While the titular sharks steal the spotlight in Meg 2: The Trench, there are plenty of recognizable stars in the movie's cast, including returning icons Jason Statham and Cliff Curtis and exciting new additions like Wu Jing and Skyler Samuels. When it was released in 2018, The Meg was a surprise hit with audiences, grossing more than $530 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), so a sequel was a no-brainer. This time, instead of contending with just one megalodon — and later an even bigger one — like Statham did in the first movie, Meg 2 sees him taking on a bunch of megalodons as they begin hunting in packs.
Based on Steve Alten’s 1999 novel The Trench, which is the second installment of his Meg series, the sequel was written by the returning trio of Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, and Dean Georgaris. Replacing the original's director, Jon Turteltaub, and making his big-budget blockbuster debut, is Ben Wheatley, the auteur behind such gonzo, darkly comedic thrillers as Kill List and Free Fire. The real stars of the Meg sequel are the giant prehistoric sharks that return from extinction to wreak havoc on beachgoers. But the human players are worth recognizing. Here's a guide to the cast of The Meg 2, the characters they play, and what else they're known for.
Jason Statham As Jonas Taylor
Jason Statham leads the Meg 2 cast, reprising his role from the original movie as the rescue diver and freelance megalodon killer Jonas Taylor. A renowned action hero, Statham has played Frank Martin in the Transporter franchise, Lee Christmas in The Expendables franchise, and Deckard Shaw in the Fast & Furious franchise. After beginning his career as a diver and model, Statham appeared in multiple Guy Ritchie movies, playing Bacon in Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Turkish in Snatch. Statham also played Rick Ford in Spy, Chev Chelios in the Crank movies, Arthur Bishop in the Mechanic movies, and Orson Fortune in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre.
Cliff Curtis As James "Mac" Mackreides
Cliff Curtis reprises his role from The Meg as James “Mac” Mackreides, the operations manager at the underwater research facility Mana One. Outside the Meg franchise cast, he's best known for playing Travis Manawa in Fear the Walking Dead, Deputy Director of the FBI Cybersecurity Division Miguel Bowman in Live Free or Die Hard, and Chief Tonowari of the Metkayina clan in Avatar: The Way of Water. He won the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor for his portrayal of chess master Genesis Potini in The Dark Horse. Curtis also played Searle in Sunshine, Uncle Bully in Once Were Warriors, and Billy Freeman in Doctor Sleep.
Shuya Sophia Cai As Meiying Zhang
Meiying, the daughter of oceanographer Suyin Zhang, is played by Shuya Sophia Cai, also returning from the first Meg movie. Notably, Suyin actor Li Bingbing isn't back for Meg 2, so Meiying isn’t accompanied by her mother in the sequel. However, throughout The Meg, Meiying came to view Taylor as a father figure. Outside of her recurring role in the Meg franchise cast, Cai previously played Maggie in Mr. Corman season 1, episode 2, “Don’t Panic,” and Ni Ni, Zeyang’s daughter, in the Chinese romantic drama movie Yǒu Yīgè Dìfāng Zhǐyǒu Wǒmen Zhīdào (known in English-speaking markets as Somewhere Only We Know).
Page Kennedy As DJ
Page Kennedy reprises his role from The Meg as laboratory worker DJ, the comic relief character. Kennedy is best known for his recurring TV roles as Radon Randell in the Spike sports comedy series Blue Mountain State, U-Turn in the Showtime crime dramedy series Weeds, and Duck in the Netflix family sitcom The Upshaws. He is also popular on social media and made a name for himself as a Viner. In 2017, Kennedy released his first full-length rap album, Torn Pages, featuring contributions by Royce da 5’9”, Crooked I, and Trick Trick. Kennedy has since released the subsequent albums Same Page, Different Story in 2018 and Page in 2021.
Meg 2: The Trench Supporting Cast & Characters
Wu Jing - The Meg 2: The Trench cast features an appearance by Wu Jing, who is one of the biggest movie stars in China, in an unknown role. Wu starred in the Chinese blockbusters Wolf Warrior and its sequel, The Wandering Earth and its sequel, and The Battle at Lake Changjin. He’s also widely known for his roles in martial arts movies, including Hawkman in Tai Chi Boxer, Kong Ko in Fatal Contact, and Jack in SPL: Sha Po Lang.
Sienna Guillory - Sienna Guillory plays an undisclosed role in Meg 2: The Trench. Guillory previously played Jill Valentine in the Resident Evil movie franchise, the title role in the USA Network miniseries Helen of Troy, and elf princess Arya Dröttningu in the film adaptation of Eragon (a role she reprised in the tie-in video game). She has also played recurring TV roles like Mary Day in Luther, Natalie Yelburton in Fortitude, and Eve in Stan Lee’s Lucky Man, and appeared as Jamie’s girlfriend in Love Actually. Guillory previously worked with Meg 2 director Ben Wheatley when she played Ann Sheridan in the dystopian thriller High-Rise.
Skyler Samuels - Skyler Samuels also makes an appearance in the Meg 2 cast in as yet undisclosed role. Samuels is best known for playing Grace Gardner in Scream Queens season 1 and the triple role of three powerful mutant siblings in The Gifted. Her movie roles include Jess Harris in The DUFF, Amber in Furry Vengeance, and Beth Harding in the 2009 remake of The Stepfather. Samuels also had recurring roles as Gigi Hollingsworth in Wizards of Waverly Place and Bonnie Lipton in American Horror Story: Freak Show.
Sergio Peris-Mencheta - Sergio Peris-Mencheta plays another as-yet-undisclosed character in Meg 2: The Trench. He is best known for his role in the main cast of the ‘80s-set FX crime drama series Snowfall as Gustavo “El Oso” Zapata, a former Mexican luchador with connections to the Villaneuva Cartel. He starred as comic book character Capitán Trueno in the sword-and-sorcery actioner El Capitán Trueno y el Santo Grial. Peris-Mencheta also played Hugo Martinez, a ruthless cartel boss, in the negatively reviewed Rambo: Last Blood; Ángel Ortiz, a survivor of the zombie apocalypse, in Resident Evil: Afterlife; and Javier González, Rodrigo’s father and Isabel’s husband, in the ensemble drama movie Life Itself.