T.O. actor known as movie villain
Denis Akiyama with Aura Carcueva in the play The Tiger of Malaya in Toronto.
Denis Akiyama, a Toronto actor who played foe to Keanu Reeves in Johnny Mnemonic, starred on Broadway in Miss Saigon and voiced an array of animated TV series, has died at 66.
Akiyama built a career working extensively in the Canadian film and TV industry, with early roles in David Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers and guest appearances on CBC-TV series Street Legal.
His profile rose when he starred as Shinji, the laserwhip-wielding Yakuza villain who chases down Reeves’ Johnny Mnemonic.
Akiyama went on to star in numerous other Hollywood movies filmed in the Toronto area, including Resident Evil: Afterlife and Repo Men.
He also played Toru Iwatani, the real-life designer of the PacMan video game, in Adam Sandler’s 2015 comedy Pixels.
He also voiced popular animated characters, among them Silver Samurai in the 1990s version of X-Men and villain Malachite on Sailor Moon.
Akiyama’s theatre roles included the Toronto and Broadway productions of Miss Saigon, Sally Han’s Naomi’s Road and Hiro Kanagawa’s The Tiger of Malaya.
Longtime friend Tony Duggan-Smith, who met Akiyama in the early1980s before his acting career got off the ground, said he was a man of great philosophical depth.
“He was a soulful guy that was going through life doing things that interested him,” DugganSmith said. “He was such a natural that it’s not surprising many people felt really strongly about him.”
The Canadian Press
New accusations against Spacey
Kevin Spaceyis reportedly under investigation for six sexual assaults in London stemming from allegations from three different men.
The Oscar-winning actor — already under investigation for five claims in both the U.S. and the U.K. — is being probed by the Metropolitan Police after the men came forward with accusations ranging from 1996 to 2008, according to TMZ.
Meanwhile, Spacey’s L.A. Confidential co-star Guy Pearce hinted at an inappropriate encounter on Australian talk show Interview. “Amazing actor; incredible actor. Slightly difficult time with Kevin, yeah. He’s a handsy guy,” Pearce said.
New York Daily News
No, Oprah’s still not running for pres
Oprah Winfrey has a killer reason as to why she’s not running for president.
The famed talk show host has once again refuted rumours of a run for office.
She told British Vogue, “In that political structure — all the non-truths, the bulls--t, the crap, the nastiness, the backhanded backroom stuff that goes on — I feel like I could not exist.
“I would not be able to do it. It’s not a clean business. It would kill me.”
Talk of a possible 2020 run against U.S. President Donald Trump picked up steam after Winfrey’s empowering speech at the Golden Globes.
New York Daily News
Jesse Wente signs two-book deal
Pop culture columnist and well-known Indigenous writer Jesse Wente has signed a twobook deal with Penguin Random House for a memoir and a children’s picture book.
In the first book, due in fall 2019, he’ll explore his family’s history, including their encounters with residential schools and how their experience shaped his perspective on contemporary Canada.
His picture book will be published in fall 2020. “Jesse stresses that it is the next generation of children who will advance the process of reconciliation between Indigenous and nonIndigenous peoples,” said publisher Tara Walker.
Star staff
Briefly
Musician, singer-songwriter and producer Richard Swift, who has been in bands such as the Shins, the Arcs and the Black Keys, has died. He was 41. Swift reportedly was hospitalized due to a serious medical condition.
Paul McCartney has announced four Canadian shows, none of them in Toronto. McCartney is to play Quebec and Western Canada in September as part of his “Freshen Up” tour.
Chromeo is scrapping three Australian shows this month to focus on their health. The Montreal funk duo said on Twitter the “rigors of our touring schedule have caught up with us.” However, a publicist says dates at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday would go forward.
Cardi B has become the first female rapper to notch two chart-topping singles after “I Like It” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Monday. It follows “Bodak Yellow,” which ruled the charts for three weeks last fall.
Joe Jackson, the late patriarch of the Jackson family, was buried Monday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, the same Southern California cemetery as his son Michael as well as Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, Bette Davis and Paul Walker.
Rogue One actress Felicity Jones, 34, married movie director Charles Guard, 45, Saturday at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire, England, Jones’ rep says. News of the pair’s engagement broke in May 2017.
Star wire services