Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa from 'Mortal Kombat' is Dead at 75.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa/Shutterstock

Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, known for his role in Mortal Kombat, has passed away at the age of 75. According to Deadline, his family confirmed that he died on Thursday in Santa Barbara, California, due to complications from a stroke.

Tagawa was celebrated for his portrayal of villains in Hollywood and had a prolific career, appearing in numerous productions such as The Last Emperor and Showdown in Little Tokyo. He gained additional recognition for his work in the Mortal Kombat video game and television series.

Born in Japan, Tagawa's family later settled in California. He is an alumnus of the University of Southern California. Before achieving his breakthrough role in The Last Emperor (1987), he reportedly taught martial arts in Los Angeles.

Tagawa's career thrived after the Mortal Kombat films released in 1995 and 1997; however, the franchise did not reprise his role for the 2021 reboot. It is still uncertain whether he will return for the upcoming sequel to the reboot.

His talent and appeal in cross-cultural markets allowed him to appear in films like American Me and lend his voice to video games including Soldier Boyz, Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, and World of Warcraft: Legion.

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