"... a deeply astute performance as Raymond... intelligent, conflicted, humorous, obsessive, in love and out of love..." — KIM VOYNAR, "cinematical.com"
Male
48 years old
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
United States
Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Macromedia's Flash Player. Click here to get the latest flash player.
Chris Tashima's Interests
General
SLIDESHOW: Some of my gigs, appearances and accolades... (click on image to view full picture, caption and comments)
I am working with East West Players this fall, in association with Cedar Grove OnStage to bring you an exciting World Premiere, as part of EWP's 43rd Season!
Chicago, 1978. Disco rules. Five years since the tragic death of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee. Tracy Fong is a 13-year-old ass-kicking, gung-fu fanatic tomboy, challenged by school bullies, airhead rivals, and a mother who just wants her to be a "normal girl." When bad goes to worse, the ghost of Bruce Lee appears to teach her the true meaning of strength and the true power of water.
BE LIKE WATER by Dan Kwong East West Players September 11 thru October 12, 2008
Chris Tashima as Raymond Ding and Autumn Reeser as Sylvia, written & directed by Eric Byler
Heroes
My Ba-chan, who raised my dad and his sisters, as a single mom in East L.A. (Ji-chan too, even though I never knew him). My Grandma and Grandpa — He was a successful Southern Cal grocer, business man and community leader. They've all passed, but I was lucky to have known three of them most of my life. Mom and Dad too, and not just because “I wouldn't be here...” All of them experienced “internment” as did most Americans of Japanese ancestry during WWII, but that’s just a small part of it...
And MAKO. Actor. Artist. Leader. He showed us what, why and how to do it.
I starred in, directed and co-wrote the Academy Award® winning short film VISAS AND VIRTUE (1997), a dramatic portrait of Holocaust rescuer Chiune “Sempo” Sugihara (adapted from a play by Tim Toyama) [view trailer]. To produce VISAS AND VIRTUE, I co-founded Cedar Grove Productions (with playwright/executive producer Toyama and producer Chris Donahue), which remains active developing and producing projects which boldly defy mainstream Hollywood by giving Asian Americans the spotlight on stage or the close-up on screen. More recently, I directed, co-wrote and acted in DAY OF INDEPENDENCE (2003), a tribute to Japanese Americans who endured America’s World War II concentration camps. This half-hour PBS drama received an EMMY® nomination in the category of Historical/Cultural — Program/Special.
In my biggest acting role, I star as Raymond Ding, the romantic lead opposite Joan Chen and Allison Sie, in Eric Byler’s festival favorite, AMERICANESE (2008), acquired by IFC First Take for release in theaters in 2008. Based on Shawn Wong’s provocative novel, “American Knees,” this Asian American love story from producer Lisa Onodera won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature plus a Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Ensemble Cast following its world premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW). At the Seattle International Film Festival, my performance garnered a Best Actor nod (2nd Runner-Up) at the fest’s Golden Space Needle Audience Awards.
The critics have been kind. Here’s what some of them have to say about me in AMERICANESE:
“The film centers on the performance of Chris Tashima, handsome but not thinking about it, playing an inward man whose view of race is not confrontational but observational.” ½ [read this review]
“... brought home with the power of the performances, particularly Tashima, who gives his former divorcé the proper impression of a man all too familiar with the pain of parting.” [read this review]
Other starring roles include two features from director Sherwood Hu: LANI LOA — THE PASSAGE (1998), where I play the evil gangster Bong (PICTURED AT LEFT) opposite Angus Macfadyen (from executive producers Francis Ford Coppola and Wayne Wang), and the ensemble drama, ON THE ROOF (2002), as the tortured artist Yu opposite Eliane Chappuis [view trailer]. Additional appearances range from Elizabeth Sung’s autobiographical short, REQUIEM (1995), opposite Tamlyn Tomita (PICTURED AT RIGHT), to Rea Tajiri’s STRAWBERRY FIELDS (1997), starring Suzy Nakamura.
