterdam’s flu episode, called “Our Doors Are Always Open,” was originally scheduled to air on April 7, and will reportedly still air at a later date. While the rest of Season 2’s major storylines probably won’t be affected by the episode not airing, Hawaii Five-0 and Lost alum Daniel Dae Kim was supposed to make his very first appearance on the show as trauma surgeon Dr. Cassian Shin. However, David Schulner and his team figured out a way for Shin’s unseen arrival to make sense. Here’s what he told TVLine regarding how the character will be worked into the season finale:

Thanks to the magic of television and editing, viewers won’t actually miss out on Daniel Dae Kim’s character or how he’ll fit into the story. David Schulner described Dr. Shin as being “the opposite of Max” and it sounds like he’ll push Sharpe’s buttons and challenge her worldview, including her loyalty to Max, before all is said and done.

Unfortunately, since the flu epidemic episode was shelved, viewers won’t get to see the unfolding personal drama for any of the other characters in the Season 2 finale. So, what'll happen to their storylines and character development? David Schulner said there’s at least some kind of plan for their arcs. In his words:

I’d imagine that a whole lot of reshuffling will have to be done to make it work, and that’s only if the flu pandemic episode ever sees the light of day. For now, viewers can breathe easy knowing New Amsterdam has already been renewed for Season 3 and beyond, so whatever storyline gets left behind should hopefully make it into the show eventually.

New Amsterdam Season 2 finale airs Tuesday, April 14 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. For more on when TV’s biggest finales are set to air, be sure to check out our complete guide.

It seems like ages ago that New Amsterdam announced that Hawaii Five-0 vet Daniel Dae Kim had joined the show. But it was only last month that news arrived saying Kim had been cast as Dr. Cassian Shin on the medical drama. Dr. Shin is the new head trauma surgeon at the hospital. A lot has happened since then, and fans are finally getting their first look at Kim in action.

Daniel Dae Kim was initially set to make his debut in the episode “Pandemic” before his debut hit a delay. New Amsterdam ended up deciding to pull the installment, which revolved around a flu epidemic, due to its similarity to the ongoing real life health crisis. This, of course, is an issue that strikes particularly close to home due to Kim testing positive for COVID-19.

Thankfully, Daniel Dae Kim is on the mend. The actor posted a message to fans after beating the illness and sharing the drugs he was on to combat it. Now, fans are finally about to see Kim as Dr. Cassian Shin in the April 14 episode “A Matter of Seconds.” Get your first look at Kim in character on New Amsterdam in the photo below:

Obviously, this picture does not give much away, but it is great to see Daniel Dae Kim in New Amsterdam. The sad news is that this will be the first and last episode where fans get to see Kim as Dr. Shin before Season 2 ends. Like many other series, the medical drama had to halt production early on its current season.

This means the April 14 episode of New Amsterdam will be the impromptu Season 2 finale. At least it is leaving on the high note that is Daniel Dae Kim joining the cast. Here is hoping he returns for Season 3, which has already gotten the go-ahead along with Season 4 and Season 5. It is all thanks to that mega-renewal.

If that first picture was not enough, here is another one of Daniel Dae Kim as the new character. This time, he is not pictured solo. In fact, he is sharing the screen with none other than Dr. Lauren Bloom. Are they talking about her recent troubles? Or are they discussing medical business? Give the New Amsterdam photo your best read by checking it out below:

This picture says a lot without saying anything at all! Daniel Dae Kim’s Dr. Cassian Shin seems to be smiling while Bloom looks at him. I do not know what to make of her expression. Maybe she is as sad as I am that New Amsterdam Season 2 is almost over. Well, it is for a very good reason: keeping everyone safe and healthy. So, I cannot complain.

New Amsterdam has been crushing it in the ratings, and it will hopefully do that when it returns for its next season. I just hope that Daniel Dae Kim continues to be a part of the cast when it comes back. Fans definitely need more than one episode of Kim as Dr. Shin!

Tune in to see Daniel Dae Kim in action when the last new episode of New Amsterdam Season 2 airs Tuesday, April 14, at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Stay tuned to your television because there will be lots of spring premieres to help fill the void left by the medical drama.

Actor Daniel Dae Kim surprised his many fans a couple of weeks ago when he took to social media to announce that he had been diagnosed with coronavirus. The Hawaii Five-0 vet joined several other celebrities in doing so, like Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Idris Elba, and was pretty forthcoming with fans about the particulars of his symptoms, diagnosis and even how his doctors had him treat his condition. Now, though, he's come back to tell fans some much brighter news, and has announced that he's now beat the illness.

Daniel Dae Kim has returned to Instagram with a video to update everyone on his diagnosis, and, after detailing a setback in his recovery that included him briefly losing his sense of smell and taste (!!!!!), he gave everyone the good news about getting the all-clear from health professionals. Here's what he had to say:

Obviously, the fact that Daniel Dae Kim has recovered fully is very good news. A truly unfortunate number of people have not been so lucky, including celebrities like Top Chef Masters winner Floyd Cardoz, song writer Alan Merrill and You actor Mark Blum, who have all succumb to the virus.

While many of us are dealing with long periods of self-isolation, you can really see how thankful Daniel Dae Kim is to just be able to enjoy life with the rest of his family, who, luckily, never got sick, and to be able to do a few simple things that will allow him to get some fresh air every now and then. No one has ever been happier about taking out the trash, but it's going through something like this which makes such basic stuff feel so freeing.

As Daniel Dae Kim noted in his words to fans, he believes that now is the right time to stop posting, because he's at the end of his personal journey with the effects of the virus. Even though he only posted twice previously about his experience fighting COVID-19, those posts were very thorough and probably required some serious thought. Now that he's better, Kim likely wants to let us focus on the advice of doctors and scientists, as well as try to put this difficult time behind him as much as possible.

You can take a look at his full post, below:

Daniel Dae Kim was in the process of filming his new role on NBC's medical drama hit New Amsterdam when production was shut down, and he was diagnosed soon after. Hopefully, production on that show, and pretty much every other movie and TV show that had to close up shop, will resume before too long, along with life, in general, going back to normal.

To see what you can still watch right now, check out our Netflix schedule and what's new to Hulu in April!

Large swaths of the world have been turned upside down by the coronavirus and our attempts to slow the spread of the potentially deadly pandemic. While pretty much every Hollywood production is now shut down, no matter where it was filming, we've still seen several people in the entertainment industry confirm that they've been diagnosed with the virus, and be forced into quarantine to protect others. Hawaii Five-0 vet Daniel Dae Kim is one of those who's contracted the virus, and he's spoken more about how he's combating the illness.

It was just last week that Daniel Dae Kim posted a video to his Instagram to let his fans know that he was sick and quarantined in his home, away from his family, in the hopes of not giving them the virus. He spoke at length about how he was diagnosed and what his symptoms were at the beginning, but now he's gone back to social media to share the treatment plan he's been under, noting that people are starved for any information they can get in case they contract the virus. Here's what he had to say about his decision to post such an update:

Daniel Dae Kim isn't kidding when he says that people have a "real need for help and information right now." Things are changing so quickly, with more and more local governments putting actual shelter-at-home orders in place to try and keep people from gathering, along with shutting down any large events that were supposed to take place, telling restaurants to go takeout-only and the many other measures that have been instituted to try and stem the tide of illness.

None of us know how long these orders will have to be in place, or what else might need to be done to stop the virus, so while we hunker down at home with our streaming services and mountains of toilet paper (if you were lucky to find some, that is) we're trying to be as educated as possible about all aspects of the illness so that we're as prepared as possible. That includes knowing what to expect should we get sick.

Daniel Dae Kim, after making sure that everyone knows he's only played doctors and lawyers on TV and isn't any kind of medical or legal expert, then went on to share his medication regimen:

Phew. Wow. That is...a lot of medicine. As anyone who's had to take a simple antibiotic will know, serious un-fuck-your-health meds like this usually come in the form of pills as large as a grapefruit, so I really hope, for the sake of Daniel Dae Kim and anyone else who's gotten ill, that at least some of this can be taken in liquid form. Though, I'm sure very few people have balked at taking their medicine, considering we know how dangerous coronavirus can be.

As noted, it's just good to be prepared, so it really is helpful to understand what kind of medications one might be taking to fight the virus. Thank you, Daniel Dae Kim. You're doing a lot of good work for us while in quarantine, sir. You can take a look at his full video, below:

Luckily, Daniel Dae Kim and many people who've already contracted the virus are on the mend, so, hopefully we can all put this behind us before too much longer. To get some help staying entertained while you self-isolate, check out our midseason guide, see what's coming to Netflix in April, and check out what's new to Hulu this month.

Pretty much everyone around the world has been taking measures to try and stop the coronavirus from spreading. This has included working from home, not going to theaters or other places where large crowds gather and washing our hands as much as possible. People are also on the lookout for signs that they may be ill, so that they can get tested for the virus if need be. Unfortunately, we've seen some celebrities come forward and reveal that they've been infected, and we can now add Hawaii Five-0 vet Daniel Dae Kim to that list.

Daniel Dae Kim took to his Instagram recently from his home in Hawaii to reveal his diagnosis, as well as talk about his symptoms and what he's going through right now. Take a look:

Man, I feel like I need to personally thank Daniel Dae Kim for going into so much detail about how his symptoms presented themselves and how he was diagnosed and has been taking care of himself since getting sick. He wasn’t kidding when he noted in his caption that he wanted to share his “journey” with us in the hopes that we’d find it “informative or helpful,” was he?

As he said in his very thorough video, Daniel Dae Kim had been working on his new role as the head trauma surgeon on NBC’s hit medical drama New Amsterdam, Dr. Cassian Shin. New Amsterdam eventually stopped production to try to keep its employees safe, as almost every show has now done, but as Kim was landing in Hawaii he began to feel a bit of a tickle at the back of his throat. Luckily, he was very aware of what that could mean, so when he got home he immediately sequestered himself in one room of his house so as to not infect his family.

We all know that Daniel Dae Kim is not alone in being someone in the entertainment industry who's been diagnosed with the coronavirus. We've seen celebrities like Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Idris Elba and Olga Kurylenko all come forward and talk about having the virus. It took a while for production shutdowns to become a widespread occurrence, and actors do a lot of flying and working around teams of people all the time, so it's no surprise that they've been hit by the illness.

I'm sure Daniel Dae Kim's fans are glad to hear that he seems to be getting better and has been getting the rest and treatment he needs, along with knowing that his family has tested negative. It's never good to be sick at a normal time, but being diagnosed with a virus that's caused a pandemic has to be rough on anyone's mental state. Yet, Kim looks to be pretty positive and even took time out of his message to thank everyone from medical professionals to people working at grocery stores for helping to keep things moving while so many of us hunker down.

Daniel Dae Kim was also very apologetic to everyone he worked with on the set of New Amsterdam, noting how sorry he is that he put them all at risk, even though he had no idea he was sick at the time. He also managed to end on a light and positive note by reminding us all of how important it is to keep doing the things we know stop the spread of the virus...and then telling the toilet paper hoarders to stop that mess with "seriously, how dirty are you down there?"

Hopefully, Daniel Dae Kim, and everyone else who's been diagnosed with the coronavirus, will be healthy soon, we will have stemmed the tide of infections and can get back to regular life before much longer. To keep yourself entertained in these quarantine times, be sure to check out our 2020 midseason guide and Netflix schedule.

Daniel Dae Kim left Hawaii Five-0 ahead of Season 8, and since departing the CBS procedural, Kim has appeared on other television series. Since leaving, he has starred in and executive produces ABC’s The Good Doctor. Now, Kim is heading to another hospital drama on another network.

Daniel Dae Kim is joining the cast of NBC’s medical drama New Amsterdam, per Deadline. Kim is coming on board in a significant role: the hospital’s new head trauma surgeon, Dr. Cassian Shin. He is currently set to recur on the mega-renewed drama’s second season. New Amsterdam is set to run for at least three more seasons.

That renewal window leaves plenty of time for Daniel Dae Kim to join the cast in a long-term or series regular capacity. When will Kim make his New Amsterdam debut? The Hawaii Five-0 vet and Lost fan-favorite is set to start in the April 7 episode of Season 2. New Amsterdam is set to resume its season on March 10.

That date puts Daniel Dae Kim’s debut as Dr. Cassian Shin roughly a month into its upcoming return. The April 7 episode will be called “Pandemic.” It centers on a deadly flu strain ripping through the hospital. Kim’s storyline will find his character interacting with the one and only Dr. Helen Sharpe.

Will sparks fly? Fans will have to wait and see. Daniel Dae Kim’s Dr. Cassian Shin is said to test Helen’s patience with his “unorthodox medical practices.” I am intrigued! New Amsterdam marks Kim’s latest foray into the medical drama genre. It should be interesting to compare his work on New Amsterdam to his run as Dr. Jackson Han on The Good Doctor during its second season.

Daniel Dae Kim’s character on The Good Doctor was the chief of surgery. In New Amsterdam, his role will also involve surgery as the head trauma surgeon. Details about Kim’s New Amsterdam character’s personality were not mentioned. Thankfully, it will not be too long before fans of the moving NBC drama get a chance to see him in action.

The announcement of Daniel Dae Kim joining New Amsterdam comes not long after CBS announced it had cancelled Hawaii Five-0. Despite having left the action series a while ago, Kim expressed his sadness over the cancellation. At least there is the uplifting news of the actor joining NBC’s medical drama!

Time will tell what medical cases Daniel Dae Kim’s New Amsterdam character encounters. Season 2 has been filled with a lot of drama, including the tragic death of Max’s wife. There have also been some cool upper beat moments. I am excited to see the dynamic between Kim’s character and Helen. It already sounds quite promising!

Daniel Dae Kim is a marvelous actor, and it will be fun to see what he brings to New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam returns Tuesday, March 10, at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. There will be lots of winter and spring premieres available to keep you entertained.

A couple of seasons ago, longtime Hawaii Five-0 actors Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left the CBS drama and it wasn’t on the best of terms. Kim and the network would later recount that salary disputes with the network kept him from returning to the series. However, now that CBS has cancelled the drama, Daniel Dae Kim has spoken out about its legacy and lasting impact.

Shortly after Hawaii Five-0 was cancelled this week, Daniel Dae Kim took to Twitter to share his feelings about the series ending rather abruptly, mentioning he’s “sad” to hear the long-time procedural will be calling it quits.

Though Daniel Dae Kim reportedly left the show after wanting to be paid closer to what lead Scott Caan made, the actor has always been nice about and “grateful” for the experience, even after leaving. He previously thanked CBS after his exit and didn’t seem to have any lingering anger, so it’s not a huge shock he has kind words for the show here.

Classy dude though.

To be frank, the cancellation of Hawaii Five-0 came a bit out of left field. The series has been on the air for 10 seasons and was a mainstay on the network. It was still doing decently in its Friday night timeslot and was a good pairing with Blue Bloods.

In fact, even series creator Peter Lenkov had previously been speaking out about hoping the show would run for a few more seasons, making the decision even more shocking. Even more surprising is the fact the series won’t even be getting a final shortened season to wrap things up.

While last minute cancellations still happen to shows that are early in their runs a fair amount, in more recent TV seasons, networks have given fans a little more closure by announcing cancellations well in advance. This, I suppose, sort of happened with Hawaii Five-0, as we do know the series will be ending a few weeks before its April finale.

However, it’s not as if CBS ultimately opted to give the series and its creative team a little more time to end on a high note, like it has done with shows like The Big Bang Theory ending (although ultimately that was Jim Parson's choice and this seems to be the network's). So, unfortunately, whatever the writers and team already had in the pipeline is how the show is going to say sayanara on the network.

There have been plenty of TV cancellations that have already occurred this TV season and there will be likely to be more down the line. But if you are a fan of Hawaii Five-0 in particular, at least you can rest easy knowing the people who are involved with and love the show are just as sad about it ending as you probably are.

Hawaii Five-0 airs Friday nights at 9 p.m. ET. The series finale will air Friday, April 3 with a special 2-hour episode that will air from 8-10 p.m. ET. For more on what’s heading to television, keep tabs on our full schedule.

In the ten years since the CBS reboot reintroduced audiences to McGarrett and Danno, Hawaii Five-0's cast has seen some big changes go down. Most recently, Arrow vet Katrina Law joined the show as former military intelligence, and it's been heavily rumored that the show might be losing star Jorge Garcia, with his character Jerry likely having gotten shot in the Season 9 finale.

But rather than peeking into the unknowable future, we're looking back to all the past Hawaii Five-0 cast change-ups to talk about why each of those major cast members ended up bowing out of the CBS drama.

Grace Park (Kono Kalakaua)

Grace Park was one of Hawaii Five-0's O.G. stars, having been cast to fill the role of Kono Kalakaua, a character who was male in the original 1970s series. It was a smart move, too, as Park's Kono brought a badass female sensibility to the team, where she'd be just as quick to snipe someone as to take them down in hand-to-hand combat.

Why Did Grace Park Leave Hawaii Five-0? In one of the more controversial broadcast drama exits in recent years, Grace Park dropped out of Hawaii Five-0 in 2017 as part of a salary dispute. It was revealed that Park and co-star Daniel Dae Kim were getting paid 10-15% less than Hawaii Five-0's Scott Caan and Alex O'Loughlin, with CBS not relenting on discussing more lucrative contract negotiations in Park and Kim's favor. In fact, the network claimed that the two actors had been given "large and significant" raises previously, but those claims were thrown into question in the aftermath of Park and Kim leaving the show.

Over a year after leaving Hawaii Five-0, Grace Park came out in 2018 and finally spoke about her exit, though she held back on burning bridges, saying:

How Was Grace Park's Kono Written Out of Hawaii Five-0? Considering Grace Park left Hawaii Five-0 just a month or so after Season 7 had wrapped, there wasn't a chance to give Kono a proper sendoff. In the Season 8 premiere, it was revealed that the character had vacated the islands to join a sex trafficking task force in Carson City, Nevada. A handful of new cast members joined the show in Park and Daniel Dae Kim's wake, such as Meaghan Rath, Dennis Chun, Kimee Balmilero and Taylor Wily.

What Has Grace Park Done Since Leaving Hawaii Five-0? In the months after Grace Park left Hawaii Five-0, she could be seen in Judy Greer's indie comedy Adventures in Public School. But it was in 2018 where Park landed a role on ABC's emotional mystery drama A Million Little Things, which has become a big hit for the network.

Daniel Dae Kim (Chin Ho Kelly)

Having been the first star cast for the updated take on Hawaii Five-0, Daniel Dae Kim brought his genres skills from Lost and Angel (among other shows) to the CBS procedural to portray the character Lt. Chin Ho Kelly, who was played by Kam Fong Chun in the original. Chin was a jack of all trades, with studious brains to match his athleticism and brawn.

Why Did Daniel Dae Kim Leave Hawaii Five-0? As previously mentioned, Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park were at the center of a pay disparity dispute with Hawaii Five-0 producers over reported discrepancies between their contracts and those of stars Alex O'Loughlin and and Scott Caan. CBS reportedly held on to the claim that O'Loughlin and Caan were the actual leads of Hawaii Five-0, and that Kim and Park were both supporting lead roles, despite the fact that their characters Chin and Kono were legitimately every bit as important and heavily marketed as Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams. Without any resolution from the dispute occurring, Kim and Park dropped out of Hawaii Five-0 ahead of Season 8, and it was another blow to CBS in terms of its diversity track record.

How Was Daniel Dae Kim's Chin Written Out of Hawaii Five-0? Considering Daniel Dae Kim wasn't around for any of the filming for Season 8, the writers had to give the character an offscreen farewell. It was explained in the Season 8 premiere that Chin had accepted a position in San Francisco to take over the Five-0 task force that was being organized within the San Francisco Police Dept.

What Has Daniel Dae Kim Done Since Leaving Hawaii Five-0? On the feature film side of things, Daniel Dae Kim was part of a notable recastng in David Harbour's recent Hellboy reboot, and he also co-starred in the popular Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe. He'll soon show up in the 2020 sci-fi thriller Stowaway opposite Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette. As far as his follow-up television work goes, Kim serves as executive producer of ABC's hit drama The Good Doctor, a remake of the South Korean drama of the same name, and he even joined the cast in Season 2 as a surgery chief.

Michelle Borth (Catherine Rollins)

Though Michelle Borth wasn't part of the main cast right when Hawaii Five-0 premiered in 2010, she entered the fray in the fourth episode of Season 1 as former Navy Officer Lt. Catherine Rollins. She quickly become an on-and-off romantic foil for McGarrett, and after taking a guest role in Season 2, Hawaii Five-0 promoted Borth to a series regular for Seasons 3 and 4. Borth left the show in a regular capacity after that, but fans watched Catherine come and go for years after. Her last appearance so far came in Season 9's 11th episode, directed by Carl Weathers.

Why Did Michelle Borth Leave Hawaii Five-0? It was revealed in 2014 that Michelle Borth would not be returning to Hawaii Five-0 in a regular capacity, and it looked for a second like Catherine Rollins wouldn't be returning at all. No specific reasons have ever been revealed for why Borth left the full-time gig on Hawaii Five-0, although it's known that her character was disliked by a section of the fandom. In any case, it's clear that the exit was partly amicable, considering Borth has returned seven times since Season 4 ended.

How Was Michelle Borth's Catherine Rollins Written Out of Hawaii Five-0? Initially, Michelle Borth's Cath was written off at the end of Season 4 with the explanation that she was remaining in Afghanistan to search for the son of a man who'd previously saved her life. She returned for Kono and Adam's wedding in Season 5, while Season 6 played up her and McGarrett's inability to maintain a lasting relationship, and her returns in more recent seasons have been for one-off missions.

What Has Michelle Borth Done Since Leaving Hawaii Five-0? Michelle Borth hasn't found another big TV role just yet to complement her time on Hawaii Five-0, though she did star in the Lifetime movie Devious Nanny in 2018, and will also star in the upcoming TV movie No Good Deed. 2019 saw Borth taking on the role of Super Hero Mary in the DC Comics action-comedy Shazam!

Masi Oka (Max Bergman)

Arguably best known for playing the time-jaunting lead in the fantastical drama Heroes, actor Masi Oka joined Hawaii Five-0's first season as the always genial medical examiner Dr. Max Bergman. While initially only a recurring role, Max and Oka were promoted to series regulars for Season 2, and over the years, his character's history (and Halloween costume choices) was explored, though much of his personal life remained offscreen, such as his marriage to Rumer Willis' Sabrina.

