Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa obit

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Dies: ‘Mortal Kombat, ‘Last Emperor’ & ‘Man In The High Castle’ Actor Was 75

 He was not on the list.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the prolific and instantly recognizable actor best known for his roles in the Mortal Kombat films, The Last Emperor, Memoirs of a Geisha and The Man in the High Castle, died Thursday in Santa Barbara. He was 75.

Tagawa died due to complications from a stroke early this morning surrounded by his children. His family confirmed the news to Deadline.

Tagawa is best known to a broad audience as the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung in the film, TV and video game iterations of the Mortal Kombat franchise. He began playing the character in New Line’s 1995 film adaptation and was also featured in the 1997 follow-up Mortal Kombat Annihilation. He reprised the role with guest appearances in the 2013 TV series Mortal Kombat: Legacy and one episode of Mortal Kombat X: Generations in 2015. In 2019, he voiced the character in the video game Mortal Kombat 11 and lent his physical likeness to the 2023 role-playing video game Mortal Kombat: Onslaught.

The first film grossed more than $100 million on a budget of around $20M.

“It was the perfect timing in that Mortal Kombat as a video game, at the time we did the film, was on number four or five and that the impact of the film certainly had to do with the build of the video games,” Tagawa said later.

He also credited director Paul W.S. Anderson.

“He was the first one in martial arts history to apply such music — really upbeat, driving metal music. You couldn’t sit still when you heard the music. And it matched the action so well.”

Tagawa had a key role in another film adaptation of a hit video game franchise, playing Heihachi Mishima, the evil corporate titan, in Tekken. That 1991 film did not fare was well as Mortal Combat at the box office.

Additionally, he lent his voice to the video games Soldier Boyz, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu and World of Warcraft: Legion.

Tagawa’s breakout film was Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar Best Picture-winning The Last Emperor in 1987. He was cast as Chang, the emperor’s driver, who plays a small but pivotal part in the story.

A string of notable roles followed in big-budget studio pictures, many of which involve the intersection of Asian and Western cultures. They include License to Kill, Rising Sun, Snow Falling on Cedars, Pearl Harbor, Planet of the Apes, Elektra, Memoirs of a Geisha and 47 Ronin. Many of these parts utilized the actor’s facility with martial arts.

“I was born in Tokyo and began training in Kendo when I was in junior high school,” recalled Tagawa in a 2010 interview. “Then when I was five we moved to Fort Bragg, NC; and that’s when I got my first real lesson in how to use the martial arts. Being Japanese and living in the south during the ’50s was pretty tough.”

At age 21, Tagawa focused on traditional Japanese karate at the University of Southern California. He soon moved back to Japan to study under Master Nakayama with the Japan Karate Association. He later created and taught his own system of Chun-Shin, which he called “a study of energy … completely without a physical fighting concept.”

Among the big-name directors he worked with were Philip Kaufman, Tim Burton, Michael Bay, Rob Marshall, Ivan Reitman and John Carpenter.

While many will recognize Tagawa from those A-list credits, others will doubtless have seen him in the more than 150 film, TV and video game projects in which he appeared. He got his start with an uncredited role in an 1986 box office flop that has become a cult classic: Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China. The next year his career really got going with, of course, The Last Emperor, but also guest spots on network shows MacGyver, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Miami Vice.

In 2015, Tagawa had his last major role as one of the lead characters in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle. He played Nobusuke Tagomi, the Trade Minister of the Pacific States of America in a nation divided between Japanese and Nazi occupation after World War II. His character’s motivations and goals do not always seem to align with those of the leadership back in Tokyo.

The actor observed that there were parallels between his own life story and that of Tagomi.

“I identified so much with this character and so much of my life experience — having been born in Tokyo and then coming to America just after the war, 10 years after the war. I understood and grew up with the legacy of the war. So to be good, bad and ugly — being different — [is the same] as with my character Tagomi, who seems to be the only one running around talking about peace.”

Other notable TV appearances over his four-decade career include playing Lt. A.J. Shimamura on Nash Bridges, a major role as Captain Terry Harada on NBC’s Hawaii, six episodes as Satoshi Takeda on ABC’s Revenge, a six-episode arc on Netflix’s Lost in Space and, most recently, voicing The Swordmaker in Season 1 of Netflix’s animated Blue Eye Samurai.

