Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Famous for ‘Mortal Kombat’, Passes Away at 75

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the Japanese American actor celebrated for his iconic portrayal of Shang Tsung in ‘Mortal Kombat,’ has passed away at the age of 75 due to complications from a stroke. Born in Japan and partly raised on U.S. military bases, Tagawa moved to Los Angeles where he developed his own martial arts style, Chu Shin. Discovered by director Bernardo Bertolucci, he gained international recognition with a role in the 1987 Oscar-winning film ‘The Last Emperor,’ and went on to appear in over 30 films. Tagawa often portrayed elegant and cunning villains, becoming a staple of action cinema. Beyond his film work, he served as a mentor to younger actors and martial artists, known for his generosity and charisma. His role as Shang Tsung became a cult classic, remembered for the line ‘Your soul is mine,’ and he reprised the character in the 2013 series ‘Mortal Kombat: Legacy’ and voiced him in the video game ‘Mortal Kombat 11.’ He also earned critical acclaim as trade minister Nobusuke Tagomi in Amazon’s ‘The Man in the High Castle.’ Tagawa passed away in Santa Barbara surrounded by family and is survived by his children Calen, Byrnne, and Cana, as well as his grandchildren River and Thea Clayton.