Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, a well-known actor born in Tokyo and recognized for his performances in the movie “Mortal Kombat” and the TV series “The Man in the High Castle,” has passed away at the age of 75. Tagawa passed away in Santa Barbara, California, surrounded by his family following complications from a stroke, as confirmed by his manager, Margie Weiner.
Described as a unique and dedicated individual, Tagawa’s extensive career in film and television took flight in 1987 when he starred in Bernardo Bertolucci’s award-winning film “The Last Emperor.” Over the years, he appeared in various notable films like “Pearl Harbor,” “Planet of the Apes,” and “Licence to Kill.”
Raised predominantly in the southern United States due to his father’s military assignments, Tagawa spent time in Honolulu and on Kauai in Hawaii. In an interview with Honolulu Magazine in 2004, Tagawa shared that his parents named him after Cary Grant and his brother after Gregory Peck.
Despite his mother’s advice against pursuing acting due to limited opportunities for Asians, Tagawa embarked on an acting career at 36 after working in various professions like farming, driving, and photojournalism. Renowned for often portraying antagonist roles, he notably played the Baron in “Memoirs of a Geisha,” a film depicting the journey of a young girl from poverty to high society in Japan.
Addressing criticism of the film’s authenticity, Tagawa defended it, stating that expecting complete accuracy from a work created by non-Japanese individuals was unrealistic as it was an interpretation rather than a documentary.
In 2008, Tagawa admitted guilt in a Honolulu court to a petty misdemeanor charge of harassing a girlfriend, a case for which he took full responsibility without making excuses.
