Yuji Okumoto

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Yuji Okumoto
2010 press photo
Born
Yuji Don Okumoto

(1959-04-20) April 20, 1959 (age 64)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia State University, Fullerton
OccupationActor
Years active1985–present
Height180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Spouse
Angela Okumoto
(m. 2001)
Children3

Yuji Don Okumoto (雄二・ドン・奥本, Yūji Don Okumoto, born April 20, 1959) is an American actor of Japanese descent. He is best known for his role as Chozen Toguchi in The Karate Kid franchise. He has also appeared in such films as Better Off Dead, Real Genius (both 1985), True Believer (1989), American Yakuza (1993), Contact (1997), The Truman Show (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), Only the Brave (2006), Inception (2010) and Driven (2018).

Early life

Okumoto, a third generation Japanese American (Sansei), was born and raised in Los Angeles, California.[1] He began karate at age 13, studying under various sensei. By the time of The Karate Kid Part II, the 27-year-old Okumoto held a brown belt in Karate, and had learned basic skills in other martial arts, including Kung Fu and Judo. His Judo Instructor was Hayward Nishioka, his Chitō-ryū Karate Sensei was Yukinori Kugimiya, his Kajukenbo Instructor was Sensei Ron Takaragawa, and his Yau Kung Moon Sifu was Kevin Quock.[2][3]

He graduated from Hollywood High School and Cal State Fullerton, where he studied acting.[1]

Career

His performance in the play Indians led to being signed by an agent, and eventually a role on The Young and the Restless. His first roles were in The Check is in the Mail, Real Genius, and Better Off Dead.[1] Perhaps his most well-known role is as Daniel's rival, Chozen Toguchi in the 1986 film, The Karate Kid Part II.[1] In 2005, he was Yukio Nakajo in Lane Nishikawa's film Only the Brave about the Japanese American segregated fighting unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of World War II. This film also included two other Karate Kid stars, Tamlyn Tomita and Pat Morita.[1] Other credits include his role as Shu Kai Kim, a character based on Chol Soo Lee, in the 1989 film True Believer, Pete Kapahala in the 1999 Disney Channel original movie Johnny Tsunami, Japanese navy lieutenant (海軍大尉, Kaigun-Daii) Zenji Abe in Pearl Harbor, and Bruce Takedo in the television series, Bones.[1] He is a producer for the 2020 independent film The Paper Tigers, in which he has a small role as well.[4]

In 2021, Okumoto reprised his Karate Kid II role as Chozen Toguchi, who, beginning with Season 3 of Cobra Kai, is now a friend and ally of Daniel.[5][6][7][8]

