Yuji Okumoto

March 19, 2022November 25, 2022 Rachelle Henry 0 Comments

YUJI OKUMOTO

The iconic KARATE KID II star is coming back to the hit Netflix series COBRA KAI for its fifth season. Best known for his role as antagonist Chozen Toguchi, Yuji Okumoto has had a long career in television & cinema and he’s not slowing down yet. You’ve seen him in projects such as PEARL HARBOR; THE TRUMAN SHOW and INCEPTION. Okumoto has more recently delved into the world of producing with films such as the 2020 hit THE PAPER TIGERS and is continuing his career as an actor. We had the honor of interviewing Yuji and getting the inside scoop on his legendary career.

ILLUMINATE: Welcome Yuji!

Tell us about when you first got interested in the performing arts? I know that an agent signed you after seeing your performance in INDIANS and that you studied acting at Cal State Fullerton, but I’m curious about when you got bit by the acting bug?

OKUMOTO: I was extremely shy as a kid, very quiet. I think back on my high school days and I’m sure not many people knew who I was, being that I would hardly talk to folks. I needed to find a way to express myself. After graduating high school, I attended a junior college, trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. While there, I started taking a dance class, jazz to be exact. From there I took an acting class. I thought to myself, I may have found my outlet. I eventually transferred to Cal State University Fullerton where I majored in Communications. You need to have a fallback degree, my parents would always say. Well, there was no fall back for me. I got bored with school and left to jump headfirst into acting. My first stop was the Asian American theater company, East West Players in Los Angeles. I signed with a commercial agent after doing a small part in a play and that led to me signing with a theatrical agent.

ILLUMINATE: You recently have come back into THE KARATE KID universe by reappearing as Chozen Toguchi in the hit series COBRA KAI. What was it like going from antagonist in Karate Kid II to being a heroic character in COBRA KAI? How did you feel about Chozen’s growth?

OKUMOTO: Who would’ve thought I’d be reprising my character of Chozen thirty-three years later? I remember having a conversation with the writers/producers of Cobra Kai in 2019 about Chozen’s reintroduction. What I loved about the writers was their willingness to listen to my take on the character. I really enjoyed the fact that the character did go through an evolution without losing any of his strength. As much as Chozen’s version of honor was a bit skewed in Karate Kid, it was still a big part of his present life. And that is where his growth comes into play, his understanding of what the true meaning of honor is.

ILLUMINATE: Chozen Toguchi is a very skilled and accomplished martial artist. When did you first start training in karate? Did you have your own Mr. Miyagi in your life?

OKUMOTO: Don’t we all wish we had a Miyagi in our lives? I started studying martial arts when I was in middle school. There were two reasons why I did. The first, being a minority, you’re always going to have a target on your back. I was bullied in school, so I asked my parents if I could take karate to protect myself. There was a nearby community center that was teaching Chito-Ryu karate and that was my introduction to martial arts. The second reason for getting into martial arts was Bruce Lee. I remember watching his movies back in the day. I’m sure many teens were knocking themselves in the head, swinging nunchucks, trying to emulate him. To me, the man was not only responsible for the popularity of martial arts, but he changed the perception of who we are as Asian American men in film. He was such an inspiration.

ILLUMINATE: How did you get the news that you’d be returning to THE KARATE KID universe? Was it exciting to reunite with old costars and meet the next generation of characters?

OKUMOTO: I received a call from my agent in mid 2019 informing me of the Producer’s interest. When I appeared in Season 3, I had the opportunity to reunite with both Ralph Macchio (Daniel) and Tamlyn Tomita (Kumiko). I had not seen nor talked to Ralph since 2005 at Pat Morita’s funeral, and Tamlyn and I would get together occasionally. I remember my first day on the set, I was working with both Ralph and Tamlyn and it was such a treat. It was as if we were back on the set of Karate Kid 2 and no time had passed.

ILLUMINATE: As a 3rd generation Japanese American, what are your thoughts on diversity in TV and film and do you have any advice for any up & coming Asian-American actors?

OKUMOTO: As far as diversity in film and television, it is getting better for Asian Americans. We know there’s always been an issue in the industry regarding Asian American visibility but it’s not only in the media but also in our daily lives. Part of the problem is that we are seen as the model minority, which sounds great but there’s a flip side. When we assimilate into society, we become the invisible race. We are taught to mind our own business, never draw attention to ourselves. I think times are slowly changing and now we are starting to be heard. We’re still not there yet but with the success of films like Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell, Minari, and Shang Chi, there’s hope that diversity will continue to head in the right direction. The more Asian American stories are told, the more visibility Asian Americans will have. So, if you ask me what advice I have for young actors or any POC, do not just work at the craft of acting but also strive to create as writers, directors and producers. Like I always say, don’t wait for the phone to ring. Sometimes you have to DIY because honestly, the cavalry ain’t coming.

