Posted on: Monday, May 31, 2004

'Brave' cast loaded with Island ties

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

A star-studded Asian-American cast, including Jason Scott Lee, Pat Morita and George Takei, will be featured in Lane Nishikawa's wartime drama "Only the Brave," which has begun production at the Universal Studios back lot in Los Angeles. Nishikawa also stars, writes and directs. All, except Takei, have lived in Hawai'i.

While no filming is planned for Hawai'i, the Islands will have stellar visibility in the cast. The indie film, with a modest budget well under $1 million, is being produced by Mission from Buddha Productions and is the first big-screen feature in five decades to explore the World War II soldiers of the Japanese-American Regiment (100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team). The unit prevailed, counting devastating casualties, and became the most highly decorated regiment in U.S. history at a time when Japanese Americans were being imprisoned in U.S. internment camps.

Nishikawa is an Island-born theater, film and TV actor, who will portray Sgt. James Takata, who inspired his men to overcome tremendous odds in saving 211 trapped soldiers of the Texas 141st, dubbed "the Lost Battalion," in the World War II saga based on factual incidents. Nishikawa is making his feature-film directorial debut with "Only the Brave."

Mary, the wife of Sgt. Takata, will be enacted by Tamlyn Tomita, who appeared in "Karate Kid II," "Come See the Paradise" and "The Joy Luck Club."

Lee will portray the fiercely loyal Sgt. Glenn Takase. The Big Island-based actor, formerly of Pearl City, starred in "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" and "The Jungle Book" and voiced the David character in the animated "Lilo and Stitch" feature. He is expected to do the "Lilo" sequel and he soon will be seen in Milos Forman's "The Nomad" and "Dracula III: Legacy."

Pat Morita, a former stand-up comedian widely known for his Oscar-nominated Miyagi-san role in "The Karate Kid" and for his "Happy Days" TV role, will play Seigo Takata, a tough and loving father.

Mark Dacascos, another Island native, will take on the part of fiery Sgt. Steve Senzaki. Dacascos has starred in a host of action films and has completed "Nomad" with Lee. He also starred in "Cradle to the Grave," "The Perfect Husband" and "The Brotherhood of the Wolf."

George Takei, of "Star Trek" fame, originally agreed to take the part that Morita now has; he will participate in the project in a yet-to-be-determined role.

Nishikawa, who has brought his theatrical works to Hawai'i in the past, appeared on PBS on his "I'm on a Mission From Buddha" and has such film credits as Wayne Wang's "Eat a Bowl of Tea" and Wim Wender's "Until the End of the World."

On a Hawai'i visit last fall, he told The Advertiser that "Brave" has potential widespread appeal. "I think the more specific you are with their (the soldiers') experience, the story starts to become more universal," he said.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.