Why Did Masi Oka Leave Hawaii Five-0? Even though Masi Oka vacated Hawaii Five-0 during the same season that fellow Asian actors Grace Park and Daniel Dae Kim did, Oka's exit was not tied to those contract negotiations, and was already planned whenever he made his final appearance in the thirteenth episode of the final season. According to the actor, part of it was because the character had run his course, and part of it was because he had personal issues to take care of. Here's how he put it at the time:

How Was Masi Oka's Max Written Out of Hawaii Five-0? With everything about Masi Oka's exit planned, Hawaii Five-0 gave Max Bergman a winning farewell, with the character retiring from his medical examiner position in Honolulu and taking on a role within Doctors Without Borders. It was revealed Max would be returning to Africa for his new position, where he would also be celebrating life with his wife Sabrina.

What Has Masa Oki Done Since Leaving Hawaii Five-0? Masi Oka has yet to make any return appearances on Hawaii Five-0, but the actor did have a couple of small screen roles in the meantime. He took on his next live-action role on Amazon's award-winning Mozart in the Jungle, and also voiced a character in the animated Supermansion: Summer Vacation Special. As far as movies go, Oka appeared in the creature feature romp The Meg and will soon be heard in the animated Will Smith feature Spies in Disguise.

Taryn Manning (Mary Ann McGarrett)

Whenever Hawaii Five-0 was in its early days, the creators decided to bring in Sons of Anarchy vet Taryn Manning to portray Steve McGarrett's younger sister Mary Ann, who was played by Nancy Malone in the original series. Estranged from her brother at first, Mary Ann shows up and proves herself to be a problematic character, but one with room for redemption. She later become a doting mother after adopting a daughter, Joan, which helped to strengthen her relationship with Alex O'Loughlin's Steve.

Why Did Taryn Manning Leave Hawaii Five-0? While the specific details surrounding Taryn Manning's exit from Hawaii Five-0 don't seem to have ever come to light, the basic story is that the show's producers decided to go in a different direction with the central narrative as they went through Season 1. It was reported that the creative team wanted to explore more of McGarrett's professional life, while limiting how his personal life was handled. Here's how Manning explained it herself at the time, speaking to her Season 1 stint getting short-changed:

Though she no longer had the "Also Starring" status, Taryn Manning returned to Hawaii Five-0 as Mary Ann six more times over the years, most recently for Season 9's 23rd episode.

How Was Taryn Manning's Mary Ann Written Out of Hawaii Five-0? Mary Ann was part of an intense kidnapping in Taryn Manning's final Season 1 episode, but she obviously returned several times after that. Season 4 is when she adopted her daughter, which has been a core part of the character since. In her most recent appearance, Mary Ann required her brother's skills in peeping out her suspicious neighbor during her stay at an Airbnb. It's presumed she will return at some point in the future.

What Has Taryn Manning Done Since Leaving Hawaii Five-0? Since her technical exit from Hawaii Five-0 in 2011, Taryn Manning has appeared in over a dozen films, including All American Christmas Carol and Blackmail. But she is inarguably most known now for her work as Pennsatucky Doggett on Netflix's long-running prison dramedy Orange is the New Black, which aired its final season in 2019.

Lauren German (Lori Weston)

To date, Lucifer star Lauren German is the Hawaii Five-0 cast member who was around for the shortest amount of time, with her "Also Starring" stint lasting all of a single season. German was brought in as Special Agent Lori Weston, who was basically meant to be romantic fodder for Steve McGarrett while he was missing Cath. She ultimately came to realize that McGarrett wasn't over Cath, and that was that.

Why Did Lauren German Leave Hawaii Five-0? By many accounts, Hawaii Five-0 fans were not big on Lauren German's Lori, and did not wish to see sparks fly between her and McGarrett. Not a lot of noise was made about German's exit in Season 2, which was quickly followed by her landing a lead role on NBC's Chicago Fire. The actress seemed to hint at there being behind-the-scenes issues involved with the decision to write her off, reportedly saying at the time:

How Was Lauren German's Lori Written Out of Hawaii Five-0? With her final appearance coming in the episode "I Helu Pu," Lori ended up resigning after some international drama involving the governor and the Russian consulate. But not before she expressed her romantic feelings for McGarrett, who did not share in them.

What Has Lauren German Done Since Leaving Hawaii Five-0? Not long after her final episode of Hawaii Five-0, Lauren German joined the cast of the then-new Dick Wolf drama Chicago Fire, which kicked off NBC's One Chicago franchise. She left that drama going into its third season, at which point she landed the lead female role on the Fox-to-Netflix drama Lucifer, which is currently filming its final season.

2019 Fall TV Premiere Schedule: Dates For New And Returning Shows

At this point, all of the remaining Hawaii Five-0 cast members are still involved in big ways, but Season 10 could always change that, of course. Be sure to tune in when it debuts on CBS on Friday, September 27, at 8:00 p.m. ET.

While we may never understand just how Netflix manages to develop so many original films and television shows each month, but we’re not complaining. The streaming platform has recently played a part in a resurgence of the romantic comedy with hits such as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and Set It Up. Now it’s releasing a rom-com with some seriously funny comedians including Ali Wong, Randall Park and … Keanu Reeves? Check out Always Be My Maybe.

Wait… you watched until the end right? I promised you Keanu Reeves and the only way to deliver is if you’ve see the trailer to the very end, but we’ll get back to him in a bit.

Always Be My Maybe follows Sasha (Ali Wong) a successful celebrity chef with a good-looking fiancé, played by Lost and Hawaii Five-0’s Daniel Dae Kim. When she goes home to San Francisco for business, she runs into her childhood crush Marcus (Fresh Off the Boat’s Randall Park). Will Sasha gets starry eyes for the one who got away? Or in her case, the one who didn’t move as she left and pursued her career goals.

The trailer from Netflix reveals her fiancé skips out on their wedding plans while she’s at home and he’s on vacation, sparking a hilarious line from Wong as she says she hopes he gets Malaria and shits himself to death. Then, it’s revealed a child’s birthday party was in close vicinity to hear her vile burn.

Sasha then finds herself spending more time with Marcus as she pursues dating on the side. Their chemistry is pretty obvious to everyone else but the couple seem oblivious to it on their own. It’s a classic “will-they-won’t-they” scenario for rom-com fans to eat up.

Always Be My Maybe drives down memory lane a bunch with the couple, flashing back scenes of them when they were kids and in a funny scene where the two make jokes about being in the same car where they once had sex as teens. Oh, and of course Mariah Carey’s ‘90s hit “Always Be My Baby” is playing in the background.

Right when it seems Marcus has drummed up the courage to tell Sasha he’s been in love with her for 15 years, Sasha drops a big bomb. She met someone… and yes, he’s played by Keanu Reeves. The actor makes a grand entrance and helps end out the trailer on a hilarious note as he and Ali Wong say things like “I missed your thumbs” closely into each others faces and Marcus’ heart drops.

It’s also perfect for Reeves to show up in the Always Be My Maybe on the heels of John Wick 3 heading to theaters this weekend and his new role in Toy Story 4 soon hitting screens.

While the trailer shows a lot about the movie, this moment serves as a great hook for audiences to watch the release on the streaming platform when it’s released on May 31.

DC and Marvel (be it Marvel Studios or projects from 20th Century Fox and Sony) have cornered the superhero movie market, but every now and then there's a project that hails from another company to impress audiences. Last decade, Hellboy left his mark in the earlier years of the comic book movie boom across two movies under the creative vision of Guillermo del Toro, and now the Dark Horse comics character is finally returning to the big screen for a new generation. Like any self-respecting reboot, this new movie is expected to tackle Hellboy much differently compared to its predecessors, and depending on how well it does critically and commercially, it could potentially launch a new series of films. With less than a week to go until Hellboy's release, here's everything we know about it so far.

