Born in the dense metropolis of Yokohama, Japan, James Yaegashi moved to America after high school to major in acting and eventually become the well-regarded talent in the industry he is today. After breaking into the Marvel Cinematic Universe by being cast in a minor role in Netflix’s Daredevil, he’s now a series regular as the intellectual and charming Robert Miroru in Marvel’s The Runaways produced by Hulu.
Yaegashi has also found success in theatre, originating various roles both on and off Broadway such as Take Me Out (2003) which won the Tony Away that year for Best Play, A Naked Girl on the Appian Way (2005) alongside Broadway and Glee legend Matthew Morrison, A Few Stout Individuals (2002), Durango (2006) and The Oldest Boy (2014). Additionally, he played Mr Yunioshi in a stage production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, a role that was typically known for being ‘whitewashed’, as such forming a particularly meaningful opportunity for Yaegashi to portray ethnic characters in a positive light.
Gamers may recognise Yaegashi as the voice of San Fierro Triads leader Wu Zi Mu in Game Theft Auto: San Andreas as well as the voice of undercover LCPD officer Charlie in both Grand Theft Auto IV and The Lost and Damned. He also voiced Dr Suchong in the wildly popular Bioshock video game series. A prolific actor, director and writer based in New York, Yaegashi continues to advance his acting pursuits, while collaborating frequently with Japanese artists and playwrights to present their great work to an American audience. He’s also frequently called upon to subtitle major Japanese studio movies.
