Mortal Kombat Legend Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Dies — Cause of Death Confirmed
Mortal Kombat star Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa has died at 75. The Tokyo-born actor began his career in 1986 and became a formidable presence in Licence to Kill, The Phantom, The Man in the High Castle, and Disney’s Johnny Tsunami and Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board.
Some sad news today: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, one of those faces you instantly recognize from a dozen movies and shows, has died. He was 75.
What happened
Tagawa passed away in Santa Barbara from complications following a stroke. His publicist, Penny Vizcarra, confirmed the news to Entertainment Weekly.
A career you definitely bumped into
Born in Tokyo, Tagawa came from a military family and bounced around different cities growing up. After moving to Southern California, he started acting in high school and officially jumped into the business in 1986.
- Break-in year: 1986, with Big Trouble in Little China and Armed Response
- Breakthrough: The Last Emperor (1987), playing Chang
- Early TV stops in 1987: MacGyver, The Colbys, and Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Roles you likely remember: Mortal Kombat, Licence to Kill, The Phantom, The Man in the High Castle
- Disney crowd-pleasers: Johnny Tsunami and Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board
- Recent work: Blue Eye Samurai (2023), voicing Master Eiji, plus an appearance on NCIS: Los Angeles
- Yes, still part of the Mortal Kombat world: his likeness shows up in the 2023 game Mortal Kombat: Onslaught
The person behind the screen presence
Tagawa often spoke about how the legacy of World War II-era Japanese American internment and the postwar climate shaped his childhood in the American South. That context fueled an underdog streak he carried into his career.
'I know how to deal with the odds. I'm the kind of guy when you say one in a million, I say I'll take it. You tell me there's none in a million, I say I'll make one, and then I'll take that one. So nothing ever stops me.'
That sums up the vibe he brought to the screen: relentless, composed, and just a little dangerous in the best way. A memorable performer, gone too soon.