Yuji Okumoto

Yuji Okumoto press photo
Born	Yuji Don Okumoto (1959-04-20) April 20, 1959 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Residence	Seattle, Washington
Nationality	American
Other names	Yujii Okumoto
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1985-present
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Spouse(s)	Angela (Present)

Yuji Don Okumoto (ユウジ・ドン・オクモト, yūji don okumoto) (born April 20, 1959) is an American actor best known for his intimidating movie roles, such as Chozen in The Karate Kid, Part II.

Early life

Yuji Okumoto was born in Los Angeles, California to Japanese-American parents. He attended Hollywood High School (where he played both baseball and basketball) and Cal State Fullerton, where he eventually took up acting. Okumoto has also been involved with several theater companies, including the celebrated East West Players, where he appeared in the play, Webster Street Blues.

Career

Yuji's first feature film role was in the 1985 comedy film Real Genius as Fenton. Later in 1985 he appeared in Better Off Dead as Yee Sook Ree, a Japanese immigrant who along with his non-English speaking brother Chen (Brian Imada) frequently challenges Lane Myer (John Cusack) to drag races whenever they are together at a set of traffic lights. Yee Sook Ree learned his English from watching Wide World of Sports and spoke like Howard Cosell.

He is also well known for his convincing portrayal of the venomous, ever-smiling Chozen Toguchi in The Karate Kid, Part II. He played a Korean character, Shu Kai Kim, in the 1989 film, True Believer, alongside James Woods and Robert Downey, Jr. Yuji then played the role of Pete Kapahala in the 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie Johnny Tsunami and its 2007 sequel Johnny Kapahala: Back on Board. In 2005, he played a role in Lane Nishikawa's film about the Japanese American segregated fighting unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of World War II, Only the Brave. He also played alongside Ken Watanabe in Christopher Nolan's 2010 thriller Inception.

Personal life

Okumoto resides in Seattle, Washington where he is the proprietor of a Hawaiian-themed restaurant named Kona Kitchen/Yuji Lounge, along with his wife and family.

Filmography

Film and Television Credits

See also

• History of the Japanese in Los Angeles
• History of the Japanese in Seattle

External links

• Yuji Okumoto at the Internet Movie Database