Yuki Matsuzaki

Yuki Matsuzaki is a Japanese actor and he voiced of Tenuk in The Lion Guard.

Career
Hollywood-based actor Yuki Matsuzaki, born in Miyazaki, Japan began acting at the age of 7 in a small theatrical group that performed for children. He performed over 50 shows in local theaters until he was 18. Upon graduating high school, he decided to dedicate his life to acting and moved to New York City to become an accomplished actor with the versatility to perform in both English and Japanese. Upon his arrival, all his money was stolen and he became homeless. In order to survive, he started performing on the streets of Times Square where his first day tally after performing 8-hours was a mere $4.00.

All his endurance and hard work was rewarded when Edward Zwick cast Yuki for The Last Samurai(2003). He began booking roles in such films as Drunken Sword (2005) and Roku (2005). Next Clint Eastwood cast him as Nozaki in Letters from Iwo Jima (2006). Eastwood favored Yuki for his unique preparation. In order to prepare for his role, Yuki only digested celery and water for five weeks to experience famine, confined himself inside dark closets and bathrooms to recreate the claustrophobic atmosphere for the cave fighting sequences. After Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), NBC offered Yuki a co-star role in their hit TV show Heroes (2006).

In 2009, Matsuzaki starred alongside Steve Martin, Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina and Aishwarya Rai as a member of an international dream team of detectives in Pink Panther 2 (2009). He followed that up with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), along with guest star roles in the ABC Family show Melissa & Joey (2011) and HBO's The Newsroom (2012).

In 2013, Yuki will be starring opposite of Eugene Domingo, one of Asia's top award winning actresses from the Philippines in Instant Mommy (2013). It is the screenwriting and directorial debut of Leo Abaya, the much awarded production designer of acclaimed films Jose Rizal, Muro Ami and Kubrador. The film will be shot on location in the Philippines.