Indian American Actor Deep Roy Reprises His Role in ‘Star Trek Beyond’ – REENA RATHORE, India-West Staff Reporter
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July 26, 2016
The name Deep Roy may not ring a bell but odds are you may have seen him on the celluloid more than once. Remember Tim Burton’s 2005 film, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” and the little orange Oompa Loompas. Well, Roy played all 165 of them.
The actor-stuntman, who made his professional big screen acting debut as the villainous Italian assassin in Blake Edward’s “The Pink Panther Strikes Again,” is reprising his role of Keenser, the blue-colored alien and chief engineer of a spaceship, and Scotty’s (Simon Pegg) pal in the just released Star Wars film, “Star Trek Beyond.”
The Kenyan-born Indian American actor of short stature (4’4’’), who boasts an impressive filmography, is one of the most in demand Indian actors in Hollywood.
So it’s no surprise that Roy, who has been featured in roughly 50 sci-fi, fantasy or horror films and television shows so far, is among the ten most successful little people in Hollywood.
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, as Mohinder Purba, the actor has also starred in major motion pictures such as “Big Fish,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” “Return to Oz,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Planet of the Apes.” He also won hearts as Teeny Weeny in “The Never Ending Story” and the unforgettable elf in “Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story.”
Roy, who began his career in England as a stand-up comic, also made appearances in popular television shows such as “The X-Files” and HBO’s comedy, “Eastbound and Down.”
From 1978, he has showcased his action skills as a stuntman for various films and television shows, including the Hugh Jackman starrer “Van Helsing” and the 1994 film, “The Jungle Book.”
Roy, however, is not the only actor with an Indian connection in this sci-fi action-adventure film, which stars Idris Elba, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and John Cho. “Star Trek Beyond” also features Indo-Canadian actor-director-writer Harpreet Sandhu in an uncredited role as a member of the USSE Bridge crew.
Sandhu is best known for the 2014 film, “Work Weather Wife,” which secured an Oscar nomination in the ‘Best Original Song’ category. The Bollywood-style Punjabi film starring Reema Nagra, which was based on infidelity and honor killings, was the first Punjabi and the only Canadian film that made the best original songs shortlist for its songs, “Moon” and “Long Braid,” at the 87th Academy Awards.
Born in Rurka Kalan, Punjab, Sandhu is a graduate of Khalsa College, Amritsar, Punjab. His acting credits include films such as “2013 Kabaddi World Cup” and “Judaaiyaan: The Separation.”
Sandhu is also set to film a political drama, partly in British Columbia and partly in India, this year, he told India-West in an email. He is also working on a psychological drama, which is set in the aftermath of the World War II.