What Have We Seen From Hellboy?

Luckily, we've had a good look at the action from Hellboy for several months now, including the above red-band trailer which shows off some of the reasons why the film was gifted with an R-rating. The new movie is certainly going for broke when it comes to language and violence, but it still seems to have a focus on humor, which seems to be used to break up the bloody destruction audiences will be in for when they head to theaters.

When Is Hellboy's Release Date?

Rather than face off against other major motion pictures in the summer season or even take its chances in the fall, Hellboy has set up shop in a month that has not been the typical destination for a comic book movie. Hellboy was originally scheduled to be released on January 11, 2019, which would have had it opening a week before M. Night Shyamalan's Glass, which served as a sequel to both 2000's Unbreakable and 2016's Split. And, while a battle between Hellboy and Glass would have been fun to watch, especially considering how well the latter film ended up doing, Hellboy later settled on a spring release date of April 12. But, this has turned out to be its own potential issue.

The week prior to the debut of Hellboy has already seen Shazam! open pretty big and with lots of critical and audience love. So, Hellboy is going to have to fight against that tide on opening weekend, and then battle the big guns a couple of weekends later when what might end up being the biggest movie of all time opens: Avengers: Endgame. Can Hellboy make its mark on the box office? We'll seen soon enough.

What Is Hellboy's Rating?

Technically, Hellboy wasn't officially rated by the MPAA until just a few weeks before it opened, as is standard, but the goal was always for the new movie to rest comfortably in R-rated territory, and it has hit that goal. According to Mike Mignola, the man who created Hellboy, the reason for wanting an R-rating from the jump wasn't because the reboot would necessarily be more violent than the Guillermo del Toro-helmed ones, but because it allows for more creative freedom. Rather than go the fantastical route that its predecessors went, Hellboy wanted to have more of a horror twist, meaning it should feel like a darker movie. With Hellboy gaining that R rating because of "strong bloody violence and gore throughout, and language," according to the MPAA, it sounds like this is a comic book movie that you shouldn't bring the kiddies to see.

The Director

Inheriting the reins left behind by Guillermo del Toro is Neil Marshall, a man who has experience directing both horror and action-packed tales. His movie-making resume includes Dog Soldiers and The Descent, while in the television realm, he's directed on Game of Thrones (one of his episodes earned him an Emmy nomination), Black Sails, Constantine, Hannibal, Timeless and Westworld. He is also an executive producer on Netflix' Lost in Space reboot series. Hellboy is unquestionably Marshall's biggest cinematic endeavor yet, but given his past horror work and how much more intense this reboot will be compared to its predecessors, ideally he's just the right kind of creative mind to bring a fresh perspective to this property. It wouldn't have been wise to hire someone too similar to del Toro, and if all goes well, Marshall will do a good job ensuring that his Hellboy movie can stand on its own.

What Is Hellboy About?

Right off the bat, in case the term "reboot" wasn't a clear enough indicator, Hellboy will not have any ties to the previous movies. It's an all-new cast performing in a story set in an all-new continuity. So, for those of you who waited for years of Guillermo del Toro, Ron Perlman and other key cast and crew members to reunite for Hellboy III, I'm sorry to say that it's not happening. In 2014, Mike Mignola began working with writer Andrew Cosby on what was originally intended to be a sequel to Hellboy II: The Golden Army, but when del Toro was approached to produce it rather than direct, he decided not to be involved at all. That subsequently led to Ron Perlman bowing out, and once Neil Marshall came on board, it was appropriately decided the movie would be a reboot. All this being said, for the longtime Hellboy comic book readers out there, the reboot will be more faithful to the source material.

Inspired by the Darkness Calls, The Wild Hunt and The Storm and the Fury storylines, Hellboy will follow the eponymous protagonist trying to prevent an evil sorceress from destroying humanity. Even though the reboot will have more of a horror hook, a story like this also allows for plenty of fantastical elements to be seeded throughout. Hellboy is a formidable character, and with the aid of his allies at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD), hopefully they'll be able to ensure that the main antagonist doesn't wipe out our kind. Beyond that, plot details are being kept under wraps, but as we get closer to the new Hellboy movie's release, it will be interesting to learn how this world differs from the one Guillermo del Toro oversaw.

Hellboy

In the comics, Hellboy was a half-human, half-demon (birth mother human, father demon), while in the Guillermo del Toro-directed movies, he was a full demon. Whatever his heritage is in the reboot, no doubt like in the source material and previous movies, he will be drawn to Earth as an infant and be raised to be a force for good. His special abilities include super human strength, enhanced healing and an extended life span. He also has the rock-hard Right Hand of Doom, which in the comics is the key to eventually bringing about the end of the world, and he's quite a good shot with oversized pistols. To better fit in among humans, Hellboy files off his horns, though they've been known to magically grow back every now and then.

Succeeding Ron Perlman as Hellboy is David Harbour, who is best known for playing Chief Jim Hopper on Netflix's hit series Stranger Things. The Hellboy reboot will be Harbour's third superhero movie, after previously appearing in The Green Hornet and Suicide Squad (he also auditioned to play Blob in X-Men Origins: Wolverine). Just like Perlman's Hellboy, Harbour's iteration is an all-practical creation, which required the actor to ditch his trademark dad bod. Harbour also admitted that some of his friends tried to convince him not to take the role.

While no specific details about this version of Hellboy have been revealed yet, Harbour has said that the new movie will offer a more faithful take on the character. Noting that his Hellboy will go through"a lot more struggle, a lot more angst," with some of that being due to the fact that he won't have a love interest, partly because this version of Hellboy can't have sex with humans. The actor has also compared the protagonist's inner turmoil (being an adopted kid from hell who wants to do good despite being destined to bring about the apocalypse) to Hamlet. Whatever Harbour's portrayal of Hellboy will look like, he seems to have a good handle on the character.

Trevor Bruttenholm

Professor Trevor Bruttenholm is the only other character from the previous Hellboy movies who's been announced to appear in the Hellboy reboot, and for good reason. In the comics, "Broom," one of humanity's greatest experts on the occult, was a member of the British Paranormal Society, and later became an adviser to President Franklin Roosevelt when the Allies learned that Hitler was trying to use the occult to his own advantage during World War II. Then on December 23, 1944, while joining a group of U.S. soldiers from preventing Rasputin (yes, that Rasputin), from enacting Project Ragna Rok, a demon child appeared before Broom at the time that Rasputin called upon the Ogdru Jahad, powerful entities who are the main antagonists of the Hellboy mythos. That child was Hellboy, and Broom took a liking to the lad, eventually adopting him after helping to form the BPRD.

The late John Hurt played Trevor Bruttenholm in the previous Hellboy movies, and Ian McShane will take over the role for the reboot. McShane's notable work includes Deadwood, the John Wick movies, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and American Gods. McShane mentioned that Hellboy and Broom's relationship will be "quite crusty" because the former wonders why the latter didn't kill him because he's a monster, but so far that's all we know about Broom in the reboot.

One thing worth noting is that when Hellboy first began publication, and even in the earlier movies, it was plausible for Broom to have been a young man during World War II and still be alive in the present day, but with a reboot being released now, that's harder to pull off. Setting Hellboy in the 1990s (or somewhere in that ballpark) would be a good way around that, but perhaps moving Broom's discovery of Hellboy to the 1960s (or so) would also work. But, since they appear to be setting the action in the modern day, another possibility is that something has mystically kept Broom in better health as he's gotten older.

