James Saito is a renowned American actor of Japanese descent, whose impressive career has spanned multiple mediums, including film, television, and theater. He is perhaps best known for his iconic roles as the original Shredder in the 1990 film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and as Dr. Chen in the ABC series Eli Stone, which aired from 2008.
In addition to his work in film and television, James has had a long and storied career in theater. He has appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including the 1997 revival of The King and I and David Henry Hwang's Golden Child in 1998. Off-Broadway, he has starred in plays such as Sarah Ruhl's The Oldest Boy at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center in 2014 and Julia Cho's Durango at The Public Theater, for which he received an Obie award in 2007.
Born in Los Angeles, California, James received a degree in theater from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He has since made New York City his home, where he has continued to hone his craft through extensive study with some of the most renowned acting coaches in the industry.
James has had the privilege of studying with Uta Hagen at HB studio, as well as with Sanford Meisner on the island of Bequia in the Grenadines, where he was part of the last group of students to study with the legendary teacher. He has also worked with Stella Adler in her scene study and script interpretation classes, and has studied with a range of other esteemed coaches, including Milton Katselas, Wynn Handman, Peggy Feury, Jose Quintero, and Nina Foch.
Throughout his career, James has sought to learn as many different styles and techniques of acting as possible, recognizing that different roles and situations often require a unique approach to find the truth or to play it more effectively. His dedication to his craft has earned him a reputation as one of the most versatile and talented actors of his generation.
