Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, 'Mortal Kombat' And 'The Man In The High Castle' Star, Dies Aged 75
Image Source: IMDb
Casting Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as the evil emperor Shang Tsung for the Mortal Kombat franchise, including films, television shows, and video games, was a “flawless victory.” This success translated into his film credits, including starring roles in The Last Emperor, Memoirs of a Geisha, and The Man in the High Castle. Sadly, Deadline received confirmation from Tagawa’s family that the great actor lost his life due to complications from a stroke at the age of 75. In his final moments, Tagawa was with his family. The man who brought Shang Tsung to life did more than just revolutionize Mortal Kombat; the roles he took on involved “the intersection of Asian and Western cultures”.
With his love and expertise in martial arts, Tagawa starred in films such as License to Kill, Rising Sun, Snow Falling on Cedars, Pearl Harbor, Planet of the Apes, Elektra, Memoirs of a Geisha, and 47 Ronin. Early in his career, Tagawa credited director Paul WS Anderson as being the first to bring “really upbeat, driving metal music” in the Mortal Kombat universe. Extending his talent to voice Shang Tsung in the video games, Tagawa would later find more success in the 1987 Oscar-winning film The Last Emperor. Despite his role as the emperor’s driver, Chang, being “small”, Chang’s presence was a “pivotal part in the story” according to Deadline. Starring in his final role as Nobusuke Tagomi in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, Tagawa drew parallels between his life and the life of his character, a man who grew up in two worlds and in the aftermath of war.
A man who talked about peace, Tagawa worked hard and loved deeply. He is survived by his wife, Sally, his children, Calen, Brynne, and Cana; and his two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton.
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