Nimue

In the Hellboy comics, Nimue (who is also known as the Queen of Blood and the Lady of the Lake) lived during King Arthur's reign and managed to persuade Merlin to share the secrets of magic with her. Nimue then locked the wizard away, but her newfound knowledge drove her mad, and a group of witches decided to cut her into little pieces and scatter her across the world so that she could never reform and threaten Earth. Well, you guessed it, in the present day, Nimue was revived, and she immediately began forming her own army, but she was eventually killed in battle by Hellboy. However, before being dragged to Hell, Nimue managed to rip Hellboy's heart out and drag him to Hell with her.

For Hellboy, Nimue the Blood Queen will be played by Milla Jovovich, who has left her mark in the genre world as Alice in the Resident Evil movies and is also recognizable from The Fifth Element, Zoolander and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. All we've learned so far about the cinematic Nimue is that she still hails from medieval times and wants to destroy humanity. Even though the new Hellboy movie is drawing inspiration from her story arcs from the comics, don't be surprised if it also takes some creative liberties with her.

Ben Daimio

Ben Daimio was introduced to the Hellboy mythos in 2004, the same year the first Guillermo del Toro Hellboy movie came out. Ben was originally the leader of a Marine squad that was sent to rescue a group of nuns who were kidnapped by a terrorist group, but during the rescue attempt the squad was attacked by the true culprits, a murderous jaguar-worshipping cult. A mysterious entity then killed all the Marines, including Daimio. However, three days later, Daimio came back to life, albeit with the left side of his face scarred. Now able to turn into a jaguar-like creature during periods of intense stress, Daimio joined the BPRD

Originally Deadpool's Ed Skrien was supposed to play Ben Daimio in Hellboy, but the casting was met with accusations of whitewashing. A week later, Skrien voluntarily dropped out, and Hawaii 5-0's Daniel Dae Kim was tapped to play Daimio the following month, and this version of the character will still be a BPRD agent who has monstrous transformation problems.

Alice Monaghan

Joining Hellboy and Ben Daimio as mystically-gifted protagonists is Alice Monaghan, a woman of Irish descent who Hellboy rescued from fairies when she was an infant. Decades later, Alice retains some special abilities due to her time with the fairies, and even though she is in her fifties in the present day in the comics, she still looks like a young woman. Alice will be played by American Honey's Sasha Lane in Hellboy. It looks like she will help out as a BPRD agent in the movie, but beyond that we don't know much about her.

Other Characters

Now that we've covered Hellboy's main cast, let's touch on who some of the minor characters will be. Chief among them will be Ganeida, an elder witch who has decided that Nimue's reign of terror has gone on for long enough and needs to be stopped. She will be played by The Vampire Diaries' Penelope Mitchell, and one wonders if her character will be the catalyst to drawing in Hellboy and the BPRD to help battle Nimue. Joining Mitchell's Ganeida are Hotel Rwanda's Sofie Okonedo as Lady Hatton, a seer who resides at the Osiris Club, which is dedicated to solving supernatural mysteries; Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's Alistair Petrie as Lord Adam Glaren, a high-ranking Osiris Club member; and Phantom Thread's Robert Gleeson as Merlin, who, if this reboot is staying true to the comics, will be the man responsible for Nimue becoming so powerful.

Hellboy will be in theaters in just a few days now, so be sure to keep up with this guide for any major reveals that come out before this weekend!

It's no secret that superhero movies are everywhere. Comic book adaptations have proven to be most profitable and wildly popular genre in the business, so plenty of studios are trying to get in on the action. This includes reboots, as nostalgia continues to be a driving force in the film world. Lionsgate is doing just that with the upcoming Hellboy movie, which will be totally disconnected to the original pair of Guillermo del Toro movies.

Hellboy has some anticipation leading up to its release, but the film's development wasn't without controversy. When the cast was being assembled, actor Ed Skrein was cast as Major Ben Daimio, who is Japanese in the comics. This sparked a ton of backlash, with Lost favorite Daniel Dae Kim eventually stepping in to play the role instead. Now producer Lloyd Levin recently spoke of the decision to recast, saying:

Nobody's perfect, and it looks like the folks behind the Hellboy reboot recognized their mistake. They may have originally been a cast of whitewashing, but the blockbuster course corrected, and brought in a more appropriate actor to play Major Ben Daimio.

Lloyd Levin's comments to Collider show how quickly things changed when Hellboy's cast was being assembled. While the blockbuster's story was ready and the character Ben Daimio was given his own narrative, they forgot a major detail: his race. The call for inclusion onscreen has been a major conversation in the entertainment industry for the past few years. It's this new awareness (and some fan backlash) that helped Levin and his colleagues realize their mistake. Enter Daniel Dae Kim.

Whitewashing has been one aspect of the larger conversation regarding representation in the media. It's an issue that seems to have his Asian actors the worst, a subject that was broached during Sandra Oh's Golden Globes opening monologue. Scarlett Johansson got a ton of hate for taking the lead in Ghost in the Shell, while Tilda Swinton faced backlash for playing The Ancient One in Doctor Strange. So when it looked like Hellboy was going to follow suit, the public quickly took to social media to express their outrage.

It should be interesting to see how Ben Daimio functions within the story of Hellboy, as it's the first time the character will be brought to live-action. All will be revealed when Hellboy arrives in theaters on April 12, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Daniel Dae Kim is back on TV tonight with The Good Doctor. It's been two years since his last major TV role, after his dramatic exit from Hawaii Five-0. But he's actually an executive producer on The Good Doctor, and joins the show in the new role of Dr. Jackson Han in the February 18 episode. Kim is a TV veteran but he admitted to some nerves before joining this series:

Daniel Dae Kim plays the new Chief of Surgery, and apparently his Dr. Jackson Han not only clashes with Freddie Highmore's Dr. Shaun Murphy, he puts Murphy's career in jeopardy. Kim told EW it helped that his first episode was directed by Freddie Highmore, his co-star and a member of The Good Doctor family.

Freddie Highmore told EW having Daniel Dae Kim as a cast member made it easier for him, too, since he wasn't directing a stranger in a new role, he was directing a friend and producer everyone on set already knew well.

Daniel Dae Kim makes his debut in The Good Doctor Season 2, Episode 15, "Risk and Reward," which has this synopsis from ABC:

Daniel Dae Kim is an ABC veteran after playing Jin-Soo Kwon on Lost from 2004 to 2010. He joined Hawaii Five-0 in 2010 and played Chin Ho Kelly until 2017, exiting the show with co-star Grace Park when contract negotiations fell through.

At the time, Daniel Dae Kim explained that he wouldn't be returning for Hawaii Five-0 Season 8 because he and CBS "weren't able to agree to terms on a new contract, so I made the difficult choice not to continue."

After that, Daniel Dae Kim made headlines for replacing Ed Skrein as Ben Daimio in the upcoming movie Hellboy.

The South Korean-born actor was also the driving force in getting The Good Doctor on ABC. The series is based on an award-winning South Korean TV series, and Daniel Dae Kim got the rights for his production company. Apparently he brought it to his network at the time, CBS, but they decided not to make a pilot. So he struck a deal with Sony Pictures TV and got House creator David Shore on to produce as showrunner, and now here they are -- a big success on ABC.

The Good Doctor Season 2 welcomes Daniel Dae Kim on screen starting tonight (Monday, Feb. 18) at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Here's what else is playing on the small screen in midseason 2019.

