7 Ways The Meg Was Much Better Than You Expected

While Statham is a bankable name for this sort of thing, a lot of the cast were lesser known. Genderfluid Ruby Rose also features in a significant role, but don’t dismiss them as just there to tick a box. They’re a great up and comer with a huge fan base, and Rose delivers tough, wry wit yet again here.

More than that though, The Meg feels genuinely diverse. While the two white stars (three, if you add in Rainn Wilson) are the biggest names, there’s several actors of colour with more screentime and plot significance than Rose or Wilson. Chinese actress Li Bingbing is second only to Statham, with the main cast pulling from Taiwan, New Zealand, Iceland and Japan as well as the UK, Australia and the USA.

This diversity makes complete sense for the movie too. A team of elite scientists and marine biologists would obviously pull in the best talent from all around the world. It makes sense that the actors playing then have been similarly sourced.

Any cynics worrying that actors of colour are just window dressing in The Meg need not worry. Li saves Statham as much as the other way around.