Kill Bill actor Sonny Chiba dies from COVID-19
Sonny Chiba, Japanese actor, and martial arts legend has died from COVID-19 complications. He was 82-years-old.
The celebrated Japanese actor was known in western culture for his role as the swordsmith in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
According to agent, Timothy Beal, Chiba was a “humble, caring, and friendly man”, and described news of his death as “tragic”. Chiba enjoyed an on-screen career that spanned five decades, which also included the 1970s Street Fighter trilogy and 2006’s The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is responsible for the Oscars, hailed Chiba as “legend” who “blended toughness with depth”.
“In 50 years on screen, Shinichi “Sonny” Chiba grew from actor to fight choreographer to legend. A black belt in six martial arts, he blended toughness with depth in films like “The Street Fighter,” “Kill Bill Vol. 1″ and “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”. He will be missed,” it tweeted.
