Known for movies

Short Info

Date Of BirthSeptember 27, 1950
SpouseSally Tagawa
FactWas a part-time masseur for the University of Hawaii football team. He often helps injured players.


Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is a Japanese-American actor who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the films Mortal Kombat and The Last Samurai.

Tagawa was born on November 27, 1950 in Tokyo, Japan. His father was a diplomat and his mother was a homemaker. He has two older sisters. Tagawa was educated at the American School in Japan and later at the University of California, Berkeley.

Tagawa began his acting career in the early 1980s, appearing in small roles in various television series and films. He had a breakout role in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat, playing the villain Shang Tsung. He has since appeared in a number of high-profile films, including The Last Samurai, Memoirs of a Geisha, and Pearl Harbor.

Tagawa has been married twice. His first marriage was to actress Nobu McCarthy; the couple divorced in 2002. He married his second wife, Stacy, in 2004. He has two children from his first marriage and one from his second.

Tagawa has a net worth of $5 million. He earns a salary of $100,000 per episode for his work on the television series Hawaii Five-0.

At 6’2″, Tagawa is tall for a Japanese man. He has black hair and brown eyes.

General Info

Full NameCary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Date Of BirthSeptember 27, 1950
Height1.8 m
ProfessionMartial Artist, Film producer, Actor
EducationUniversity of Southern California, Duarte High School

Family

SpouseSally Tagawa
ChildrenBrynne Tagawa, Calen Tagawa, Cana Tagawa

Accomplishments

MoviesMortal Kombat, Showdown in Little Tokyo, Hachi: A Dog's Tale, Planet of the Apes, 47 Ronin, Tekken, The Last Emperor, Little Boy, The Honored Priest, Licence to Kill, Kubo and the Two Strings, Memoirs of a Geisha, Rising Sun, The Phantom, Pearl Harbor, Johnny Tsunami, Picture Bride, Balls of Fury, B...
TV ShowsHawaii, Nash Bridges, Space Rangers, The Man in the High Castle

Social profile links

Quotes

#Quote
1The Hawaiian language needs to be studied globally as a language of life.
2I believe the body can take care of itself. It's all about self-health. It's about depending on our breathing.
3Nature is a big part of my weekend. Whenever possible, I take Friday and Monday off and spend four days outdoors. We should remind ourselves that there was something here before us, a force more powerful than us.
4My look is 'Poly'n'Asian' - part Polynesian native, part Asian warrior.
5You release more toxins from the body through a deep exhale than you do from anything else.
6When you start working on a series, it's almost too much work. It's like a movie a week.
7I originally started off as a healer before I came to Hollywood.
8The one thing that about me, being a healer, I just have a different kind of relationship with people. So I am defiantly a different type of celebrity.
9It's not whether you fall or make a mistake, it's what you do when you fall. And I say you stand up. You keep standing up. It's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you stand up.
10Hollywood was a detour, although my mother was an aristocrat from Tokyo who ran away to join the theatre, so acting is in my genes.
11I really believe that breath, in and of itself... can become the ultimate self-healing tool.
12Hollywood is my day job.

Facts

#Fact
1Participated as lead character in search of a wife in the extremely popular All-Russia Channel 1 evening TV-show "Let's Marry". Shot in Moscow Ostankino TV studios. [June 2010]
2On July 09, 2010, Cary participated in the All-Russia Channel 1 evening TV-show "Let's Marry" as lead character in search of a wife. He successfully selected a beautiful 23-year old Russian bride out of 3 preselected candidates. They were both happy to meet each other.
3Has son, Calen, and two daughters Brynne and Cana.
4Was a part-time masseur for the University of Hawaii football team. He often helps injured players.