Tagawa lived on the island of Kauai where he and his wife Sally raised their two children.

He is survived by three children, Calen, Brynne and Cana; and his two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton.

 

Actor

Blue Eye Samurai (2023)

Blue Eye Samurai

8.7

TV Series

The Swordmaker (voice)

2023

6 episodes

 

Junction (2023)

Junction

5.7

Author

2023

 

NCIS: Los Angeles (2009)

NCIS: Los Angeles

6.8

TV Series

Craig Tanaka

2021

1 episode

 

Star Wars: Visions (2021)

Star Wars: Visions

7.0

TV Series

Valco (voice: English version)

2021

1 episode

 

Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate (2020)

Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate

8.3

Video Game

Shang Tsung (voice)

2020

 

Sky Sharks (2020)

Sky Sharks

3.6

Michael Morel

2020

 

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (2020)

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath

7.5

Video Game

Shang Tsung (voice)

2020

 

Tony Anselmo, David Tennant, Bobby Moynihan, Kate Micucci, Danny Pudi, and Ben Schwartz in DuckTales (2017)

DuckTales

8.3

TV Series

Akita (voice)

2020

1 episode

 

My Love Is Aisulu (2020)

My Love Is Aisulu

6.4

2020

 

Girl Games (2019)

Girl Games

8.0

Iwata

2019

 

A Lover Scorned (2019)

A Lover Scorned

4.6

TV Movie

Wong

2019

 

Steve Blum, Ed Boon, Matthew Yang King, Sunil Malhotra, Ron Yuan, and Dimitri 'Vegas' Thivaios in Mortal Kombat 11 (2019)

Mortal Kombat 11

7.9

Video Game

Shang Tsung (voice, as Cary Tagawa)

2019

 

Dorien Wilson, Colby Christina, Tray Chaney, Albert Daniels, and Danielle-Shani in Looking in the Mirror (2019)

Looking in the Mirror

4.8

Henry

2019

 

Rufus Sewell in The Man in the High Castle (2015)

The Man in the High Castle

7.9

TV Series

Nobusuke Tagomi

2015–2018

30 episodes

 

Brian Steele and Maxwell Jenkins in Lost in Space (2018)

Lost in Space

7.3

TV Series

Hiroki Watanabe

2018

5 episodes

 

Sean Astin, Seth Green, Rob Paulsen, Kevin Michael Richardson, and Greg Cipes in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

7.9

TV Series

Sumo Kuma (voice)

2017

2 episodes

 

Freddie Prinze Jr., Steve Blum, Vanessa Marshall, Dave Filoni, Tiya Sircar, and Taylor Gray in Star Wars: Rebels (2014)

Star Wars: Rebels

8.1

TV Series

Alrich Wren (voice)

2017

2 episodes

 

World of Warcraft: Legion (2016)

World of Warcraft: Legion

8.2

Video Game

(voice)

2016

 

Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron, and Art Parkinson in Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Kubo and the Two Strings

7.7

Hashi (voice)

2016

 

Overwatch: Dragons (2016)

Overwatch: Dragons

8.3

Short

Narrator (voice)

2016

 

David Giuntoli in Grimm (2011)

Grimm

7.9

TV Series

Takeshi Imura

2016

1 episode

 

Eric Roberts, Billy Zane, and Olivier Gruner in Beyond the Game (2016)

Beyond the Game

5.5

Detective Yoshida

2016

 

Casper Van Dien, Mark Dacascos, Olivier Gruner, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Alexander Nevsky in Showdown in Manila (2016)

Showdown in Manila

2.7

Aldric Cole

2016

 

Mortal Kombat X: Generations (2015)

Mortal Kombat X: Generations

7.5

TV Series

Shang Tsung

2015

1 episode

 

Ivan Okhlobystin and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in Ierey-san. Ispoved samuraya (2015)

Ierey-san. Ispoved samuraya

5.9

Otets Nikolay (as Keri-Khiroyuki Tagava)

2015

 

Genghis Khan Conquers the Moon (2015)

