Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, actor best known for portraying Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat films, has died. The 75-year-old's family confirmed to Deadline that he passed away due to complications from a stroke early Thursday morning. He was surrounded by his children.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa family details
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, actor famous for Mortal Kombat, has died (X)
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Born in Tokyo on September 27, 1950, Tagawa was raised on US Army bases and later settled in Hawaii. He married Sally Phillips in 1984 after meeting in San Diego.
The couple, who divorced in 2014 after nearly 30 years, raised their three children in Kauai, Hawaii. Phillips, who taught at the Art Institute of San Diego post-divorce, remains largely out of the public eye.
Tagawa and Phillips share three children: son Calen Tagawa and daughters Brynne Tagawa and Cana Tagawa. Calen, the eldest, pursued a career in music and production, occasionally collaborating with his father on creative projects.
Brynne, known for her artistic talents like her mother, has dabbled in modeling and advocacy, while the youngest, Cana, maintains a private life.
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa: Famous Movies and TV Roles
Feature Films
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The Last Emperor (1987) – Chang
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The Last Emperor (1987) – Chang
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License to Kill (1989) – Kwang (James Bond)
Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991) – Funekei Yoshida
The Perfect Weapon (1991) – Kai
Mortal Kombat (1995) – Shang Tsung (iconic role)
Picture Bride (1995) – Kanzaki
Soldier (1998) – Colonel Mekum
Pearl Harbor (2001) – Commander Genda
Planet of the Apes (2001) – Krull
Elektra (2005) – Roshi
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) – The Baron
Tekken (2010) – Heihachi Mishima
47 Ronin (2013) – Shogun Tsunayoshi
Priest (2011) – Priest leader
The Man in the High Castle (2015-2019) – Nobusuke Tagomi (series regular)
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) – Hashi (voice)
Reagan (2024) – Yasuhiro Nakasone
Notable TV Shows
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989) – Mandarin Bailiff
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Home/World News/Us News/Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa family: Who is ex-wife Sally Phillips and Mortal Kombat star's children?
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