Because this is the week of Chappie, this week’s MOC Monday honor goes to Dev Patel!

For some reason, I’ve always seen this guy as a friend, even though I’ve never met him. I guess it’s just because I felt like I got to know him through Slumdog Millionaire. That is one of the most powerful movies I’ve seen in a while. Every second of it was engrossing, and it certainly deserved every Oscar it got.

Another reason Patel’s been my friend in my head (as Wendy Williams would say) is because he’s also vented his frustrations with the Hollywood system when it comes to minority actors, specifically Asian actors.

As he said to the Telegraph:

“Because Slumdog was such a big hit there was a lot of pressure in terms of what I did next. For my second film I wanted a role that would stretch me, but all I was getting offered were stereotypical parts like the goofy Indian sidekick…Asia actors tend not to be sent Hollywood scripts that are substantial or challenging. I’m likely to be offered the roles of a terrorist, cab driver and smart geek…I want to show that I have versatility.”

Let’s hope Patel has been able to stretch a little bit in Chappie. What do you love about Patel and his work?

Photo credit: Columbia Pictures