Meet Jonathan Tanigaki of Tarzana, CA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Tanigaki.

Hi Jonathan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in Midland Park, New Jersey, a small town where my graduating class was just 88 students, I was one of only two Japanese Taiwanese Americans: my older sister and me. Midland Park High School did not widely stand out in any particular field in the Tri State area, but what it lacked in size, it made up for in heart. The community was tight knit, supportive, and driven by passionate teachers and motivated students who wore many hats out of necessity. I was very fortunate to have avoided any major form of racism or discrimination throughout my childhood, and I owe that to the accepting nature of my peers back then.

At our school, everyone was multifaceted because we had to be. Us AP students were not just studying; we were also expected to play a sport, join a club, and participate in the musical, otherwise those programs simply would not have happened. That is how I ended up performing in my first musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, during my freshman year. My older sister signed me up for the casting call without telling me, partly because they needed more boys, but also, I suspect, because she knew something I had not yet realized.

My interest in what I say now as acting (back then it was wanting to be the center of attention) actually began much earlier, with manga and films like Princess Mononoke and One Piece. Those stories opened worlds I longed to step into, and introduced characters I admired and dreamed of becoming. I knew at an early age that if I pursued anything else in life I would always regret never going for acting. But, no matter how much I may struggle in acting (Oh and I struggle!), I will never regret doing it. That early spark grew into something bigger, leading me to train at the Bergen Performing Arts Center, then the Papermill Playhouse Summer Conservatory, then the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City while also doing stage adaptations of shows like CATS and NEWSIES. Eventually, I made my way to Los Angeles to pursue acting on film.

Now I reside in the Valley and it has truly been a game changer. The weather is amazing, the landscape is vast, and the people are incredibly kind and supportive here. I have been fortunate to find representation and work consistently in Hollywood, from network shows like NCIS Hawaii, SWAT, and Paradise, to voiceover and video games like Call Of Duty, Rise Of The Ronin, and an upcoming Marvel title that has not yet been released. I feel that I have just scratched the surface, but it is also encouraging to look back and see what I have accomplished thus far.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has certainly not been a smooth road, though not in the way most people might expect. In many ways, I have been lucky. Unlike several of my peers, I did not face some of the common hardships that arise when pursuing a career in acting. For one, my family has always supported my dream, and as an Asian American, I recognize how rare and meaningful that is. I also have not encountered serious discrimination, but on the rare occasion when someone did treat me unfairly, the situation tended to resolve itself without leaving a lasting mark. Though I will acknowledge the double edged sword that is being Japanese American. I never quite fully fit in one box, but when it comes to casting I do have the opportunities of both demographics.

The challenges I faced were more internal. I had a deep desire to become the kinds of characters I admired in anime or in the shows I loved, but that longing often held me back in auditions. Wanting something is never enough, and sometimes even hard work is not enough either. I pushed myself to earn validation. I told myself, “I put in more effort than anyone else, so I deserve the role, right?” But the reality is that landing a dream role depends on many factors beyond effort.

I have been rejected more times than I can count. For a long time, I responded by becoming mechanical, trying to analyze every mistake and “fix” whatever I thought was wrong with me. I would do hundreds of takes for a single self tape, staying up all night in pursuit of precision. The performances looked clean on the surface, but underneath they were driven by obsession and self doubt. It was not healthy, it was not sustainable, and it certainly was not artistically fulfilling.

Then something unexpected happened in January 2025. My cat Jasmine passed away suddenly. Ever since I moved to Los Angeles, she had been by my side. When I was at my lowest, she would curl up in my lap and comfort me. She grounded me on days when I felt alone or spiraling, including the past New Year’s Day when it was just the two of us. Losing her forced me to confront what truly matters. It reminded me how delicate and fleeting every moment is with the ones we love, and how important it is to cherish that connection.

Her passing softened me. I stopped judging myself so harshly and began to appreciate every moment, on and off the screen. I started learning how to love myself for who I am instead of tying my self worth to how hard I worked or whether I booked a job. If a stray cat like Jasmine chose me simply for being myself, then the least I can do is honor her by living a life where I accept and appreciate who I am too.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I consider myself an actor who moves fluidly between genres rather than specializing in just one. My work tends to split evenly between intense dramatic roles and more playful comedic performances. On the dramatic side for example, I have had the privilege of leading three Oscar qualifying projects, Nisei, Infinity!, and The Lights Above, all of which are period dramas. I often find myself cast as serious, emotionally burdened characters, which might be influenced by my angular features, my naturally stoic expression, and, as a minority actor, the types of stories that are often written around those identities.

On the other end of the spectrum, I also work extensively in comedy. I currently have two untitled comedy features in development, one of them directed by Steve Pink, known for High Fidelity and Hot Tub Time Machine. My background in musical theatre definitely plays a role in that. I grew up studying performers like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Jackie Chan, all of whom had an incredible sense of timing in their setups, punchlines, and reactions. That blend of slapstick, physicality, and bold choices is something I love embracing. I have always believed that breakthroughs sit just on the other side of cringe, and my personality often contrasts with my initially serious demeanor in a way that helps me stand out in comedic roles.

I am also known for some of my portrayals of anime characters. Early on, I did a parody of Sokka from Avatar: The Last Airbender, which was a comedic short and actually one of the projects that helped me get my first work in Los Angeles. Another role people tend to recognize me from is Shikamaru Nara in Re:Anime’s Naruto: Climbing Silver project, a performance that was deeply dramatic and rooted in Japanese culture.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Aww man, where do I even start? I would not be where I am today without some key people in my life. I will keep it to three, otherwise I could go on forever.

First is my older sister, Michele, who I mentioned earlier. She has always believed in me even more than I believed in myself. She supported me in every way and pushed me to actually pursue acting instead of just dreaming about it. She was also the anchor who helped reassure my parents that I was taking this career seriously. Having someone in your corner like that makes a huge difference.

Then there is Mrs. Donna Halliwell, my high school choir teacher and musical theatre director. Without her, I never would have discovered my love for acting, musicals, choir, or honestly the arts in general. She gave me a space where I could grow, experiment, fail, and have fun, all while feeling safe and supported. At the time, I only saw a fraction of how hard she worked: directing the musical, teaching, conducting choir, running madrigals, and being a mom of two. Now that I am older, I really understand the level of care and effort she put into all of us. That love she had for her students inspires me every day to give everything I have to the people I care about.

And of course, my best bro Jackie Tran — or as I call him, Jackie me boiiiiiii. He has been a massive inspiration to me. We became best friends the moment we met during my first visit to LA. We share the same dream of pursuing acting and embodying live action anime characters, and we have gone through all the ups and downs together. His dedication, drive, and ridiculously infectious energy are straight out of an anime protagonist’s playbook. He is basically Rock Lee, Midoriya Izuku, and Asta rolled into one. He is the kind of person you cannot help but root for, and I am lucky enough to call him my best friend.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.me/jonathantanigaki
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathantanigaki/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanigakijr/