Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa Falls Asleep in the Lord

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa on the day of his baptism into Holy Orthodoxy. Photo: Pravmir

SANTA BARBARA, CA — Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the Tokyo-born actor who broke out in 1987 due to his role as Chang in "The Last Emperor," fell asleep in the Lord on Thursday, Dec. 4, at the age of 75. Tagawa was baptized into the Orthodox faith in 2015, taking the name Panteleimon. 

According to reporting from the Associated Press, Tagawa passed away in Santa Barbara surrounded by family after complications from a stroke. His manager, Margie Weiner, remembered him as “a rare soul: generous, thoughtful, and endlessly committed to his craft,” adding that his loss is “immeasurable.”

Tagawa, who also had roles in "Mortal Kombat," "Pearl Harbor," "Planet of the Apes," and "License to Kill," was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church in 2015 after playing a priest in the movie "Priest-San: Confession of a Samurai." 

In an interview with Pravmir following his baptism, Tagawa said that the movie changed his life, with his character influencing him to become "more of a monk by personality." He added that he had never seen the depth of the Orthodox faith anywhere else.

"I’m just afraid I’m not worthy of God’s love and that has absolutely been my dilemma my whole life," Tagawa told Pravmir. "I feel guilty about certain things. I didn’t think that I was worthy. I absolutely believed in God, and even more the fact that I believed in God created more and more fear about not being worthy, but now I have been accepted again by God. I confessed those things I was feeling guilty about. I feel new. It's amazing that when I went through the baptism that I really felt cleansed and released of those things in my being that, through the confession, really were bothering me my whole life — and now I feel clear that I’m worthy of that love and also to share that love."

Tagawa is pictured with an icon and prayer book gifted to him at his baptism. Photo: Pravmir

As for his connection to Russia and Russian Orthodoxy, Tagawa stated his belief that Russia has a deep respect for Japan and Japanese culture and that he identified with the "deeply soulful" culture found in Russia:

"You know Moscow is three times the length of history of all of the United States. So we’re talking about a very old culture, deep within the soul. I feel like the American culture — and this is of no disrespect — it is just naturally true that 300 years is hardly enough time for people to become deeply soulful — and I think in a certain way tolerant and a part of a greater world consciousness. I’ve done my best, I’ve done my work, I have been searching for my soul, and I identify with the Russian soul very clearly. The depth of struggle and the triumph over the pain. So much of Russian music is in minor chord… it gets to me."

He also said that his connection to Russia did not mean he was renouncing any other loyalties:

"We all need something to be inspired and then do our work. So that’s why I choose to have both. I don’t choose to renounce American citizenship. Certainly, to identify with Mother Russia is important. Politics, that’s another question. That’s not a question of God — that’s a question of men. Leave that to men to solve that."

Tagawa also explained his choice of St. Panteleimon as his heavenly intercessor, saying that he had previously done work as a healer before becoming active in Hollywood. Because of this, he identified with the early Christian martyr.

"I was very serious about the choice and made it with great responsibility," he said. "I still have my own respiratory practice which helps to recover and return vital tone. Saint Panteleimon, who cured people with God's name and helped them cope with their troubles, inspired me very much. I understood that physical recovery is possible only if you are spiritually healthy. There is no other way. Such spiritual recovery is impossible outside the Church, without faith."

Outside acting, Tagawa developed “Ninjah Sportz,” a training and healing system rooted in martial arts, and worked with professional athletes and University of Hawaii football players.

Previously, UOJ reported that the relics of St. Nicholas of Japan arrived at an English monastery.

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