MAKO

Birth Name:

Makoto Iwamatsu

Birth Place:

Kobe, Japan

Profession

Actor, Soundtrack

Won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2002 Big Bear Lake International Film Festival
The film "TMNT" in which he voiced the character Splinter was dedicated to him, as he was confirmed to star in it one day before his death
Was nominated for a Tony for his leading role in the original cast of "Pacific Overtures․"
After briefly studying architecture at the Pratt Institute, he was drafted and returned from the army to study acting at the Pasadena Playhouse
Originally intended to become an architect, but while studying for this career ath, a friend asked him to help design and build a stage set and he was hooked on the theater
Spent two years serving in the United States Army
Quote: "[on racial barriers] "I go into a young film director's office these days and he says, 'Hey man, I know who you are․ I grew up watching "McHale's Navy․"' And I think, 'Oh boy, here we go again․'""
As an artistic director of East West Players, he staged Shakespeare and Chekhov classics, but also lesser-known contemporary works, devoting the entire 1981 season to works about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II
While most of the roles available to Asian American actors at the beginning of his career were caricatures or stereotypes, he took such a part in "The Sand Pebbles" and made the character empathetic through his acting, opening the doors for others
Voiced Aku in the video game "Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku․"

Fast Facts