James Shigeta
Acting
1929-06-17 · Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, USA
James Saburo Shigeta (June 17, 1929 – July 28, 2014) was an American actor, singer, and musician of Japanese descent. He was noted for his roles in The Crimson Kimono (1959), Walk Like a Dragon (1960), Flower Drum Song (1961), Bridge to the Sun (1961), Die Hard (1988), and Mulan (1998). In 1960, he won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, along with three other actors. In his early career, Shigeta often played romantic male lead roles, which were almost nonexistent for an actor of Asian descent during his time, making him a trailblazer in Asian American representation in media. The Goldsea Asian-American Daily magazine listed him as one of the "Most Inspiring Asian-Americans Of All Time". Before his Hollywood career he found success as a pop singer and performer abroad, especially in Japan and Australia.
movieBeam Me Up, Sulu
as Self · 2025 · 6.0
movieYorktown: A Time to Heal
as Admiral Heilachiro Nogura · 2022 · 0.0
movieYellowface: Asian Whitewashing and Racism in Hollywood
as (archive footage) · 2019 · 5.7
movieThe People I've Slept With
as Charles Yang · 2009 · 4.5
movieHollywood Chinese
as Self · 2007 · 0.0
movieThe Slanted Screen
as Himself · 2006 · 10.0
tvAvatar: The Last Airbender
as Old Wanderer (voice) · 2005 · 8.8
tvThreat Matrix
as Kang Sok-Joo · 2003 · 6.1
movieBrother
as Sugimoto · 2000 · 7.1
movieQigong: Ancient Chinese Healing for the 21st Century
as Narrator · 1999 · 0.0
movieMulan
as General Li (voice) · 1998 · 7.9
movieDrive
as Mr. Lau · 1997 · 6.1
tvThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
as Inspector Mantjur (voice) · 1996 · 7.1
tvThe Real Adventures of Jonny Quest
as Dr. Yamashiro (voice) · 1996 · 7.1
movieSpace Marines
as Ambassador Nakamura · 1996 · 3.5
movieMidnight Man
as Mao Mak · 1995 · 5.5
tvCybill
as Mr. Matsuzaki · 1995 · 5.9
movieCage II: The Arena of Death
as Tin Lum Yin · 1994 · 3.4
movieHart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die
as Det. Whoo · 1994 · 6.8
tvBabylon 5
as Taro Isogi · 1994 · 8.0
tvseaQuest DSV
as Vietnamese President Chi · 1993 · 7.1
tvRenegade
as · 1992 · 6.7
tvRenegade
as Mr. Ota · 1992 · 6.7
movieChina Cry
as Dr. Sung · 1990 · 6.4