Genghis Khan Conquers the Moon

6.1

Short

Genghis Khan

2015

 

Jakob Salvati in Little Boy (2015)

Little Boy

7.3

Hashimoto

2015

 

The Man with the Iron Fists 2 (2015)

The Man with the Iron Fists 2

4.4

Video

Lord PiMayor Zhang

2015

 

Peter O'Toole and Armand Assante in Diamond Cartel (2015)

Diamond Cartel

2.9

Khazar

2015

 

Rebecca Romijn, Lindy Booth, Christian Kane, John Larroquette, and John Kim in The Librarians (2014)

The Librarians

7.3

TV Series

Mr. Drake

2014

1 episode

 

Dolph Lundgren, Ron Perlman, Peter Weller, Michael Jai White, Tony Jaa, and Celina Jade in Skin Trade (2014)

Skin Trade

5.6

Senator Khat

2014

 

Gary Daniels, Kane Kosugi, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in Tekken: Kazuya's Revenge (2014)

Tekken: Kazuya's Revenge

2.8

Heihachi

2014

 

Les Brandt in Ninja Apocalypse (2014)

Ninja Apocalypse

3.2

Fumitaka

2014

 

Tyler Posey, Daniel Sharman, Rene Mousseux, Brian Bascle, Cody Christian, Shelley Hennig, Colton Haynes, Brad James, Dylan Sprayberry, Madison McLaughlin, Keahu Kahuanui, Walter Hendrix III, Michael Johnston, and Micaela Wittman in Teen Wolf (2011)

Teen Wolf

7.7

TV Series

Katashi (Silverfinger) (as Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa)

2014

1 episode

 

Hype Nation (2014)

Hype Nation

3.5

Sammy Kata

2014

 

Duel of Legends (2013)

Duel of Legends

6.2

Shing

2013

 

Keanu Reeves, Rinko Kikuchi, Neil Fingleton, and Rick Genest in 47 Ronin (2013)

47 Ronin

6.2

Shogun Tsunayoshi

2013

 

Jeri Ryan, Kevan Ohtsji, Michael Jai White, and Ian Anthony Dale in Mortal Kombat: Legacy (2011)

Mortal Kombat: Legacy

7.3

TV Series

Shang Tsung

2013

3 episodes

 

Madeleine Stowe and Emily VanCamp in Revenge (2011)

Revenge

7.8

TV Series

Satoshi Takeda

2012–2013

6 episodes

 

Black Cobra (2012)

Black Cobra

3.6

Video

Goro Tanaka

2012

 

Scott Caan, Chi McBride, Meaghan Rath, Ian Anthony Dale, Alex O'Loughlin, and Beulah Koale in Hawaii Five-0 (2010)

Hawaii Five-0

7.4

TV Series

Hiro Noshimuri

2011

2 episodes

 

Robin Hood of the Bayous (2010)

Robin Hood of the Bayous

9.0

Short

NarratorPirate 1

2010

 

Overture (2010)

Overture

6.7

Short

Judge

2010

 

Absolute.ness (2010)

Absolute.ness

Short

Chief Dax

2010

 

Candice Hillebrand, Kelly Overton, Marian Zapico, and Jon Foo in Tekken (2010)

Tekken

4.8

Heihachi Mishima

2010

 

Wes Bentley, Kaitlin Doubleday, and Sofya Skya in The Tomb (2009)

The Tomb

3.8

Len Burris

2009

 

Beyond the Break (2006)

Beyond the Break

6.6

TV Series

Xander (as Cary Tagawa)

2009

2 episodes

 

Richard Gere in Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)

Hachi: A Dog's Tale

8.1

Ken

2009

 

The Legend of Chang Apana (2009)

The Legend of Chang Apana

8.7

Short

Chang Apana

2009

 

By the Will of Chingis Khan (2009)

By the Will of Chingis Khan

4.6

Bodyguard

2009

 

Bodyguard: A New Beginning (2008)

Bodyguard: A New Beginning

4.5

Kai

2008

 

Ghost Voyage (2008)

Ghost Voyage

3.5

TV Movie

The Steward

2008

 

Eric Roberts, Gary Busey, David Carradine, Bolo Yeung, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Oleg Taktarov, and Cung Le in Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter (2007)

Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter

5.4

Alibek

2007

 

Ali Larter, Hayden Panettiere, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Milo Ventimiglia, Masi Oka, Noah Gray-Cabey, and James Kyson in Heroes (2006)

Heroes

7.5

TV Series

The Swordsmith

2007

2 episodes

 

Balls of Fury (2007)

Balls of Fury

5.4

Mysterious Asian Man

2007

 

Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board (2007)

Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board

5.5

TV Movie

Grandpa Johnny Tsunami

2007

 

Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo (2006)

Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo

7.0

TV Movie

Brushogun (voice, as Cary Tagawa)

2006

 

Ziyi Zhang in Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Memoirs of a Geisha

7.3

The Baron

2005

 

BullDog, Stephanie Sanchez, Mark Malalis, and Augie Tulba in The Sand Island Drive-in Anthem (2005)

The Sand Island Drive-in Anthem

6.3

Short

Uncle C

2005

 

True Love & Mimosa Tea

Short

Andreas Kanaka

2005

 

Faith of My Fathers (2005)

Faith of My Fathers

6.2

TV Movie

Cat

2005

 

Jennifer Garner in Elektra (2005)

Elektra

4.7

Roshi

2005

 

Bushido

8.8

Video

Tetsuji

2004

 

Michael Biehn, Ivan Sergei, Sharif Atkins, Eric Balfour, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and Aya Sumika in Hawaii (2004)

Hawaii

6.4

TV Series

Captain Terry Harada (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

2004

8 episodes

 

Fallacy (2004)

Fallacy

5.4

2004

 

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (2003)

Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu

7.0

Video Game

Sin Tzu (voice, as Cary Tagawa)

2003

 

Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, and David Hasselhoff in Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding (2003)

Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding

4.1

TV Movie

Sato (as Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa)

2003

 

Planet of the Apes (2001)

Planet of the Apes

5.7

Krull

2001

 

Publicity Poster

Pearl Harbor

6.3

Genda

2001

 

The Ghost (2001)

The Ghost

4.0

Chang (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

2001

 

The Art of War (2000)

The Art of War

5.7

David Chan

2000

 

Chuck Norris in Walker, Texas Ranger (1993)

Walker, Texas Ranger

5.7

TV Series

Master Ko

2000

1 episode

 

Fixations

Alex

1999

 

Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)

Snow Falling on Cedars

6.7

Zenhichi Miyamoto

1999

 

Johnny Tsunami (1999)

Johnny Tsunami

6.3

TV Movie

Johnny Tsunami

1999

 

Dolph Lundgren in Bridge of Dragons (1999)

Bridge of Dragons

4.7

General Ruechang

1999

 

Seven Days (1998)

Seven Days

7.2

TV Series

Peter

1999

1 episode

 

NetForce (1999)

NetForce

5.0

TV Movie

Leong Cheng

1999

 

Vengeance Unlimited (1998)

Vengeance Unlimited

8.6

TV Series

Aung Myint

1998

1 episode

 

Michael Biehn, Park Joong-hoon, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in American Dragons (1998)

American Dragons

4.9

Matsuyama

1998

 

Poltergeist: The Legacy (1996)

Poltergeist: The Legacy

6.9

TV Series

Sam Tanaka

1998

1 episode

 

Vampires (1998)

Vampires

6.1

David Deyo

1998

 

Jane March in Provocateur (1998)

Provocateur

4.9

Captain Jong

1998

 

Tia Carrere, Dennis Hopper, and Peter Weller in Top of the World (1997)

Top of the World

4.6

Captain Hefter

1997

 

Richard Dean Anderson, Christopher Judge, Michael Shanks, and Amanda Tapping in Stargate SG-1 (1997)

Stargate SG-1

8.4

TV Series

Turghan

1997

1 episode

 

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995)

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child

6.9

TV Series

King Young-Jin (voice)

1997

1 episode

 

Soldier Boyz (1997)

Soldier Boyz

5.9

Video Game

Vinh Moc

1997

 

Melissa Joan Hart in Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996)

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

6.7

TV Series

Tai Wai Tse

1996

1 episode

 

