| Birth name | James Katsuyuki Taenaka |
|---|---|
| Birth date | November 27, 1964 (age 61) |
| Birth place | Fort Ord, California, US |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse | Lim Li Li (2005–present) |
James Katsuyuki Taenaka (妙中克之 Taenaka Katsuyuki; born November 27, 1964), better known as Jimmy T, is a Singapore-based[1] American film and television actor. He starred opposite the late Brandon Lee in Showdown in Little Tokyo (1991) as well as David Carradine and Daryl Hannah in Kung Fu Killer (2008).
Early life
Taenaka was born in Fort Ord, California and raised in Monterey, California. His parents had immigrated from Osaka, Japan.[2] He attended Monterey High School in Monterey, California. Taenaka was a USA Junior National Judo Champion,[2] and represented California at USA Junior National Wrestling Championships.[2]
Career
Taenaka appears on television and film both in Asia and the United States. In Singapore, he starred in the epic World War II television drama A War Diary[2] about the Japanese occupation of Singapore, where he also received a nomination at the Asian Television Awards in 2002 for Best Drama Performance by an Actor.[3]
Personal life
Taenaka is married to Lim Li Li.[4] He is also involved as the VP and coach of the Wrestling Federation of Singapore.[1]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Studio | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Cop Files | Fox TV | |
| 1997 | JAG | CBS | |
| 1998 | Brooklyn South | CBS | |
| 1999 | Martial Law | CBS | |
| 2000 | Making Love | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2001 | A War Diary | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2002 | One Peep Too Many | TV movie | |
| 2003 | Amnesia | MediaCorp TV | TV movie |
| 2004 | Rouge | MTV Asia | |
| 2004 | Singapore Shakes | TV movie | |
| 2004 | Like My Own | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2004 | Machine | TV movie | |
| 2004 | Daddy's Girls | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2004 | The Second Singapore Short Story | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2005 | Shooting Stars | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2005 | First Mums | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2008 | En Bloc | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2008 | Calefare | MediaCorp TV | Guest star |
| 2008 | Kung Fu Killer | RHI Entertainment | TV miniseries |
| 2010 | The Pupil | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2017 | BRA | MediaCorp TV | |
| 2017 | Silo | meWATCH | meWATCH Original |
| 2017 | Halfworlds | HBO Asia | Season 2 (guest star) |
| 2018 | Grisse | HBO Asia | |
| 2021 | Glória | Netflix | Netflix Original |
Hosting
- Get Drunk in China (2007) Channel News Asia TV Series
References
- ^ "Jimmy Taenaka Started Shooting Netflix Series in Portugal in Quarantine After Testing Positive for COVID-19: "Every day I Was Waiting to Get Sick"". TODAY. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ "MH Interview: Jimmy Taenaka". MensHealth. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on April 18, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
- ^ Ito, Robert (February 8, 2007). "The Maggie Q story: Gone to Asia with an eye toward Hollywood". New York Times. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
- ^ "Real Love Lasts: Jimmy Taenaka & Lim Li Li". blissfulbrides.sg. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
External links
- Jimmy Taenaka on Instagram
- Jimmy T at IMDb