How US actor Alexx O’Nell became Indian cinema’s favorite outsider — and landed roles with Mohanlal and Akshay Kumar

Dubai: American actor Alexx O’Nell has become a familiar face on Indian screens this year, with back-to-back releases including L2: Empuraan with Mohanlal, Kesari Chapter 2 with Akshay Kumar, and Phule. But what strikes you first is not just the sheer volume of his work—it’s his ease in an industry far from his linguistic or cultural home turf.

“I chose acting, but India chose me,” O’Nell tells me over a video call from Mumbai.

“My first film was Cheeni Kum in 2007 with Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu. It was such a success that even though my role was small, people noticed. Since then, I’ve just kept saying yes. Yes to Urmi in Malayalam with Prithviraj, yes to Madrasapattinam in Tamil, yes to OTT. Every yes brought me another project.”

Diversity hire or storyteller?

I tease him about being the “diversity hire” in Indian cinema. He laughs but takes the question seriously.
“In the US, the term has become controversial,” he admits.

“But I’m proud to be the diversity hire if that’s what people call it. Of course, token hiring happens—you want to make Mumbai look like London, you’ll fill a ballroom with white, Black, and Asian extras. But my journey has been different. I’ve been given layered roles—reciting Sanskrit shlokas in Aarya, playing the Viceroy of India in Kesari Chapter 2, or a morally complex ally in Phule. I don’t think I’m cast for my pretty face—I hope it’s for the craft.”

India as home

Seventeen years, 55 films and series, and multiple languages later, O’Nell says India has embraced him fully.
“Meri films Hindi mein, Bengali mein, Malayalam mein hai,” he smiles.

“I feel at home here. I’ve shot from Ladakh to Kerala, from Sikkim to Kolkata. I’ve worked with Amitabh Bachchan, Prithviraj, Mohanlal, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Akshay Kumar—the list goes on. And with OTT platforms, friends in the US or South Africa can finally watch my films easily.”

On superstars and not being starstruck

Working with Mohanlal and Akshay Kumar, O’Nell insists, is always a learning experience—but he brings a unique perspective.
“I didn’t grow up with Indian cinema, so I’m not star-struck. I meet them as scene partners. Acting is reacting—I want to give my best so they can feed off it. Of course, I respect their stature, but I’m not distracted by awe. That helps me focus.”

The language barrier

O’Nell’s fluency in Hindi has drawn comparisons to late actor Tom Alter, but he reveals it’s anything but effortless.
“My Hindi is very contextual—I’m fine in a rickshaw or talking about films, but not in finance or politics,” he laughs.

“Reviews say it looks effortless, but that’s hundreds of hours of preparation. I record, I repeat, I listen while running or working out. I aim for 100%, knowing I’ll never get there, but hoping the audience doesn’t notice the flaws and just stays with the story.”

Cuts, misses, and acceptance

Not every role makes it to the screen. Kesari Chapter 2 saw most of O’Nell’s scenes land on the cutting room floor.

“It hurts emotionally, but intellectually, you get it,” he says. “Directors shoot way more than fits into two hours. If your subplot doesn’t serve the central narrative, it goes. You learn to be happy at every stage—shooting, waiting, releasing. Otherwise you won’t last long.”

His side hustle: Music

When he isn’t acting, O’Nell is building his music career—ironically, in South Africa.
“I’ve released eight songs so far, three are on radio right now. They’re in English, so they never really caught on in India, though Radio One does play them,” he says.

“Music is different from acting—I control everything. I compose, write, produce, and direct my own videos. It’s me, start to finish. Acting is collaborative, but music is my pure expression.”

The long run

Before signing off, O’Nell takes a beat to size up his journey in Indian cinema.
“I just don’t want to pull the audience out of the story,” he says.

“If I can be less annoying in Hindi, if I can hold my own alongside stars, if I can contribute to telling captivating stories—then I’m doing my job.”

And after 55 films, countless accents, and a flourishing music career, it’s clear Alexx O’Nell is not just a diversity hire—he’s a storyteller India has fully embraced.