On stage, my favorite roles include Ming in the world premiere of Chay Yew’s A LANGUAGE OF THEIR OWN, at the Celebration Theatre in West Hollywood (LA Weekly Theater Award for Ensemble Performance), Windrider in Laurence Yep’s DRAGONWINGS, which I originated at Berkeley Rep (reprised at the Seattle Children’s Theatre, the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, and Syracuse Stage), and Sugihara in Toyama’s VISAS AND VIRTUE, at The Road Theatre Company in North Hollywood. I have worked extensively with East West Players in Los Angeles, where my acting career got started. Early EWP credits include RASHOMON, MISHIMA and THE MEMENTO.
I have returned to my theatre roots, guidingCedar Grove OnStage, which will be producing original Asian American plays, as part of the “Cultural Roundtable” with the Latino Theater Company at THE NEW LATC in Downtown LA. Our first production will be the World Premiere of BE LIKE WATER by award-winning performance artist Dan Kwong, produced in association with East West Players, September 11 – October 12, 2008 (see General Interests section at left). I have directed several stage productions, including four shows for the Grateful Crane Ensemble, most recently the world premiere of Soji Kashiwagi’s NIHONMACHI: THE PLACE TO BE — A Musical Journey [download flyer]. I have also done scenic design (Ovation Award for SWEENEY TODD; Drama-Logue Award for INTO THE WOODS), producing and other backstage duties at various theaters around Southern California.
I am a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), in the Short Flims & Feature Animation Branch. I belong to the Directors Guild of America, where I was recently elected as Co-Chair Alternate for the DGA Asian American Committee (PICTURED AT RIGHT). I am also an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, serving on AFTRA’s APAM (Asian Pacific American Media) Task Force, in addition to belonging to the Screen Actors Guild, Actors Equity Association and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
As a member of Film Independent (FIND), it was my honor to have served as a mentor in FIND’s signature diversity program, Project:Involve, to 2007 Fellow, actor/writer Edward Gunawan. I serve annually on the AMPAS nominating committees for the Animated and Live Action Short Film Oscars®, and the Animated Feature Academy Award®. I’ve had the privilege of serving as juror at several festivals, including the Chilean International Short Film Festival, SXSW (shorts jury) and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. I have also judged for the CINE Golden Eagle competition and the Aurora Awards, in addition to judging student works for the Student Academy Awards®, the DGA Student Film Awards and the Shorttakes Festival of Student Films at UCLA.
Community organizations from around the country have recognized my work, with honors that include the Japanese American of the Biennium Award, bestowed by the Japanese American Citizens League (PICTURED AT LEFT), a Community Award given by the Japanese American Service Committee, of Chicago, the “Bridge Builder” Asian American Leadership Award presented in New York City by A. Magazine, and in Los Angeles, a Special Recognition Award from the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, a Visionary Award from East West Players, and a Humanitarian Award received from The “1939” Club, a Holocaust Survivors’ organization.
I studied film production atUC Santa Cruz and with Visual Communications (VC), an Asian Pacific American media arts organization in Los Angeles.
Who I'd like to meet: Anyone who bothered to read all THAT (above); theatre artists, filmmakers, playwrights, actors, and others passionate about telling stories of and for under-represented communities; anyone who wants to fund my next project (or help me get it produced in some other way).
DIRECTORS AND PRODUCERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO CAST ME!
View the trailer to my Academy Award® winning short film, VISAS AND VIRTUE.
Hey, come check out the new comedy, ASIAN STORIES at the ImaginAsian Center. It opens July 25th, and will be playing for a week! You can hear the music I wrote for it on the first track below. http://iacenterla. com/la
I met David years ago. His brother was married to my friend Claudia. That's what makes Hawaii so special...you can't escape knowing someone, somehow! :-)
I starred in, directed and co-wrote the Academy Award® winning short film VISAS AND VIRTUE (1997), a dramatic portrait of Holocaust rescuer Chiune “Sempo” Sugihara (adapted from a play by Tim Toyama) [
In my biggest acting role, I star as Raymond Ding, the romantic lead opposite Joan Chen and 
½ 
Other starring roles include two features from director Sherwood Hu: LANI LOA — THE PASSAGE (1998), where I play the evil gangster Bong (PICTURED AT LEFT) opposite 
opposite 
Community organizations from around the country have recognized my work, with honors that include the Japanese American of the Biennium Award, bestowed by the Japanese American Citizens League (PICTURED AT LEFT), a Community Award given by the 
