‘Mortal Kombat’ Star Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Dies at 75

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, best known for his iconic role as Shang Tsung in the Mortal Kombat franchise, has passed away at the age of 75. Born on September 27, 1950, in Tokyo, Japan, Tagawa died on Thursday, December 4, in Santa Barbara due to complications from a stroke, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Tagawa’s portrayal of the villain Shang Tsung became a defining role in his career, appearing across the Mortal Kombat films, television series, and video games. He first starred in Paul W.S. Anderson’s 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, later appeared via archival footage in the 1997 sequel Annihilation, and reprised the role in the 2013 series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, a 2015 episode of Mortal Kombat X: Generations, and the video game Mortal Kombat 11 including its Aftermath and Ultimate expansions.

Tagawa began his film career with Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, describing the experience as “mind boggling” and “a dream come true” in a 2015 interview. He went on to act in notable films including License to Kill (1989), Planet of the Apes (2001), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), and Tekken (2010).

The Japanese-American actor is survived by his wife, Sally, his three children Calen, Byrnne, and Cana, and two grandchildren, River and Thea Clayton. His legacy in martial arts cinema and video game adaptations will be remembered by fans worldwide.