Don Johnson and Cheech Marin in Nash Bridges (1996)

Nash Bridges

6.8

TV Series

Lt. A.J. Shimamura

1996

15 episodes

 

Cybill Shepherd in Cybill (1995)

Cybill

6.9

TV Series

Kenji

1996

1 episode

 

Robert Downey Jr., Billy Zane, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in Danger Zone (1996)

Danger Zone

4.4

Monsieur Chang

1996

 

Billy Zane in The Phantom (1996)

The Phantom

5.1

The Great Kabai Sengh

1996

 

White Tiger (1996)

White Tiger

5.1

Victor Chow

1996

 

Melissa Clayton, Victor DiMattia, Michael Manasseri, Lindsay Wagner, and Tom Wopat in A Peaceable Kingdom (1989)

A Peaceable Kingdom

7.9

TV Series

Coach

1995

1 episode

 

Bruce Boxleitner, Mira Furlan, Richard Biggs, Jerry Doyle, and Andreas Katsulas in Babylon 5 (1993)

Babylon 5

8.4

TV Series

Morishi

1995

1 episode

 

Michael Dudikoff, Marco Black, Jacqueline Obradors, Karlo Marko Altomonte, Bill Campbell, Mon Confiado, David Barry Gray, and Joseph Pe in Soldier Boyz (1995)

Soldier Boyz

4.4

Vinh Moc

1995

 

Mortal Kombat (1995)

Mortal Kombat

5.8

Shang Tsung

1995

 

Carol Alt, Hulk Hogan, and Chris Lemmon in Thunder in Paradise 3 (1995)

Thunder in Paradise 3

4.3

Video

Mason Lee (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

1995

 

Hulk Hogan, Felicity Waterman, and Robin Weisman in Thunder in Paradise (1994)

Thunder in Paradise

5.4

TV Series

Mason Lee (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

1994

2 episodes

 

Robert Davi and Michael Paré in The Dangerous (1995)

The Dangerous

4.0

Kon

1995

 

Picture Bride (1994)

Picture Bride

6.6

Kanzaki

1994

 

Day of Reckoning (1994)

Day of Reckoning

5.8

TV Movie

Prakit

1994

 

Natural Causes (1994)

Natural Causes

5.0

Major Somchai

1994

 

Linda Hunt, Jeff Kaake, and Marjorie Monaghan in Space Rangers (1993)

Space Rangers

6.5

TV Series

Zylyn

1993–1994

6 episodes

 

Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes in Rising Sun (1993)

Rising Sun

6.3

Eddie Sakamura

1993

 

Lorenzo Lamas, Kathleen Kinmont, and Branscombe Richmond in Renegade (1992)

Renegade

6.0

TV Series

Hirotaka

1993

1 episode

 

Olivier Gruner in Nemesis (1992)

Nemesis

5.4

Angie-Liv

1992

 

Raven (1992)

Raven

7.4

TV Series

OsatoOsatso

1992

2 episodes

 

Jeffrey Meek in Raven: Return of the Black Dragons (1992)

Raven: Return of the Black Dragons

6.8

TV Movie

Osato (as Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa)

1992

 

William Forsythe, Edward James Olmos, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in American Me (1992)

American Me

7.1

El Japo

1992

 

Pamela Anderson, Yasmine Bleeth, Alexandra Paul, David Hasselhoff, David Chokachi, Gena Lee Nolin, and Jaason Simmons in Baywatch (1989)

Baywatch

5.5

TV Series

Mason Sato (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

1992

1 episode

 

David Caruso, Richard Thomas, Stacy Keach, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis (1991)

Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis

6.3

TV Movie

Hashimoto

1991

 

Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee in Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991)

Showdown in Little Tokyo

6.1

Funekei Yoshida

1991

 

Jeff Speakman in The Perfect Weapon (1991)

The Perfect Weapon

6.0

Kai

1991

 

Not of This World (1991)

Not of This World

4.9

TV Movie

Shikido

1991

 

Sasha Mitchell and Michel Qissi in Kickboxer 2: The Road Back (1991)

Kickboxer 2: The Road Back

4.6

Sanga

1991

 

Vestige of Honor (1990)

