Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who starred as Shang Tsung in the original “Mortal Kombat” movie as well as video game “Mortal Kombat 11,” has died due to complications from a stroke. He was 75.
His longtime manager, Margie Weiner, confirmed he died Thursday morning in Santa Barbara, Calif., surrounded by his family.
“I had the privilege of representing Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa for many years as his long time manager, but our relationship grew into something far deeper — he became like family,” she said in a statement. “Cary was a rare soul: generous, thoughtful and endlessly committed to his craft. His loss is immeasurable. My heart is with his family, friends and all who loved him.”
Getty; Warner Bros.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, star of 1995’s “Mortal Kombat” (main) and many other films, has died at 75. (Getty; Warner Bros.)
The Tokyo-born actor and producer was best known for his role in multiple “Mortal Kombat” projects, but also starred in Bernardo Bertolucci’s Oscar-winning epic “The Last Emperor,” “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “The Man in the High Castle.”
His other credits include “Pearl Harbor,” “Planet of the Apes,” “47 Ronin” and “Elektra.”
Tagawa came to the United States at a young age and went on to attend the University of Southern California, where he studied traditional Japanese karate.
He returned to his home country to further develop his skills at the Japan Karate Association, where he created his own system of Chun-Shin martial arts, which he later taught.
Tagawa put his proficiency to good use, appearing in roles in ’90s action flicks such as “Showdown in Little Tokyo,” starring Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee, and 1993’s “Rising Sun,” starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.
His final major role was as Nobusuke Tagomi in the Amazon sci-fi series “The Man in the High Castle,” in which he appeared for 30 episodes between 2015 and 2018.
Tagawa is survived by his wife, Sally, and their three children, Calen, Brynne and Cana, as well as two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton.
