how did daniel dae kim join hellboy 2019

Daniel Dae Kim joined Hellboy after Ed Skrein stepped away from the role of Ben Daimio amid whitewashing backlash. Kim said his reps told him the production was looking for someone for that part, and after he took a meeting with director Neil Marshall, they moved ahead quickly.

How it happened

• Skrein had originally been cast as Daimio.
• He exited after criticism that the character, who is Asian-American in the comics, had been cast with a white actor.
• The production then reached out to Kim, who accepted the role and joined the film late in the process.

Kim’s own account

Kim described it as a fast turn: he heard from his agents, met with Marshall, liked the creative approach, and then got on board. He also noted that he had very little time to prepare before filming.

Why it mattered

His casting became part of a broader conversation about representation in Hollywood, especially because Daimio’s comics background made the replacement feel important to many fans and commentators.

TL;DR: Daniel Dae Kim joined Hellboy when Ed Skrein left the role after casting controversy, and Kim was quickly brought in after meeting the director.