Vestige of Honor

5.4

TV Movie

Thai Major

1990

 

The Bakery

9.0

TV Movie

Kim Lee

1990

 

Hardball (1989)

Hardball

7.2

TV Series

Yakuza Man

1990

1 episode

 

William Conrad and Joe Penny in Jake and the Fatman (1987)

Jake and the Fatman

6.4

TV Series

Raymond Char

1990

1 episode

 

Nasty Boys (1990)

Nasty Boys

7.2

TV Series

Max

1990

1 episode

 

Murder in Paradise (1990)

Murder in Paradise

4.9

TV Movie

Detective

1990

 

Jane Badler, Peter Graves, Antony Hamilton, Terry Markwell, Phil Morris, and Thaao Penghlis in Mission: Impossible (1988)

Mission: Impossible

7.5

TV Series

Xang Kai

1989

1 episode

 

Alien Nation (1989)

Alien Nation

6.9

TV Series

Yamato

1989

1 episode

 

The Last Warrior (1989)

The Last Warrior

5.2

Imperial Marine

1989

 

Alex McArthur and Scott Plank in L.A. Takedown (1989)

L.A. Takedown

6.0

TV Movie

Hugh Benny

1989

 

Wild Jack

8.2

TV Mini Series

Asian hitman

1989

1 episode

 

Carey Lowell, Talisa Soto, Timothy Dalton, and Robert Davi in Licence to Kill (1989)

Licence to Kill

6.7

Kwang

1989

 

Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd in Moonlighting (1985)

Moonlighting

7.6

TV Series

Artist

1989

1 episode

 

Donna Mills, Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee, Constance McCashin, John Pleshette, and Ted Shackelford in Knots Landing (1979)

Knots Landing

7.0

TV Series

Mr. Toyo

1989

1 episode

 

Gerard Christopher in Superboy (1988)

Superboy

6.0

TV Series

Detective Jed Slade

1989

1 episode

 

Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas in Miami Vice (1984)

Miami Vice

7.6

TV Series

TegoroKenji Fujitsu

1987–1989

2 episodes

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito in Twins (1988)

Twins

6.2

Oriental Man

1988

 

Spellbinder (1988)

Spellbinder

5.8

Lt. Lee

1988

 

Anne Baxter, James Brolin, and Connie Sellecca in Hotel (1983)

Hotel

6.4

TV Series

Inspector Chin

1988

1 episode

 

Richard Vuu in The Last Emperor (1987)

The Last Emperor

7.7

Chang (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

1987

 

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

8.7

TV Series

Mandarin Bailiff (as Cary-Hiroyuki)

1987

1 episode

 

Bulletproof (1987)

Bulletproof

4.9

Thug in Flashback (uncredited)

1987

 

Charlton Heston, Stephanie Beacham, Maxwell Caulfield, Katharine Ross, Tracy Scoggins, Barbara Stanwyck, John James, Emma Samms, and Claire Yarlett in The Colbys (1985)

The Colbys

6.1

TV Series

Mr. Sung (as Cary-Hiroyuki)

1987

1 episode

 

Richard Dean Anderson in MacGyver (1985)

MacGyver

7.6

TV Series

Asian Buyer (as Cary-Hiroyuki)

1987

1 episode

 

David Rappaport in The Wizard (1986)

The Wizard

7.8

TV Series

Cheng

1986

2 episodes

 

David Carradine, Lee Van Cleef, and Michael Berryman in Armed Response (1986)

Armed Response

5.1

Toshi (as Cary Tagana)

1986

 

Kim Cattrall, Kurt Russell, and James Hong in Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Big Trouble in Little China

7.2

Wing Kong Man - Extra (uncredited)

1986

 

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Graig F. Weich, and Brandon Wilson in Shinryu vs. Ravedactyl, Code Name: Justice & Gekido

Shinryu vs. Ravedactyl, Code Name: Justice & Gekido

Short

Lord ShinryuSensei JaaRaw

 

Producer

Duel of Legends (2013)

Duel of Legends

6.2

producer

2013

 

The Legend of Chang Apana (2009)

The Legend of Chang Apana

8.7

Short

producer

2009

 

Additional Crew

Robin Hood of the Bayous (2010)

