Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the star of the 1995 film Mortal Kombat, has died at 75-years-old. The Japanese-American actor leaves behind his ex-wife, Sally, their three children, Calen, Brynne and Cana, as well as his two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton.
The actor died from complications due to a stroke. His death was announced by his manager, Margie Weiner. “Cary was a rare soul: generous, thoughtful, and endlessly committed to his craft,” she said in an email. “His loss is immeasurable. My heart is with his family, friends, and all who loved him.”
Cary’s early life and career
Cary was born in Tokyo, Japan to Japanese actress, Mariko Hata, and Japanese-American father who served in the United States Army. Cary was named after the famous actor, Cary Grant. He and his parents lived in many different cities – from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Fort Hood, Texas. Finally, they settled in Southern California, where Cary first started acting in high school.
In 1987, he had his breakthrough role when he was cast as the Eunuch Chang in The Last Emperor. From there, Cary kept acting. He appeared in the James Bond film, License to Kill, in 1991’s Showdown in Little Tokyo, and in The Perfect Weapon.
Mortal Kombat and beyond
In 1995, Cary starred in Mortal Kombat as the sorcerer Shang Tsung. The film is based on the extremely successful video game franchise. Mortal Kombat, which follows a group of heroes participating in a tournament to protect Earth from malevolent forces, also starred Linden Asby.
© Getty ImagesCary was perfect for the role, as he was already proficient in martial arts. “I was born in Tokyo and began training in Kendo when I was in Junior High School,” he recalled to Martial Arts Entertainment in 2010. “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.”
The actor reprised his role of Shang Tsung in the 2013 television series, Mortal Kombat: Legacy, and again in 2019 for the video game, Mortal Kombat 11.
© Getty ImagesCary’s career didn’t start and end at Mortal Kombat. In 2001, he appeared in Pearl Harbor alongside Ben Affleck and Josh Hartnett as Commander Minoru Genda. He also appeared in Planet of the Apes and Memoirs of a Geisha.
From 2015 to 2018, Cary starred in the Amazon Prime drama, The Man in the High Castle, as Nobusuke Tagomi, the Trade Minister of the Japanese Pacific States, alongside Rufus Sewell.
The family Cary leaves behind
© Getty ImagesIn 1984, Cary married Sally Philips after meeting in 1984. The couple divorced in 2014 after 30 years together. During their marriage, they welcomed three children – Calen, Brynne, and Cana – and raised them in Kauai, Hawaii.
Cary’s children don’t live much of a public life. Calen works in music and production and collaborated with his father during his career. Brynne is known for her artistic talents. And Cary’s youngest daughter, Cana, is very private.
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