Less than two years after making a controversial exit from Hawaii Five-0 alongside actress Grace Park, Daniel Dae Kim is headed back to television. Kim is once again on a major network in primetime in a series that he already played a part in behind the scenes. The former Lost actor is back on ABC, although this time, he'll be playing a doctor in the back half of The Good Doctor Season 2.

Expect to see Daniel Dae Kim lurking around the operating roomm as his character Dr. Jackson Han is St. Bonaventure's new Chief of Surgery. TVLine reports Han's arrival will come in Episode 15, and his introduction will not be a quiet one. His presence "will put Dr. Shaun Murphy's career in jeopardy." Dun dun dun!

Daniel Dae Kim's recurring character will be featured within the final four episodes of Season 2. Assuming he isn't killed off in some devastating fashion, it's possible he could end up returning to the ABC hit for a potential Season 3.

As some may know, Daniel Dae Kim is largely responsible for the reason The Good Doctor is on American television. Kim was inspired by the original South Korean series and acquired the rights for an American adaptation that he'd first shopped to CBS. Things didn't work out there, but they did later on when Kim partnered up with House creator David Shore. As such, Kim has been an executive producer for the ABC series, in addition to his new recurring role.

Apparently, Daniel Dae Kim had been looking for a spot to appear on The Good Doctor for a while now, saying in a released statement that Dr. Han is a "dynamic and surprising" character that's a perfect fit. Kim also expressed that he's thrilled to be premiering in an episode that will be directed by the program's star, Freddie Highmore. Though he'd helmed one installment of Bates Motel, Highmore has not directed an episode of the medical drama to date, but did write the Season 2 premiere "Hello."

As previously mentioned, this will be a big network television return for Daniel Dae Kim, who left CBS in the summer of 2017 following a contract dispute on Hawaii Five-0. Whatever the network offered Kim, it was seemingly less than what other stars got, and it wasn't enough in general, as the actor released a statement alluding to equality when he confirmed his exit. CBS maintained on its end that both Kim and Grace Park were offered sizable wage increases.

The Good Doctor is just one of the projects Daniel Dae Kim has coming in 2019, and audiences can also get a chance to see him on the silver screen. Kim will play the part of Ben Daimio in the upcoming Hellboy reboot, having replaced actor Ed Skrein. Kim applauded Skrein for relinquishing the character, who was depicted in the comics as Asian.

With Daniel Dae Kim on the way, The Good Doctor returns to ABC Monday, January 14 at 10:00 p.m. ET. Keep tabs on the rest of what's coming to television in the near future by visiting our handy midseason premiere guide.

Hellboy is entering a new era under the guidance of The Descent director Neil Marshall, and that means a new cast is about to get into the fray-- among newcomers like David Harbour, Ian McShane, and Milla Jovovich. The film has also cast Hawaii 5-0 alumni Daniel Dae Kim for the role of Major Ben Daimio, and it looks like the actor is taking his prep very seriously. In fact, the TV star has just posted a video of his stunt prep for Hellboy, and it looks like he's about to kick some serious ass. Don't believe me? Check out the video below.

Pretty badass, right? It's obviously hard to visualize what a sequence such as this will look like in the final cut of the movie because there's no set, costumes, or visual effects to work with, but it's fairly clear that Major Ben Daimio is going to take on hordes of enemies in this film. There's a delicate balance of hand to hand combat and gunplay in how Daniel Dae Kim carries himself in that video, and it appears that there's a John Wick-esque quality to how he moves from bad guy to bad guy. Now let's just hope that he doesn't say "bang" every time he fires his gun in the movie.

If you have kept up with the development of Hellboy in recent weeks, then you likely already know that Daniel Dae Kim is a late addition to the cast. He was signed for the film following whitewashing outcry when Deadpool star Ed Skrein was tapped for the role of Major Ben Daimio. Skrein himself actually took himself out of the film when he learned that Daimio was Asian in the comics, and the decision to install Kim as the new actor has generally been met with a positive fan reception.

Watching Daniel Dae Kim perform so well in preparation for this action sequence (even if there's no real narrative context to work with) goes a long way towards helping us get excited about the project. Pretty much everyone involved with the original Guillermo del Toro run of Hellboy movies has moved on from the franchise, and some have voiced concerns about the decision to proceed will a full-blown reboot of the property. That said, with Kim kicking some serious ass in his stunt training, and David Harbour looking like a total badass in the first official look at the move, quite a bit of our anxiety has started to melt away.

What do you think of Daniel Dae Kim's preparation for his role as Major Ben Daimio? Do you think he's the right fit for the role? Give us your take in the comments below! Hellboy is expected to hit theaters in 2018, and we will bring you more information related to the project as new details become available.

Late last month, the Hellboy reboot was hit with a wave of controversy when it was announced that Deadpool's Ed Skrein had been cast to play Major Ben Daimio, who is Japanese-American in the comics. Following whitewashing outcries, Skrein dropped out of the upcoming Dark Horse Comics adaptation so Daimio could be "cast appropriately." Days later, Hawaii 5-0's Daniel Dae Kim was hired to to take over the Daimio role, and with this casting snafu out of the way, Kim and Skrein were finally able to meet face to face recently, as you can see in the picture below.

Ed Skrein stepping down from Hellboy may have cost him an acting gig, but judging by this picture that Daniel Dae Kim posted on his Instagram page, he gained a friend. Kim noted in his post that while he doesn't necessarily believe that everything happens for a reason, he was glad that this casting controversy resulted in him crossing paths with Skrein. It looks likes these two had a good time together at that dining establishment, so here's hoping they have an opportunity to co-star in a project somewhere down the line. (Side note, the #SkreinRhymesWithWine was most helpful for those who've been wondering how to pronounce that last name.)

Daniel Dae Kim's addition to Hellboy comes months after he announced that he was departing Hawaii 5-0 after seven seasons as a series regular due to a salary dispute with CBS. Casting Kim in Hellboy was certainly the right decision in terms of having a more ethnically appropriate actor play the role, especially with whitewashing in entertainment having become significantly more controversial in recent years. Beyond that, Hellboy will sure be a big boost for Kim's movie career after years of establishing himself as a talented TV actor. As for Ed Skrein, he can be seen next year in Alita: Battle Angel as Zapan, one of the movie's antagonists.

Hellboy will follow the eponymous protagonist and his allies attempting to prevent a medieval sorceress from destroying humanity. In addition to Daniel Dae Kim, the main cast includes David Harbour as Hellboy, Ian McShane as Trevor Bruttenholm, Milla Jovovich as Nimue the Blood queen, Sasha Lane as Alice Monaghan and Penelope Mitchell as Ganeida. Like his comic book counterpart, Kim's Ben Daimio will be a member of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (B.P.R.D.) who, after a supernatural encounter where he died and came back to life, is able to transform into a humanoid jaguar creature during periods of extreme stress. The Descent's Neil Marshall is directing the new Hellboy movie, and the screenplay was written by Andrew Cosby, Christopher Golden and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.

Hellboy doesn't have a release date assigned yet, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for that information. While we wait for more news about its progress, be sure to check out our 2017 and 2018 movie premiere guides so you can schedule your trips to the theater accordingly.

While not everybody is happy with the fact that the Hellboy franchise is being rebooted, even fewer were happier with one of the casting decisions made. Now, the new actor has responded to the controversy that led to his casting. Daniel Dae Kim, formerly of Lost and Hawaii Five-O, was recently announced as the man who will take over the role of Major Ben Daimio in the new Hellboy movie. The role came about after the previously cast actor, Ed Skrein, stepped down from the spot, and publicly apologized, after discovering that the character he was going to play was Asian in the original comic book. Kim is glad the change was made, and he specifically thanks Skrein, not only for stepping aside, but for doing so gracefully.