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Art of War2000David Chan
Walker, Texas Ranger2000TV SeriesMaster Ko
Fixations1999Alex
Snow Falling on Cedars1999Zenhichi Miyamoto
Johnny Tsunami1999TV MovieJohnny Tsunami
Bridge of Dragons1999General Ruechang
Seven Days1999TV SeriesPeter
NetForce1999TV MovieLeong Cheng
Vengeance Unlimited1998TV SeriesAung Myint
American Dragons1998Matsuyama
Poltergeist: The Legacy1998TV SeriesSam Tanaka
Provocateur1998Captain Jong
Vampires1998David Deyo
Top of the World1997/IICaptain Hefter
Stargate SG-11997TV SeriesTurghan
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child1997TV SeriesKing Young-Jin
Soldier Boyz1997Video GameVinh Moc
Raven: Return of the Black Dragons1997TV MovieOsato
Sabrina, the Teenage Witch1996TV SeriesTai Wei Tse
Nash Bridges1996TV SeriesLt. A.J. Shimamura / (credit only)
Cybill1996TV SeriesKenji
Danger Zone1996Monsieur Chang
The Phantom1996The Great Kabai Sengh
White Tiger1996Victor Chow
Babylon 51995TV SeriesMorishi
Soldier Boyz1995Vinh Moc
Mortal Kombat1995Shang Tsung
Thunder in Paradise 31995VideoMason Lee (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)
The Dangerous1995Kon
Thunder in Paradise1994TV SeriesMason Lee
Picture Bride1994Kanzaki
Day of Reckoning1994TV MoviePrakit
Natural Causes1994Major Somchai
Space Rangers1993-1994TV SeriesZylyn
Rising Sun1993Eddie Sakamura
Renegade1993TV SeriesHirotaka
Nemesis1992Angie-Liv
Raven1992TV SeriesOsato Osatso
American Me1992El Japo
Baywatch1992TV SeriesMason Sato
Mission of the Shark: The Saga of the U.S.S. Indianapolis1991TV MovieHashimoto
Showdown in Little Tokyo1991Funekei Yoshida
The Perfect Weapon1991Kai
Not of This World1991TV MovieShikido
Kickboxer 2: The Road Back1991Sanga
Vestige of Honor1990TV MovieThai Major
The Bakery1990TV MovieKim Lee
Hardball1990TV SeriesYakuza Man
Jake and the Fatman1990TV SeriesRaymond Char
Nasty Boys1990TV SeriesMax
Murder in Paradise1990TV MovieDetective
Mission: Impossible1989TV SeriesXang Kai
Alien Nation1989TV SeriesYamato
A Peaceable Kingdom1989TV SeriesCoach
The Last Warrior1989Imperial Marine
L.A. Takedown1989TV MovieHugh Benny
Licence to Kill1989Kwang
Moonlighting1989TV SeriesArtist
Knots Landing1989TV SeriesMr. Toyo
Superboy1989TV SeriesDetective Jed Slade
Miami Vice1987-1989TV SeriesTegoro / Kenji Fujitsu
Twins1988Oriental Man
Spellbinder1988Lt. Lee
Hotel1988TV SeriesInspector Chin
Bulletproof1988Thug in Flashback (uncredited)
The Last Emperor1987Chang (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)
Star Trek: The Next Generation1987TV SeriesMandarin Bailiff
The Colbys1987TV SeriesMr. Sung
MacGyver1987TV SeriesAsian Buyer
The Wizard1986TV SeriesCheng
Armed Response1986Toshi (as Cary Tagana)
Big Trouble in Little China1986Wing Kong Man - Extra (uncredited)
Sky Sharks2017filmingMichael Morel
Diamond Cartel2017completedKhazar
Duel of Legends2016post-productionShing
Reaganpre-productionYasuhiro Nakasone
The Man in the High Castle2015-2016TV SeriesNobusuke Tagomi
World of Warcraft: Legion2016Video Game voice
Kubo and the Two Strings2016Hashi (voice)
Grimm2016TV SeriesTakeshi Imura
Beyond the Game2016/IIDetective Yoshida
Showdown in Manila2016Aldric Cole
Ierey-san. Ispoved samuraya2015Otets Nikolay (as Keri-Khiroyuki Tagava)
Genghis Khan Conquers the Moon2015ShortGenghis Khan
Little Boy2015Hashimoto
The Man with the Iron Fists 22015VideoLord Pi / Mayor Zhang
The Whole World at Our Feet2015Khazar
Junction2015Author
The Librarians2014TV SeriesMr. Drake
Skin Trade2014Senator Khat
Tekken: Kazuya's Revenge2014Heihachi
Ninja Apocalypse2014Fumitaka
Teen Wolf2014TV SeriesKatashi (Silverfinger)
Hype Nation 3D2014Sammy Kata
47 Ronin2013Shogun Tsunayoshi
Mortal Kombat: Legacy2013TV SeriesShang Tsung
Revenge2012-2013TV SeriesSatoshi Takeda
Black Cobra2012VideoGoro Tanaka
Hawaii Five-02011TV SeriesHiro Nashimori / Hiro Noshimuri
Robin Hood of the Bayous2010Documentary shortNarrator / Pirate 1
Overture2010/IShortJudge
Absolute.ness2010ShortChief Dax
Tekken2010Heihachi Mishima
The Tomb2009Len Burris
Beyond the Break2009TV SeriesXander
Hachi: A Dog's Tale2009Ken
The Legend of Chang Apana2009ShortChang Apana
Tayna Chingis Khaana2009Bodyguard
Bodyguard: A New Beginning2008Kai
Ghost Voyage2008TV MovieThe Steward
Lost Warrior: Left Behind2008VideoDetective Yoshida
Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter2007Alibek
Heroes2007TV SeriesThe Swordsmith
Balls of Fury2007Mysterious Asian Man
Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board2007TV MovieGrandpa Johnny Tsunami
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo2006TV MovieBrushogun (voice)
Memoirs of a Geisha2005The Baron
The Sand Island Drive-In Anthem2005ShortUncle C
True Love & Mimosa Tea2005ShortAndreas Kanaka
Faith of My Fathers2005TV MovieCat
Elektra2005Roshi
Bushido2004Video shortTetsuji
Hawaii2004TV SeriesCaptain Terry Harada
Fallacy2004
Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu2003Video GameSin Tzu (voice)
Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding2003TV MovieSato (as Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa)
Planet of the Apes2001Krull
Pearl Harbor2001Cmdr. Minoru Genda
The Ghost2001Chang (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)

