Yuki Matsuzaki

Acting

Yuki Matsuzaki

Born 1981-09-24 · Miyazaki, Japan

Yuki Matsuzaki, born in Miyazaki, Japan began acting at the age of 7 in a small theatrical group that performed for children. He performed over 50 shows in local theaters until he was 18. Upon graduating high school, he decided to dedicate his life to acting and moved to New York City to become an accomplished actor with the versatility to perform in both English and Japanese. Upon his arrival, all his money was stolen and he became homeless. In order to survive, he started performing on the streets of Times Square where his first day tally after performing 8-hours was a mere $4.00. All his endurance and hard work was rewarded when Edward Zwick cast Yuki for The Last Samuri (2003). He began booking roles in such films as Drunken Sword (2005) and Roku (2005). Next Clint Eastwood cast him as Nozaki in Letters from Iwo Jima (2006). Eastwood favored Yuki for his unique preparation. In order to prepare for his role, Yuki only digested celery and water for five weeks to experience famine, confined himself inside dark closets and bathrooms to recreate the claustrophobic atmosphere for the cave fighting sequences. After Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), NBC offered Yuki a co-star role in their hit TV show Heroes (2006/II). In 2009, Matsuzaki starred alongside Steve Martin, Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina and Aishwarya Rai as a member of an international dream team of detectives in Pink Panther 2 (2009).

Acting credits

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides poster
6.6

When Jack crosses paths with a woman from his past, he's not sure if it's love...or if she's a ruthless con artist using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

2011

The Last Samurai poster
7.6

Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai's way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.

The Last Samurai

2003

Letters from Iwo Jima poster
7.5

The story of the battle of Iwo Jima between the United States and Imperial Japan during World War II, as told from the perspective of the Japanese who fought it.

Letters from Iwo Jima

2006

The Pink Panther 2 poster
5.7

When legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, Chief Inspector Dreyfus is forced to assign Inspector Clouseau to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts.

The Pink Panther 2

2009

How Do You Know poster
5.3

After being cut from the USA softball team and feeling a bit past her prime, Lisa finds herself evaluating her life and in the middle of a love triangle, as a corporate guy in crisis competes with her current, baseball-playing beau.

How Do You Know

2010

BraveStorm poster
4.7

In the year 2050, mankind is extinct. The last survivors travel back in time to stop the invader, Killgis, aided by roboticist Kenichiro Kurenai. When they arrive at the past, they start to build a giant robot, Red Baron, and the pilot of the Red Baron races against time aided by reinforced humans to identify the alien in a fierce battle which starts in Tokyo for the survival of Earth. This is a re-imagining of the 1970s TV series' "Silver Kamen" and "Super Robot Red Baron".

BraveStorm

2017

Only the Brave poster
5.4

A searing portrait of war and prejudice, ‘Only the Brave’ takes you on a haunting journey into the hearts and minds of the forgotten heroes of WWII – the Japanese-American 100th/442nd. In 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, overnight Japanese Americans were put into internment camps for the duration of the war. Determined to prove their loyalty, 1400 Japanese Americans successfully petitioned the government to serve becoming the 100th Infantry Battalion. They were sent to North Africa, Italy and finally France were they performed an impossibly-dangerous rescue of the Texas 36th Division. During their two years of combat these men received an unparalleled 21 Medals of Honor, 9,486 Purple Hearts, 8 Presidential Citations, 53 Distinguished Service Crosses, 588 Silver Stars and 5,200 Bronze stars – making them the most decorated unit of their size in American military history. This is their story.

Only the Brave

2006

The Black Ninja poster
6.1

Infamous defense attorney Malik Ali's haunted past causes him to double as a vigilante ninja, defending the cities worst thugs by day and battling them by night. While protecting a beautiful witness, in a case against a ruthless mobster, Malik is led closer to the evil ninja that killed his wife and children years ago. Meet the new face of justice! Infamous defense attorney Malik Ali's (Clayton Prince) haunted past causes him to double as a vigilante ninja, defending the city's worst thugs by day and battling them by night. While protecting a beautiful witness in a case against a ruthless mobster, Malik is led closer to the evil ninja who killed his wife and children many years ago.

The Black Ninja

2003

iCarly: iGo to Japan poster
6.8

Carly, Sam and Freddie kick off their adventure in Japan on a tin can of a plane packed with caged possums and piloted by Spencer's odd acquaintance.

iCarly: iGo to Japan

2008

Last Three Days poster
6.3

After getting mixed up with a dangerous crime syndicate, an undercover cop wakes up to discover he is missing his partner, his wife, and three days of his life.

Last Three Days

2020

Instant Mommy poster
6.0

Instant Mommy follows the story of Bechayda, a two-months-pregnant wardrobe assistant for TV commercial production. In the fear of losing her Japanese lover and her dreams of a better life, she embarks on a plan that will get herself out of her predicament. Or so she thinks.

Instant Mommy

2013

Cottontail poster
6.3

After the death of his wife, Kenzaburō receives an unexpected letter from beyond the grave. His late wife asks him to travel to Lake Windermere in England with their son to scatter her ashes. Plagued by sweet and painful memories of his wife, Kenzaburō travels to England from Tokyo to fulfill her final wish, but the father and son's fraught relationship threatens to upend their journey.

Cottontail

2024

Mosaic Street poster
NR

A Japanese/English crime drama set in a near-future Japan where diversity is already a norm. It is made to advocate diversity in the Japanese film/TV industries where minority actors have virtually no representation. Starring openly transgender actress Kota Ishijima, openly lesbian actress Ami Ide, and Afro-Japanese actress Ema Grace.

Mosaic Street

2022

Man from Reno poster
6.4

A mystery outside of San Francisco brings together small-town sheriff Paul Del Moral, Japanese author Aki Akahori, and a traveler from Reno who soon disappears, leaving behind his suitcase and a trail of questions.

Man from Reno

2014

Locksmiths poster
6.5

Two robbers unknowingly break into the home of a murderer who is in the process of hiding his latest victim.

Locksmiths

2015

Moon Manor poster
6.8

Today is Jimmy's last day alive. His Alzheimer's is worsening, so he's decided to die like he has lived - with intention, humor, and zest. In his last day on Earth, Jimmy will show an obituary writer, his death doula, his estranged brother, his caretaker, a surreal being, and the guests at his fabulous FUN-eral, that perhaps the art of living is the art of dying.

Moon Manor

2022

Robu poster
7.0

On a quest to find the comic book he’s been searching for his entire life, an adventurous 17 year-old travels to Tokyo and discovers a world in which Japanese comics are real and that he’s one of the main characters.

Robu

2019

No artwork available
NR

As his family argues about his end-of-life care, an elderly Korean man reflects on his life with a stranger.

Kimchi

2018