Robin Hood of the Bayous

9.0

Short

acting coach: pre-production

2010

 

Mortal Kombat: The Live Tour (1996)

Mortal Kombat: The Live Tour

6.5

Video

coach: Shang Tsung

1996

 

Thanks

Dennis Quaid in Reagan (2024)

Reagan

6.1

special thanks

2024

 

Balls Out: The Making of 'Balls of Fury' (2007)

Balls Out: The Making of 'Balls of Fury'

7.4

Video

special thanks (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagwa)

2007

 

Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler (2007)

Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler

5.6

Video

special thanks

2007

 

Blood of the Samurai (2001)

Blood of the Samurai

5.0

very special thanks (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

2001

 

Self

Bj Korros in The Hollywood Moment at Home Edition (2020)

The Hollywood Moment at Home Edition

1.6

TV Series

Self

2021

1 episode

 

Insert Coin (2020)

Insert Coin

6.8

Self - Shang Tsung

2020

 

Dawna Lee Heising in Eye on Entertainment (2005)

Eye on Entertainment

7.9

TV Series

Self

2017

1 episode

 

KNEKT on the Carpet: Live from the 27th Annual 100 Stars Oscars Red Carpet (2017)

KNEKT on the Carpet: Live from the 27th Annual 100 Stars Oscars Red Carpet

TV Special

Self

2017

 

PlanetE! Entertainment Network (2013)

PlanetE! Entertainment Network

TV Series

Self

2017

1 episode

 

Red Carpet Report (2009)

Red Carpet Report

6.4

TV Series

Self

2016

1 episode

 

Kubo's Journey (2016)

Kubo's Journey

7.4

Video

Self

2016

 

IMDb at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 (2019)

IMDb at San Diego Comic-Con

6.9

TV Series

Self

2016

1 episode

 

Brad Pitt and Nikita Mikhalkov in 35-y Moskovskiy mezhdunarodnyy kinofestival (2013)

35-y Moskovskiy mezhdunarodnyy kinofestival

3.9

TV Special

Self

2013

 

Prozhektorperiskhilton (2008)

Prozhektorperiskhilton

7.3

TV Series

Self - Guest

2010

1 episode

 

Lost Warrior: Left Behind (2008)

Lost Warrior: Left Behind

7.8

Video

Self - Detective Yoshida

2008

 

Davay pozhenimsya! (2008)

Davay pozhenimsya!

4.3

TV Series

Self

2008

 

Balls Out: The Making of 'Balls of Fury' (2007)

Balls Out: The Making of 'Balls of Fury'

7.4

Video

Self - 'Mysterious Asian Man' (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

2007

 

Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler (2007)

Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler

5.6

Video

Self - 'Mysterious Asian Man'

2007

 

The Slanted Screen (2006)

The Slanted Screen

7.3

Self

2006

 

Planet of the Apes: Face Like a Monkey (2001)

Planet of the Apes: Face Like a Monkey

Video

Self

2001

 

The Test (2001)

The Test

4.8

TV Series

Self - Panelist (as Cary Tagawa)

2001

1 episode

 

Hollywood Salutes Easter Seals (1998)

Hollywood Salutes Easter Seals

TV Special

Self

1998

 

Voice Your Vote (1996)

Voice Your Vote

Video

Self

1996

 

Mortal Kombat: Behind the Dragon (1995)

Mortal Kombat: Behind the Dragon

6.6

TV Movie

Self

1995

 

Mortal Kombat: Behind the Scenes (1995)

Mortal Kombat: Behind the Scenes

5.3

Video

Self

1995

 

Lives in Hazard (1994)

Lives in Hazard

7.8

TV Movie

Self

1994

 

Archive Footage

FRO Thizzle Reviews (2022)

FRO Thizzle Reviews

7.5

TV Series

Self (archive footage)

2023

1 episode

 

Minty Comedic Arts (2015)

Minty Comedic Arts

8.8

TV Series

Self (archive footage, uncredited)

2021

1 episode

 

World of Warcraft (2004)

World of Warcraft

8.1

Video Game

(archive sound, voice)

2004

 

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997)

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation

3.6

Shang Tsung (archive footage)

1997