Andrew Koji
Andrew Koji | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Andrew Julian Hiroaki Koji 10 November 1987 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Actor, martial artist, stuntman, filmmaker |
| Height | 181[1] cm (5 ft 11 in) |
Andrew Julian Hiroaki Koji (born 10 November 1987)[2] is a British actor, martial artist, and film-maker. He is best known for his work in the lead role of Ah Sahm in the Cinemax (later HBO Max) series Warrior.
Life and career[]
Koji was born in 1987 in Epsom, Surrey, where he was raised.[3] His father is Japanese and his mother is English.[4]
Koji started in the industry doing extra work and making short films as a teenager. At 18 he moved to Thailand while still training in martial arts and did some small jobs in that film industry.[5] He subsequently worked in Japan's film industry for a few years, before returning to England to train at the Actors' Temple Studio in London.[6] Eventually, Koji started getting more jobs in theatre and TV in the UK. Regarding his opportunities there, he stated, "My dual heritage has not particularly been advantageous. Opportunities for East Asian actors at the time was and still is quite limited although things are changing."[5]
Koji dropped out of university at the age of 19 to focus on acting and martial arts. In his twenties, Koji studied and competed in taekwondo and trained in Shaolin kung fu at the Shaolin Temple UK.[3] He has written and produced his own films, and has also worked as a stunt double; most notably on Fast & Furious 6.[3] He has also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, at the Regents Park Open Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Royal Court, Charing Cross, and Ovalhouse among others.[7]
By 2017, Koji was discouraged by a recent lack of television roles and considering a career change. His agent and his mother convinced him to submit an audition tape for the lead role of Ah Sahm in the Cinemax series Warrior, which he secured.[8][9]
Based on an original idea by Bruce Lee and produced by filmmaker Justin Lin, Warrior is centered around a martial arts prodigy in the late 1870s who emigrates from China to America in search of his sister, only to be drawn into the Tong Wars of San Francisco.[10] In a nod to Lee's ethnic background, Ah Sahm is of partial European ancestry, which Koji found fitting for the character, and relatable due to his own ancestry.[11] The first season premiered in April 2019, and the second season premiered in October 2020.[12]
Koji played Storm Shadow in the 2021 film Snake Eyes.[13] He has also been cast in David Leitch's upcoming film Bullet Train and the action-fantasy film Boy Kills World helmed by Moritz Mohr.[14][15]
Filmography[]
Film[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Project One | Soldier | Short film |
| 2007 | FB: Fighting Beat | Kali | |
| 2009 | 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope | Thai Gangster | |
| 2011 | The Missing Day | Huan | |
| 2011 | Mercutio's Dreaming: The Killing of a Chinese Actor | Lawrence Yang | Short film |
| 2011 | Gorjilla (Gojira) Suit | Yoshi | Short film |
| 2013 | Fast & Furious 6 | Undercover Police, stunt double for Sung Kang | Extra Role (Uncredited) |
| 2013 | Scrutiny | Stefan Aire | |
| 2013 | Above the Waist | Ken | Short film; Writer and Producer; Won Best Actor Award, Asian on Film Festival |
| 2013 | A Situation | Yuji | |
| 2014 | Way of the Warrior | Goro | Short film |
| 2014 | Hollow | Swordman | Short film |
| 2014 | Chameleon | Guard Kuro | Short film |
| 2015 | Backwater | Justin Lau | Short film |
| 2015 | Luck | Rai | |
| 2015 | Deep Pan Fury | Katashi Kimoto | |
| 2016 | Hall of Mirrors | Basil | Short film; Writer and Producer |
| 2017 | Trendy | Estate Agent 1 | |
| 2019 | Sandwich | Michael | Short film |
| 2021 | Snake Eyes | Storm Shadow | |
| 2022 | Bullet Train | Wataru Kimura | Post-production |
| TBA | Boy Kills World | Basho | Filming |
Television[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Narrow Escapes | WW2 Soldier | |
| 2012 | Seconds from Disaster | ATC Officer-JAL 123 | |
| 2013 | The Wrong Mans | Jason | |
| 2014 | Film Lab Presents | Sam | |
| 2015 | Acquitted | Chen Liang | |
| 2010–15 | Casualty | Keong Murong / Haro Reid | |
| 2016 | Call the Midwife | Benny Su | |
| 2017 | Jade Dragon | Mikey | |
| 2017 | Finding Akira | James | |
| 2018 | The Innocents | Andrew | |
| 2019 | American Gods | CEO | |
| 2019–present | Warrior | Ah Sahm | Main role |
| 2019 | Peaky Blinders | Brilliant Chang |
Theatre[]
| Year | Title | Role | Production Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Wars Stage Show | Jedi | Weird and Wonderful | |
| Richard III | Richard | The Actors Temple | |
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Stanley Kowalski | The Actors Temple | |
| 2013 | The Fu Manchu Complex | Dr. Petrie | Moongate Productions/ Mark Cartwright Productions |
| 2013 | The Arrest of Ai Weiwei | Policeman/ Soldier | Hampstead Theatre |
| The Forgotten of the Forgotten | Guo | Radar Festival | |
| Hidden | Jason/ Various other roles | Royal Court Theatre | |
| 2016 | In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel | The Barman | Charing Cross Theatre |
| 2016 | Shangri-La | Karma | Yellow Earth |
| 2017 | Snow in Midsummer | Fang | RSC |
| 2017 | A Tale of Two Cities | Jacques | Regents Park Open Air Theatre |
References[]
- ^ "Andrew Koji » Eamonn Bedford Agency". Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ @kojiandrew (10 November 2015). "Unexpected birthday cake from Dad!" – via Instagram.
- ^ a b c "Andrew Koji". Martial Arts & Action Entertainment. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "'Warrior's star isn't the next Bruce Lee, he's the first Andrew Koji".
- ^ a b "Andrew Koji Talks Cinemax's New Martial Arts Series WARRIOR". ScreenAnarchy. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ Tau, Timothy (2 April 2019). "Andrew Koji Talks Cinemax's New Martial Arts Series WARRIOR". ScreenAnarchy. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ "Andrew Koji Biography". IMDb. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Warrior Star Andrew Koji on Nearly Giving Up on Acting, Larger Than Life Fight Scenes, and More". TV Shows. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (11 October 2017). "'Warrior': Cinemax Sets Cast & Director For Bruce Lee-Inspired Martial Arts Series". Deadline. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ Hale, Mike (2 April 2019). "Review: 'Warrior,' Pitched by Bruce Lee and Made by Cinemax". New York Times. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ Bundy, Andrew (3 April 2019). "'Warrior' Star Andrew Koji Discusses Shooting Fight Scenes For A TV Series & His Multi-Ethnic Connection To Bruce Lee [Interview]". The Playlist. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (24 April 2019). "'Warrior' Renewed For Season 2 By Cinemax". Deadline. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
- ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (23 August 2019). "'Snake Eyes': Andrew Koji to Play Storm Shadow in 'GI Joe' Movie Spinoff (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- ^ "'Snake Eyes's Andrew Koji Joins Brad Pitt in Sony's 'Bullet Train'". 15 September 2020.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (10 January 2022). "Andrew Koji Joins Bill Skarsgard And Samara Weaving In 'Boy Kills World'". Deadline Hollywood.
External links[]
- 1987 births
- 21st-century British male actors
- English male film actors
- English male martial artists
- English male taekwondo practitioners
- English male television actors
- English people of Japanese descent
- English stunt performers
- Living people
- Male actors from Surrey
- Male actors of Japanese descent
- People from Epsom
- British male actors of Japanese descent