Daniel Dae Kim was previously reported to be in talks to take over the role in the new Hellboy movie, but he's now officially on board the project, and the actor knows, as reflected in his comments reported by THR, he owes a debt to Ed Skrein, as Skrein's understanding that giving up the role was the best thing to do was what gave Kim the opportunity.

The issue of characters created as one race being played in a film by somebody of another race has been an ongoing, and controversial, topic, especially recently. However, while most films have gone through with the race change, Hellboy ended up going back and casting a Korean-American actor after Skrein stepped down.

Ed Skrein's exit from Hellboy was certainly an elegant one. His public statement on social media claimed that he wasn't aware of the character's origin until after he accepted the role. Once he was aware, he gave up the part because he felt that inclusivity was important and he wanted to do his small part to leave opportunities open to actors of other races as much as possible.

In the Hellboy comics, Major Ben Daimio is a member of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. The character did not exist in the previous Hellboy movies from Guillermo del Toro, however, this version of the film adaptation has promised to be more true to the comics. In large part this will be done by adding significant horror elements to the film that will almost certainly earn the movie an R-rating, however, the more true adaptation apparently also means including characters who were left out of the other movies.

A few weeks ago, the upcoming Hellboy reboot was hit with a wave of controversy when it was announced that Deadpool's Ed Skrein had been cast as Major Ben Daimio, a Japanese-American character in the comics. Following accusations of whitewashing, Skrein decided to drop out of the new Hellboy movie so that the character could be properly portrayed on the big screen. Now it's just been revealed that Hawaii 5-0's Daniel Dae Kim is in line to replace Skrein.

Daniel Dae Kim is currently in negotiations to join the Hellboy reboot as the new Major Ben Daimio, thus giving audiences a more faithful representation of the character. THR's report didn't indicate how far along these talks are, but if Kim ends up signing on the dotted line, he'll join a cast that includes David Harbour as the eponymous protagonist, Ian McShane as Trevor Bruttenholm, Milla Jovovich as Nimue the Blood Queen and Sasha Lane as Alice Monaghan.

After recurring on TV shows like Angel, 24 and Star Trek Enterprise, Daniel Dae Kim rose to prominence playing Jin-Soo Kwon on Lost over its six season run. Once the ABC series concluded, Kim made the jump to CBS and joined the Hawaii 5-0 reboot as Chin Ho Kelly. Kim was a series regular on Hawaii 5-0 over its first seven seasons, but he and fellow lead actor Grace Park departed the series this past summer over a salary dispute with CBS. In addition to potentially joining the Hellboy reboot, Kim is executive producing the upcoming ABC medical drama, The Good Doctor.

Before joining the B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense) in the comics, Major Ben Daimio led a U.S. Marine squad that was sent on a rescue mission in the Bolivian jungle. During the operation, all of Daimio's fellow Marines were slaughtered by a mysterious entity, and after the left side of his face was scarred, Daimio was killed, too. However, he miraculously came back to life three days later and was eventually transferred to the B.P.R.D. Thanks to his unusual experience, Daimio later learned he could turn into a jaguar-like creature when under extreme stress.

After years of uncertainty over whether or not director Guillermo del Toro would get to make Hellboy III, Hellboy creator Mike Mignola announced back in May that the property would instead be rebooted over at Lionsgate. The Descent's Neil Marshall has inheriting directing duties, and the reboot is shooting for an R-rating. While it was originally reported that the new Hellboy movie would be called Hellboy: Rise of the Blood Queen, it has since been confirmed that just like the 2004 movie starring Ron Perlman, it will simply be titled Hellboy.

The Hellboy reboot is expected to hit theaters sometime in 2018, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates on its progress.

Drama has been high on the Hawaii Five-0 news front ever since it was announced that Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park would be exiting the show in Season 8. Now that both sides have had a chance to tell their story, we now know how Hawaii Five-0 will explain Chin's absence in the upcoming season. Looks like Chin will be taking a new job and officially shipping out of Hawaii to live in San Francisco.

The tease for Chin came in Season 7 when the Hawaii Five-0 regular was given a job offer to head up the task force in San Francisco, so this was kind of expected to be the way things would end. While Daniel Dae Kim's character is off camera somewhere near the house from Full House, the series will reportedly be adding a new series regular in his place. EW reports that Chin's departure will be addressed in the Season 8 premiere and used to persuade a female ex-cop to rejoin the Hawaii Five-0 task force.

With a replacement already lined up for his role, it looks like things will be chugging along just fine without Daniel Dae Kim's absence on Hawaii Five-0. Still, CBS publicly acknowledged the want to work with Kim in the future, so the "never say never," rule could be in effect should something change in the next couple years. Considering the cordial nature of both parties in this unfortunate breakup, it doesn't seem completely out of the question for a one-off cameo or a series finale appearance could happen should the money be right.

It appears as though this is the final chapter in the week long drama that has taken place between CBS and Daniel Dae Kim, who says all he wanted was pay equal to his co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan. While CBS maintains that both Kim and actress Grace Park were offered large increases in their salary, it was reported that Kim and Grace Park's salaries were about 10-15% less than their white co-stars. Kim subtly mentioned the snub on his Facebook and hinted the pay disparity may have had something to do with his status as an Asian American.

With Lieutenant Chin Ho Kelly taking the out that Season 7 of Hawaii Five-0 gave him, it seems logical that Grace Park's character Kono Kalakaua will do the same. Season 7 left Kono looking to dig deeper into a child sex trafficking ring, and while the show could be real jerks and decide to kill her off, it seems likely she will exit in that way. With the show being more than accommodating with past actor departures, it doesn't seem likely they'll suddenly flip the script in regards to Park.

Despite the loss of characters, Hawaii Five-0 is still set to return on Season 8 September 29, at 9:00 p.m. on CBS. Those who can't wait for fall programming to start should browse our summer premiere guide for great shows to keep them occupied until then. For more information on CBS's fall lineup, click here.

Hawaii Five-0 became the most recent CBS series to suffer a major casting change-up, as it was previously announced that long-time stars Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park were exiting the drama ahead of its eighth season. While fans were still in shock, reports surfaced that contract disputes were at the heart of the stars' departure, which was backed up by Kim himself. Having announced the exits itself, CBS wisely chimed in again before things got too one-sided, offering up this statement about the financial angle.

While we shouldn't expect to concretely figure out what "large and significant" equals out to, in terms of what the network offered Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park, CBS clearly feels confident that the numbers made sense moving forward into Season 8. And equally clear is that the stars didn't agree. Both cast members were said to be seeking pay parity with co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan, and CBS reportedly offered 10-15% less than what was desired. But at least there doesn't seem to be outright vitriol involved, since Kim quasi-directly hashed things out while also remaining cordial and appreciative to CBS and Hawaii Five-0's cast and crew. That's obviously the classy way to handle it anyway, but we all know how that isn't always the case.

Considering how Season 7 ended, it's entirely possible that both Chin and Kono weren't going to be around on a weekly basis in Season 8 anyway. The former had a chance to take a job elsewhere and the latter was getting more invested in a sex trafficking ring outside of the central setting. Although if that was something used as an argument to keep the salaries limited, it would have probably come out by now.

This likely won't be the last we hear from this situation, even if we won't hear from Chin or Kono again. Their respective absences will be explained in the season opener, so hopefully nobody got impulsively killed off of anything.

As one of Friday night's most popular shows, Hawaii Five-0 will return to CBS for Season 8 on September 29, at 9:00 p.m. ET. Check out how it was one of the true winners in the ratings game in 2016-2017, and then head to our summer premiere schedule to see everything that's hitting the small screen before fall arrives.