Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa has sadly died at the age of 75. The actor is well known to Mortal Kombat fans for his performance as Shang Tsung, his role on the alternate history show The Man in the High Castle, and his star-making role in 1987’s The Last Emperor. Deadline confirmed Tagawa’s death on Thursday in Santa Barbara, CA, which reportedly resulted in complications from a stroke.
Tagawa had a long career, stretching back to the 1980s, which saw the actor appearing on hit shows like MacGyver, Miami Vice, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He first garnered attention for his role in director Bernardo Bertolucci’s historical epic The Last Emperor.
His background in martial arts aided the actor, who landed the role of Shang Tsung in 1995’s Mortal Kombat. He reprised the role for the 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat Annihilation, with Tagawa returning to the part in various formats throughout the years. He reprised the role in 2013’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy series, and again in Mortal Kombat X: Generations in 2015, before lending his voice to a video game iteration with his likeness in Mortal Kombat 11. Tagawa’s likeness has become so synonymous with Shang Tsung among many gamers that Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, a 2023 game, used the actor’s face again.
Tagawa appeared in several other high-profile projects, including Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor, the award-nominated Memoirs of a Geisha, the comic book film Elektra, and alongside Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin. The actor starred in The Man in the High Castle, delivering a stellar performance as Nobusuke Tagomi throughout 30 episodes on the Prime Video show.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Led an Interesting Life Outside of Film & TV
Tagawa was born in Japan, bouncing around with an Army father, but finally got into acting thanks to his actress mother when they settled in Southern California. While audiences learned of his talent through film and television, he cultivated unique passions that will leave a legacy beyond his filmography. In a 2013 interview, per Deadline, Tagawa recounted:
“I was born in Tokyo and began training in Kendo when I was in junior high school. 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.”
Tagawa has a noted history with martial arts. While the practice aided his career with action roles, he actually helped to develop his own. Tagawa created “Chuu Shin,” which is said to focus on martial arts and healing, harmonizing the mind and body. He even reportedly worked as a masseur for the University of Hawaii football team, adding a unique skill to an already impressive resume. While his face may be remembered by many fans thanks to Mortal Kombat, Tagawa’s impact will live on through his life’s true work and the family he leaves behind.