Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's ascent to fame as an actor began with a significant breakthrough when he was cast in Bernardo Bertolucci's critically acclaimed film, The Last Emperor, released in 1987.
Born in Tokyo, Japan, Tagawa's early life was marked by a nomadic existence, as his father, a US Army officer, was stationed in various locations throughout the United States, including Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Polk in Louisiana, and Fort Hood in Texas. His mother, an actress from Tokyo, brought a rich cultural heritage to their family.
Eventually, the family settled in Southern California, where Tagawa discovered his passion for acting in high school. His educational pursuits took him to the University of Southern California, where he was an exchange student in Japan, further enriching his cultural understanding.
In recent years, Tagawa has been actively involved in addressing student groups at San Francisco State University and Stanford University. He has also been coaching the martial artist portraying Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat Live Tour and has been developing his own unique form of martial arts, which he has dubbed "Chun Shin," in his spare time.
