Photo: Jeff Share, Los Angeles Times / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)

Mako

マコ岩松　/　まこ岩松

Stage actor from Japan

December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006　・　Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan

Hyōgo Prefecture
stage actor
film actor
television actor

My Take

Mako's career is one I think about whenever the conversation turns to Asian representation in Hollywood. Born in Kobe, he carved out 165 productions over five decades in an industry that offered Japanese-American actors mostly caricature, and he still earned Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Tony nominations. Then, late in life, he reinvented himself as a beloved voice actor in Samurai Jack and Avatar: The Last Airbender, reaching kids who never knew his film work. His star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame reads to me less like a personal honor than a trail marker left for everyone who followed.

Overview

Makoto Iwamatsu (岩松信, Iwamatsu Makoto; December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006) was a Japanese-American actor, credited mononymously in almost all of his acting roles as simply Mako (マコ; MAH-koh). His career in film, on television, and on stage spanned five decades and 165 productions. He was nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Profile

Name (English): Mako
Name (Japanese): マコ岩松
Reading: まこ岩松
Born: December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Sagittarius / Rooster
Origin: Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Blood type: Private
Height: Private
Agency: Private
Occupation: stage actor / film actor / television actor / actor

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: Private

Awards & achievements

star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

4. Personality

Motto

Private

5. Works & records

Category	Title	Role
Notable work	The Sand Pebbles	—
Notable work	Samurai Jack	—
Notable work	Avatar: The Last Airbender	—
Notable work	TMNT	—

6. Links

Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B3%E5%B2%A9%E6%9D%BE

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