Cary Tagawa Interview

April 30, 2004 admin 0 Comments

—

Tagawa began acting in high school when the family finally settled in Southern California. He continued his studies at the University of Southern California where he was involved in an exchange program and spent some time in Japan. After college, Cary moved to Japan only to move back to the States soon thereafter. The overwhelming sense of alienation that propelled Cary back to Western shores grew out of the cultural and generational gaps that he experienced in Japan. They were just too large to bridge.

Back in the United States, Tagawa began his acting career in earnest at the age of 36 as an extra in “Big Trouble in Little Chinatown”. He got his first big break as an actor when he was cast in a major role in “The Last Emperor”. Other roles followed quickly as Hollywood was hungry for “Asian bad guys”.

Tagawa’s acting career took off. Tagawa has appeared in such science fiction American TV shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Alien Nation, Babylon 5, and Nash Bridges and has had major roles in big films and smaller films like “Picture Bride”, which won the Audience Award at Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival in Colorado. In that film, Tagawa played a farmer who orders a bride from Japan. But, perhaps, Tagawa’s most widely recognizable role is as the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat, a character he has described as a “multidimensional evil”. He certainly filled that character with his charismatic presence, and played the role with relish it seems. He has said that playing a villain in any film is challenging as well as fun.

What of the criticism that can be leveled against Tagawa regarding Asians being cast in “bad guy” roles, therefore creating a negative image of the Asian community? Tagawa’s answer is that to effect change, he embraces the opportunity he has been given rather than turn it away. His work ethic is to do one’s best, to use the role and play it to its best dramatic effect, to play the “baddest” bad guy if that is the role. As Cary states “I’m asked, if you believe in peace and creativity than why do you do violent films. There are different perspectives on this issue. I believe that there are many ways to create change. One is not to do these films. I honor that choice and I have no disdain for them as they have for me. Rather than turning away the opportunity I have been given, I have decided to use it and to play it to its best dramatic effect, to play the baddest, bad guy.”

His philosophy about acting is that it’s all about attitude, perspective and self-reliance. The energy that he brings to his roles is about strength and power that Asians have, but haven’t exercised for a long time. What is key for actors is to grow as a human being so as to be able to express emotions and working relationships through their acting. An actor needs to build his or her potential. He believes that Asian-Americans tend to live in closed communities and must explore and mix with other races in order to be an “American” actor and get better roles. Tagawa does see a change in Asians, in that he feels Asians are more willing to put their foot down and make a stand. He understands that, naturally, there will be some apprehension in the relationship between Asians and other groups. But, he feels that Asians are making themselves heard and that it’s a matter of testing the grounds of identity. When asked if Tagawa thought Asian males were limited in their roles? He remarked “Asian actors who complain about not having roles in foreign movies, or not getting the leading roles should get a different perspective of things,” he says with a sigh. “If complaining is the key, things would have changed a long time ago. What we have to understand is that 70 percent of writers in Hollywood are white males.” This, he says leaves little room for either women, Asians, African-Americans, or others to fill leading roles. The solution, Tagawa suggests, is for these individuals to build their potential. “The worst thing an actor can do is to stop growing. Some actors tend to forget that acting is about portraying people, their emotions and working relationships. You have to grow as a human being to be able to express such feelings.”

Being born a U.S. army kid in Tokyo, Tagawa lived in various cities throughout his childhood. His father was in the army and his mother was an actress from Tokyo. At the age of five, the family moved to Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where Tagawa got his first real lesson in how to use the martial arts. Living in the American South during the 1950s at a time of discord and racial tensions was not easy for the young Japanese-American. He began training in Kendo when he was in junior high school and recognized the need for martial arts as a way to survive. Yet, instead of fighting, with his fists, the bullies who taunted and threatened him, he fought them with his mind. Thus, avoiding unnecessary conflict by redirecting their anger without resorting to violence. Tagawa believes that there are no winners in a fight and that it’s always better to resolve a situation peacefully.

“Chun-Shin” – translated, this means “to be centered inside your heart and mind”. Tagawa created his own system of martial arts to help promote harmony between mind, body and spirit. The foundation from which Tagawa built his martial arts philosophy is “understanding who you are, why you are, and knowing what purpose you serve in life.” For Tagawa, the basic component in the study of martial arts is the study of energy. Through the martial arts, he is able to evaluate different energies, whether they be by an opponent, dealing with Hollywood, or even a bully. In any situation, one is dealing with energy. First one must learn about the difference between using the physical force verses a mental force. Then one is able to develop the inner strength that is in us all, but which few know how to use. According to Tagawa, at the core of martial arts is a natural bond with people, where the energy is derived. He starts from harmony, with a love or concept of humanity as a whole, and then moves into conflict. Tagawa’s intention for Chun-Shin is for it to eventually become a centering point for all martial arts styles. Perhaps more importantly, he hopes for it to be a way to bring out the desire in all of us to better ourselves.

Aside from the martial arts, Tagawa is continuing with his acting career. He had a cameo role in “Snow Falling on Cedars” as Kabuo’s father and he had a co-starring role in Tim Burton’s “Planet of the Apes’.. He hopes to be involved in Steven Spielberg’s “Memoirs of a Geisha”, having auditioned for the role of Nobu. He has also appeared in a Disney Channel movie called “Johnny Tsunami”. And, his is excited over the possibility of a project called “A Prairie Tale”, about a Japanese cowboy that is based on a true story.

As he strives to better himself and others through martial arts, he is also striving to better himself in achieving bigger and better roles in film – always, working from harmony.