Producer

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Duel of Legends2016producer post-production
The Legend of Chang Apana2009Short producer

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Robin Hood of the Bayous2010Documentary short acting coach: pre-production
Mortal Kombat: The Live Tour1996Video documentary coach: Shang Tsung

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Balls Out: The Making of 'Balls of Fury'2007Video documentary short special thanks - as Cary Hiroyuki Tagwa
Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler2007Video documentary short special thanks
Blood of the Samurai2001very special thanks - as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
IMDb at San Diego Comic-Con2016TV SeriesHimself
35-y Moskovskiy mezhdunarodnyy kinofestival2013TV SpecialHimself
Prozhektorperiskhilton2010TV SeriesHimself - Guest
Davay pozhenimsya!2008TV SeriesHimself
Balls Out: The Making of 'Balls of Fury'2007Video documentary shortHimself - 'Mysterious Asian Man' (as Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa)
Under the Balls: The Life of a Ball Wrangler2007Video documentary shortHimself - 'Mysterious Asian Man'
The Slanted Screen2006DocumentaryHimself
Planet of the Apes: Face Like a Monkey2001Video documentary shortHimself
The Test2001TV SeriesHimself - Panelist
Mortal Kombat: Behind the Dragon1995TV Movie documentaryHimself
Mortal Kombat: Behind the Scenes1995Video shortHimself
Lives in Hazard1994TV Movie documentaryHimself

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation1997Shang Tsung

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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