Personal life

Okumoto lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife Angela and their three daughters.[9] They own and run a Hawaiian-themed restaurant, Kona Kitchen/Yuji's Bar & Lounge.[9][10][11][12]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Crime Killer Vietnam Soldier
Real Genius Fenton
Better Off Dead Yee Sook Ree
1986 The Check Is in the Mail... Bellboy
The Karate Kid Part II Chozen Toguchi
1988 Aloha Summer Kenzo Konishi
1989 True Believer Shu Kai Kim
1991 3x3 Eyes Chou / Transvestite #2 Video (voice: English version) (as Yujii Okumoto)
1992 Nemesis Yoshiro Han
1993 Silent Cries Mickey Uncredited
Robot Wars Chou-Sing
Brainsmasher... A Love Story Wu Video
American Yakuza Kazuo
1994 Bloodfist V: Human Target Tommy
Blue Tiger Lieutenant Sakagami
Red Sun Rising Yuji
1995 Hard Justice Jimmy Wong Video
1995 3x3 Eyes: Legend of the Divine Demon Naparva Video (voice: English version) (as Yujii Okumoto)
1997 Blast FBI Agent
Mean Guns Hoss
Contact Electrical
The Game Nikko Hotel Manager
1998 The Truman Show Japanese Family Man
Sorcerers Secretary
2000 Fortress 2: Re-Entry Sato
I'll Remember April Matsuo Yomma
2001 Pearl Harbor Zenji Abe
Ticker Embassy Consul
2005 The Crow: Wicked Prayer 'Pestilence'
2006 Big Momma's House 2 Parsons
Only the Brave Sergeant Yukio 'Yuk' Nakajo
End Game Dr. Lee
2007 Cookies for Sale Grumpy Man Short
2008 Touch Ken Short
2009 Black Coffee David Short
Anatomy of a Fly Politician Short
2010 Inception Saito's Attendant
2014 Awesome Asian Bad Guys Yuji
2015 Beta Test The Surgeon
2017 Unspoken: Diary of an Assassin Unknown
2018 Driven Judge Takasugi
Ultra Low Yuji
2020 The Paper Tigers Wing / Producer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 T. J. Hooker Howie Kalanuma Episode: "Blood Sport"
1987 Simon & Simon Masaki Episode: "Desperately Seeking Dacody"
1988 Hunter Jimmy 2 episodes
1990 Murder in Paradise Unknown TV movie
Only One Survived Peter Fujko TV movie
Midnight Caller Lee Minh Episode: "Home to Roost"
1991 American Playhouse Teruo Kuroda Episode: "Hot Summer Winds"
1991–1993 Knots Landing Art Nam 6 Episodes
1994 Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills Lester Kuriyama TV movie
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Chen Chow Episode: "Chi of Steel"
Vanishing Son Nguyen Episode: "Holy Ghosts"
Murder, She Wrote Kim Huan Episode: "Murder a la Mode"
1996 Kindred: The Embraced Lieutenant Kwan 2 episodes
Superman Security Guard Voice, Episode: "A Little Piece of Home"
Walker, Texas Ranger Chang Episode: "Higher Power"
1997 Players Mr. Hayashi Episode: "Rashocon"
1998 The Sentinel Lo Episode: "Love Kills"
JAG Jiro Kitamura Episode: "Innocence"
1999 Just Shoot Me! Kevin Tanaka Uncredited, Episode: "Miss Pretty"
Johnny Tsunami Pete TV movie
2000 Martial Law Mr. Strinc Episode: "Scorpio Rising"
Max Steel Unknown Voice, Episode: "Seraphim"
Guilty as Charged Davis TV movie
2001 The District Officer Episode: "A Southern Town"
A Kitty Bobo Show Graffiti Voice, TV movie
V.I.P. Morton Zhou Episode: "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Val"
2003 Partners One Eye TV movie
2007 The Unit Mr. Michael Episode: "The Broom Cupboard"
Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board Pete TV movie
2008 Heroes and Villains Naomasa Ii Documentary, Episode: "Shogun"
Mask of the Ninja Nakano TV movie
2009 Katana Kenji Episode: "Pilot" (also producer and writer)
Bones Bruce Takedo Episode: "The Girl in the Mask"
2011–13 Young Justice Tseng Dangun / Singh Manh Li / Xaiping Voice, 3 episodes
2012 The Mentalist Mr. Liu Season 4 Episode 13: "Red is the New Black"
2013 Grimm Sheriff Gaffen Season 3 Episode 4: "One Night Stand"
2018 New Girl Mr. Yukimura Episode: "Godparents"
2021–present Cobra Kai Chozen Toguchi guest: Season 3 and Season 4; recurring: Season 5

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Johnny Mnemonic: The Interactive Action Movie Shinji Voice
2001 Throne of Darkness Swordsman Voice
2003 True Crime: Streets of LA Additional Voices Voice[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Meet Yuji Okumoto". konakitchen.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  2. ^ Karate Film Actor lashes at Black-Belt Pretenders Chicago Tribune, June 20, 1986
  3. ^ Matthew (2009-02-06). "Interview: Yuji Okumoto, Actor/Director/Martial Artist". Ikigai Way. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
  4. ^ Belle, Rachel (2021-05-04). "'Seattle filmmaker says Hollywood wouldn't make his film unless he replaced his POC cast with white actors". MyNorthwest. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  5. ^ Langmann, Brady (2021-12-31). "Cobra Kai's Season 4 Finale Had Nearly Too Many Twists to Keep Up With". Esquire. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  6. ^ Show, Gee (2021-01-19). "'Cobra Kai' actor, co-owner of Seattle restaurant on how show became Netflix hit". MyNorthwest. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  7. ^ Riddle, Eric (2021-01-28). "Seattle actor reprises his most famous role for Netflix hit series 'Cobra Kai'". KING-TV. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  8. ^ Karlinski, Marla (2021-02-04). "Local actor Yuji Okumoto kicks butt in 'Cobra Kai'". Seattle Refined. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  9. ^ a b "Yuji Okumoto's Kona Kitchen Is a Family Affair Actor-Restaurateur Keeps a Lot on His Plate". Japanese American Citizens League. 2017-04-21. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  10. ^ Baldwin, Kristen (2020-12-18). "Yuji Okumoto on Cobra Kai season 3: 'Chozen has gone through a lot of soul searching'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  11. ^ Talbott, Chris (2021-01-04). "In Netflix's 'Cobra Kai,' Seattle restaurateur Yuji Okumoto reprises a role — and a life — he thought he'd left behind". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  12. ^ Luthman, Jenna (2016-08-16). "Karate Kid II star owns awesome Seattle restaurant". Seattle Refined. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  13. ^ "True Crime: Streets of LA (2003 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 28 April 2021. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)

External links