Celebrity Info
Born in Tokyo, Japan, actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa grew up moving across several U.S. cities thanks to his father’s service in the United States Army. Over time, the family eventually settled in southern California, where Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa first discovered his passion for performing. While attending Duarte High School, he began acting, laying the foundation for what would become a long and diverse career. After high school, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa continued his education at the University of Southern California, further honing his craft.
Once he graduated, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa made the decision to fully commit to acting—and it didn’t take long for him to make a name for himself. His big break came in 1987 when he portrayed Eunuch Chang in Bernardo Bertolucci’s critically acclaimed film The Last Emperor. The role put him on the map and opened doors in Hollywood. Just two years later, in 1989, he appeared in the James Bond film License to Kill, playing an undercover narcotics officer—a role that showcased his intensity and screen presence.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa continued building momentum with a standout performance in the 1991 action film Showdown in Little Tokyo, where he starred alongside martial arts icons Brandon Lee and Dolph Lundgren. His portrayal of the villainous crime boss was both chilling and memorable, further solidifying his reputation as a versatile performer. In 2006, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa contributed his insights to the documentary The Slanted Screen, which explored the representation of Asian and Asian-American men in American cinema—an important topic close to his own experiences.
Beyond his on-screen work, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa brought real depth to his roles through his background in martial arts and stunt work. He wasn’t just acting the part—he had the skills to back it up. Over the years, he also expanded into voice acting, lending his distinctive voice to video games such as Soldier Boyz (1997) and Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu (2003), where his vocal tone added gravity to the characters he portrayed.
In 2015, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa took on one of his most significant roles yet—as a lead character in Amazon’s original series The Man in the High Castle (2015– ). Based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, the show allowed Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa to explore complex themes within an alternate history setting, earning praise for his nuanced performance. Throughout his career, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa has remained a powerful presence in film, television, and gaming, consistently breaking barriers and redefining what it means to be an Asian-American actor in Hollywood.
When it comes to Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s film career, one standout performance shines through — his highest rated movie is Kubo and the Two Strings from 2016. This animated gem received widespread acclaim, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s contribution to the voice cast was a key part of its success. On the other end of the spectrum, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa also appeared in Showdown in Manila, another 2016 release, which unfortunately holds the position of his lowest rated film to date. While Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa has built a diverse and impressive body of work over the years, these two titles mark the extremes in terms of critical reception. It’s interesting to see how, even in the same year, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa could be part of projects with such different audience and critic responses.
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