It's a rarity, but sometimes a Japanese actor will become an A-lister in American cinema. Or, if not an A-lister, still an actor prominently working in major American theatrical releases (or bigger streaming ones). And, while the Big G is involved every now and then, more often than not, the following Japanese actors have had nothing to do with the Americanized Godzilla films.
But, yes, the Big G does make an appearance or two on this list. As does John Wick, Scorpion from Mortal Kombat, and The Karate Kid. But, what will reallybe discussed is what the following 10 Japanese actors contributed to those IPs, and American cinema at large.
10 Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Unlike most Japanese actors who make it big in the States, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa never worked in Japanese cinema. He started out in Hollywood. Specifically, Tagawa made his debut as an extra in John Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China.
What American Films Has He Made?
Carpenter's film led to bit parts in TV series like MacGyver and Star Trek: The Next Generation, both high-profile projects. Then, in the late '80s, he started getting small parts in major movies such as The Last Emperor, Twins, and License to Kill.
But it was the '90s when Tagawa made his biggest impact. Mostly as Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat, but there was also Showdown in Little Tokyo, American Me, The Phantom, and Vampires. His most recent role was voice acting in the Netflix original series Blue Eye Samurai.
9 Ken Watanabe
One of the best American kaiju films doesn't even show much of a kaiju. But who needs Godzilla as a scene-stealer when there's Ken Watanabe uttering "Let them fight" under his breath?
Watanabe has mostly worked within Hollywood since fairly early in his career, which is certainly not the usual trajectory for a Japanese actor who ends up making in big in LA. He starred in Japanese TV series and lower-budget movies throughout the '80s and '90s, but it was in The Last Samurai in 2003 when his career really kicked off.
What American Films Has He Made?
After The Last Samurai, Watanabe consistently had important roles in major Hollywood films. There was 2005's Memoirs of a Geisha and Batman Begins, 2006's Letter from Iwo Jima, 2010's Inception, 2014's Godzilla and Transformers: Age of Extinction, and further Hollywood works such as Detective Pikachu, Isle of Dogs, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and The Creator.
In other words, Watanabe has a fair claim to being the most notable Japanese actor working in mainstream American cinema today.
8 Hiroyuki Sanada
If Ken Watanabe is not the most successful Japanese actor working in Hollywood today, it's Hiroyuki Sanada. And, while Watanabe blew up more and sooner, they both had their profiles expanded simultaneously.
Specifically, in 2003. Sanada had been in the industry since the '60s, so his success was an even longer time coming. And, with 1998's Ringu, he saw his profile get a boost across the globe.
What American Films Has He Made?
Like for Watanabe, things picked up for Sanada after The Last Samurai. He had sizable roles in Sunshine, Rush Hour 3, Speed Racer, The Wolverine, 47 Ronin, Mr. Holmes, Life, Army of the Dead, and Bullet Train.
Toss in roles like his show-stopping cameo in Avengers: Endgame, Scorpion in Mortal Kombat and its forthcoming sequel, his leading of FX and Hulu's miniseries Shogun, and his brief but poignant role in John Wick: Chapter 4, and Sanada's claim would be as solid as Watanabe's.
7 Masi Oka
Heroes
- Release Date
- September 25, 2006
Before he became one of the standout stars of NBC's Heroes, Masi Oka had some credits under his belt. Specifically, a memorable cameo in Austin Powers in Goldmember, an episode of Gilmore Girls, an episode of Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the like. He even had a role in the atrocious House of the Dead 2.
What American Projects Has He Worked On?
Heroes (and the short-lived Heroes Reborn) was and remains Oka's claim to fame, but he's also had roles in many beloved blockbusters. And, in films like The Meg, Jobs, and Get Smart, he's always a scene-stealer. The same goes for his roles on non-Heroes shows such as Reno 911! and Mozart in the Jungle.
6 Noriyuki Pat Morita
If any Japanese actor went on to become outright iconic in America, it's Pat Morita. And it's all because of The Karate Kid in 1984. But, before that film kicked off a beloved franchise, Morita spent a few decades starring in American television, interestingly skipping Japanese works altogether in favor of immediately gaining clout in the States.
