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- More than miyagi the pat morita story movie#
- More than miyagi the pat morita story professional#
- More than miyagi the pat morita story tv#
While Morita’s career ended with his death in 2005, his spirit is still alive through his classic performances as Arnold and Mr. There is no doubt that, whether it was through work or just friendship, the actor impacted many lives. The documentary features many celebrities, friends and family members, including Morita’s wife Evelyn Guerrero and The Karate Kid actors William Zabka and Ralph Macchio. More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story shows the actor from a completely unknown perspective proving that, as the title itself suggests, Pat Morita was more than just Mr.
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More than miyagi the pat morita story tv#
With its carefully selected fragments and scenes from various TV programmes and films, Kevin Derek’s documentary is a perfect production that sheds a new light on Morita’s entire career. Join the live discussion with the creators and guests of More than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story documentary taking the world by storm Get a chance to. What was more interesting is that he never trained in the martial arts due to the surgery and tuberculosis he suffered as a child, in the film itself he used Fumio Demura as his stunt double.Įven though Morita experienced a lot of discrimination and suffered the death of loved ones during World War II, he sought ‘help’ from the entertainment industry. Kesuke Miyagi in The Karate Kid, a role that won him an Oscar nomination in 1985. Nine years later, he came to play the acclaimed Mr. The actor achieved his first success after portraying Arnold in Happy Days in 1975. The actor never expressed that he felt burdened by the stereotypical roles of his ancestors or himself for that matter Morita always managed to turn the grotesque ‘Hollywood’ portrayal of Asian people into a joke. Although Hollywood wasn’t keen on employing Asian actors at that time, he made it. It was not until 1967 that Morita made his debut in the musical Through Modern Millie. Photo © More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story Another dream was born, Morita decided to pursue acting. Growing up, he dreamed of studying medicine, but this dream declined as he had to work at his parents’ restaurant where he also began to perform comedy.
More than miyagi the pat morita story professional#
And to understand the man’s private and professional life, one has to watch More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story, directed by an independent filmmaker, Kevin Derek.īorn in California in 1932, Pat Morita struggled with his health since he was two, however, his life changed when, at the age of 11, he received an experimental operation that enabled him to walk. The Karate Kid made Morita into a Hollywood star, but behind closed doors the actor’s life was filled with suffering, loss and an unfortunate case of substance abuse. Pat Morita, often known for his memorable role as the above-mentioned sensei, was a man of many talents, and what he managed to achieve during his life was incredible. Miyagi’s famous words from The Karate Kid.
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More Than Miyagi takes a short detour to explore the history of Asian-American depictions in Hollywood, which emphasizes the importance of the boundaries that Morita broke, although there’s not nearly enough time to explore the subject fully.“Wax on, wax off”, almost every single generation is familiar with Mr. Both shows were short-lived, but they provided the rare opportunity for an Asian-American actor to be the focus of a mainstream TV series. T and Tina, and after The Karate Kid he starred in the ABC crime drama Ohara. He left Happy Days to star in the first network sitcom with an Asian-American lead, Mr. More Than Miyagi demonstrates just how groundbreaking Morita’s career was for representation on-screen.
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More than miyagi the pat morita story movie#
But the affection and respect that Morita’s collaborators still have for him is heartwarming, and Derek also pays attention to how the positive portrayal of an Asian character in a Hollywood movie (including Morita’s Oscar nomination) made an impact on viewers of color. Miyagi (and still nearly didn’t get the part) is familiar to Karate Kid fans, and Derek doesn’t offer any particularly new insights about the character or Morita’s portrayal. The story of how Morita, known for his comedic roles, had to audition five times for Mr. Of course More Than Miyagi devotes the most time to Morita’s time in the Karate Kid franchise, with commentary from co-stars Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove, and screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, among others.