Mako quotes

Mako was a Japanese-American actor, voice actor, and director recognized for his dynamic presence in film, television, and theater. Famous for roles in productions such as “The Sand Pebbles,” “Conan the Barbarian,” and as the voice of Uncle Iroh in “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” his performances broke barriers for Asian actors in Hollywood. He inspired countless artists and paved the way for greater representation in the industry. Here are 5 of his quotes:

Of course we've been fighting against stereotypes from Day One at East West. That's the reason we formed: to combat that, and to show we are capable of more than just fulfilling the stereotypes - waiter, laundryman, gardener, martial artist, villain.

Mako

I was a very happy child, so to speak. But, since we didn't have video games or television, and very little radio, in terms of a form of entertainment, I used to read a lot and I would draw a lot, and those two things used to occupy my time.

Mako

I had no idea how difficult Sondheim's music would be. All through the rehearsals, I kept flubbing. There were so many tempo changes. I could never get through the opening number without any mistakes. One day, I went up to Hal Prince and offered to leave the show. He laughed it off. He said, 'Don't be silly. That's why we have tryouts.'

Mako

No matter what happens, we couldn't let people say Asian-American actors can't act.

Mako