What Popular American Films Did He Make?
Outside the Karate Kid franchise, Morita had great success on television, with appearances in classics like Green Acres, Columbo, The Odd Couple, Hawaii Five-O, M*A*S*H, and Sanford and Son. In terms of movies, Morita was more often than not in kids films. However, in 1989 he did co-lead the buddy cop comedy Collision Course with none other than Jay Leno.
5 George Takei
With nearly 250 credits to his name, the beloved George Takei has worked a lot (and done even more for gay representation in Hollywood). And, naturally, what he's known most for is playing Hikaru Sulu in the original Star Trek show, not to mention the cinematic adaptations that followed.
But being on the Enterprise is far from the only thing Takei (who skipped Japanese cinema altogether save for his dubbing on two monster movies) has done in the world of American arts.
What Other Popular American Projects Has He Had a Part In?
Takei made his debut doing the English-language voiceover for the lead character in Godzilla Raids Again, which he followed with a vocal role in the American dub of Rodan.
With such a signature voice at his disposal, it makes sense that much of his other work was in voice acting. Other vocal roles include Mulan (1998), Archer, American Dad!, and BoJack Horseman. Furthermore, he's had live action parts in projects like Party Down and Entourage.
4 Hiro Kanagawa
Hiro Kanagawa is basically the guy Hollywood goes to when they need a Japanese actor to play a cop. He's been typecast that way many times. But, there's also intermittent roles, like that of the Headmaster in the new Disney+ hit Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
What American Films Has He Starred In?
Kanagawa starred in numerous low budget actioners throughout the '90s, but never in a significant capacity. This continued throughout the aughts, but he works very often and has starred in any number of beloved TV shows.
Not to mention movies like War with Jet Li and Jason Statham, The Day the Earth Stood Still with Keanu Reeves, 2014's Godzilla, Fifty Shades Freed, and Orphan: First Kill.
3 Rinko Kikuchi
It's truly sad that not many female Japanese actors have broken through in Hollywood. In fact, it's really just Rinko Kikuchi, at least in terms of modern American cinema. This was done via her Oscar-nominated work in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's Babel.
What Major American Movies Has She Been In?
Kikuchi's next role in an American film after her Oscar nomination was in Rian Johnson's underrated The Brothers Bloom in 2008. This was followed by a part in Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim, one of the villains in the Keanu Reeves-fronted 47 Ronin, two episodes of Westworld, and a cameo in 2018's Pacific Rim: Uprising.
Other than that, she's mostly stuck to Japanese films. But she's terribly underutilized, and Hollywood should find another great project for her.
2 Brian Tee
Brian Tee has been a part of American cinema from the beginning. After all, his very first role was an uncredited one in the Garry Shandling-led Mike Nichols sci-fi comedy What Planet Are You From?
What American Films Has He Been a Part Of?
His roles remained small in films like Austin Powers in Goldmember and Fun with Dick and Jane, but then he had a sizable part as the lead villain of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. Tee has worked steadily since then, including as Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
1 Tadanobu Asano
thor
- Release Date
- April 21, 2011
Tadanobu Asano got his start in Japanese cinema back in 1990, and that's where he remained for the rest of the decades and the aughts. But, one of those Japanese works, Ichi the Killer, expanded his profile across the globe. Yet it would still be a bit before Asano became a presence in American films.
What American Movies Has He Made?
Ten years after Ichi the Killer, Asano got his first role in a big American movie via Hogun in Kenneth Branagh's Thor. He reprised that role twice in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok, and consistently shared great chemistry with his fellow Warriors Three.
Asano also starred in Battleship, 47 Ronin, Midway, Kate, Martin Scorsese's Silence, and as Lord Raiden in the Mortal Kombat reboot. He'll reprise that role in the forthcoming sequel, just as he'll costar with Hiroyuki Sanada in FX's Shogun.
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