Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who was known for his roles in “Mortal Kombat,” “Pearl Harbor” and “The Last Emperor,” has died.

He was 75 years old.

Tagawa died in Santa Barbara, California, surrounded by family, from complications of a stroke, his manager said, according to The Associated Press.

“Cary was a rare soul: generous, thoughtful, and endlessly committed to his craft,” Margie Weiner told the AP in an email. “His loss is immeasurable. My heart is with his family, friends, and all who loved him.”

Tagawa’s father was from Hawaii and was a soldier in the U.S. Army when he met Tagawa’s mother while stationed in Japan, he told Honolulu Magazine in 2004.

He said when he was five, he and his family moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Tagawa said it was challenging.

“Being Japanese and living in the south during the ‘50s was pretty tough,” he said in 2010, Deadline reported.

Tagawa also lived at other mainland Army bases, as well as in Honolulu and Kauai.

He had learned martial arts when he was a child but when he was 21, he focused on traditional Japanese karate at the University of Southern California, and eventually moved back to Japan to study with the Japan Karate Association under Master Nakayama.

He told AP that he left more traditional martial arts programs because he didn’t like fighting and competition and eventually developed Ninjah Sportz, which used the disciplines as a training and healing tool.

His mother was an actress, and despite Tagawa being named after Cary Grant and his brother being named after Gregory Peck, his mother did not want him to become an actor because there were not many good roles for someone who is Asian, the AP reported.

He listened for many years, working as a celery farmer, limo driver, pizza supply truck driver and photojournalist, but eventually began acting at the age of 36.

“The good news for Asian actors and Hollywood is that it’s better than it’s ever been, but the bad news is that it hasn’t changed that much,” he said in 2005, the AP reported. “The opportunities haven’t increased that much, but commercially there’s more exposure.”

He was discovered by director Bernardo Bertolucci and starred in “The Last Emperor” in 1987, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Tagawa appeared in more than 30 films over his career, with many showcasing his martial arts skills.

His biggest, and well-known one, was in “Mortal Kombat” where he played sorcerer Shang Tsung, and uttered the line “Your soul is mine,” the Times reported.

He reprised the role in the television show “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” and voiced the character in the game “Mortal Kombat 11.” The designers of “Mortal Kombat: Onslaught” used Tagawa’s likeness in the game in 2023, Deadline reported.

Tagawa leaves behind his three children and two grandchildren, the Times reported.

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