ILLUMINATE: Beyond THE KARATE KID/COBRA KAI, you’ve had an extensive film and television career including NEMESIS, PEARL HARBOR, THE TRUMAN SHOW and many more. Which film has impacted you most personally and have any of your roles felt more challenging than others?

OKUMOTO: One of my favorite roles was in a film that a lot of folks missed. It’s called “True Believer.” I had the opportunity to work with James Woods and Robert Downey Jr. It was based on a true story about a man wrongly accused of murder. All roles should be challenging. You need to always find something in each role you play that makes things interesting. Sure, we can all just get paid and walk-through performances but that should not be the case. It’s like doing theater. Whether there is one person in the house or a thousand, you always give 100%.

ILLUMINATE: What is the greatest advice you’ve ever received as a performer?

OKUMOTO: When I was in a scene study class in 1980, my acting coach quoted theater director, Konstantin Stanislavski. “Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art”. Another acting coach said, “Perfection is the death of good acting”.

ILLUMINATE: Your first TV role was in 1986 on the series T.J. HOOKER and you worked on other prolific series such as KNOTS LANDING, LOIS AND CLARK, MURDER SHE WROTE and countless others. These series were before the new age of streaming platforms like Netflix. Is there a difference in the way a TV show is filmed for mainstream television than when it is created for streaming?

OKUMOTO: Actually, my first TV gig was on a soap opera called, The Young and The Restless but I guess they left that off my IMDB. Haha! Well, for me the process is the same. I don’t worry about the way things are shot. I do the same prep for any show I do. Whether you have two months of prep or two days of prep. You build your character’s foundation by writing a backstory. That way you understand who your character is before you set foot on any set. My only experience with a streaming show has been Cobra Kai. To me the only difference between streaming and Network programs is how they’re released. And maybe the cursing and sex.

ILLUMINATE: You now live in Seattle and own your own restaurant, Kona Kitchen! What brought you to the PNW and what inspired you to start your restaurant? Have you always wanted to become a restaurateur?

OKUMOTO: I moved up to Seattle from LA because my wife was from here and I needed a change of scenery. Also raising kids in LA seemed like it would be a struggle. I started the restaurant because I knew there would not be much acting work in Seattle. I thought, why not open a restaurant! What an idiot I was! I wasn’t even thinking about how much time and energy it would take. Luckily, my wife and her mother had experience in the restaurant business. I remember when it came time to dole out responsibilities, my wife, who was a CPA at the time said she could do the books and paperwork filings. My mother-in-law said she could run the front of the house and bar. Then they looked at me and asked what are you going to do?

I said unenthusiastically, the kitchen. Granted, I enjoyed cooking but cooking at home and cooking in a commercial joint were two different things. Anyway, it was obviously a steep learning curve. What the hell? I played a cook on TV before; how hard can it be. It was hard… But we must’ve done something right. Kona Kitchen has been around for almost twenty years!

ILLUMINATE: Speaking of your entrepreneur side, you have your own production company MadMoto Productions and you’ve dipped into the world of producing. One of your recent projects as a producer was the successful indie feature film THE PAPER TIGERS. What are some of the differences you’ve noticed in your work as an actor and as a producer? What lead to you creating your own content and helping produce content for other filmmakers?

OKUMOTO: Acting and producing are a lot different. I’d compare producing to more like running a restaurant. As an actor, your work comes before and during production. But as a Producer you’re grinding before, during and after the production. From raising funds, to pre-production, to principal photography, to post-production. Then comes the selling of your film, and then the marketing of it. Like a restaurant owner, first one in, last one out. What I learned from the Producing experience, is that it takes a village to make things happen, especially making an Indie film. Without the help of friends and family, it would have been an extremely rough ride.

I was approached about eight years ago by Seattle director, Bao Tran. He had this kung fu script called, The Paper Tigers. Now, I love martial arts films so that piqued my interest in producing the script. But the main reason I wanted to be a part of this film was because of the minority lead roles. We can’t always control the narrative by forcing studios or the creatives to do what we want. But if we can create good Asian American content on our own, whether it’s through commercial projects or projects that have crossover appeal or personal stories with heart, maybe we can change the public’s perception of who we are. Granted the independent road for us was a long and bumpy one but it was well worth the journey for us. Yes, we could have taken the easier route and taken the offer from a studio to finance the film, but the caveat was to cast white guys to play the Asian leads. Obviously, we passed on that deal. So, circling back to why I want to produce… Like I said before, we can choose to wait for the phone to ring or we can do our part to create good content. My goal is to do the latter and not only produce good content but help get minority stories out into the mainstream.