Shin Biography

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Know more about Shin's Background...
"I grew up in a small town where a lot of nature, beautiful natural river, ocean, lake, and wild animals. In almost every weekend, my family and our friends went out for camping, fishing, barbecue or traveling at different places ,everywhere. I was always outside doing something with my friends in nature... almost everyday as soon as I got back home from Elementary and Junior High school. I was always a leader back then. When my friends were in trouble at school, I always got into the middle of it somehow (I didn't know why) and took the responsibility and ended up I was the one who had to stand outside of classroom every time. During that time, I didn't get to spend much time watching TV, as a matter of the fact, because I was always outside with my friends till around 6 or 7pm. When I was at home in raining days or holiday, I watched a lot of American and Hong Kong movies beside my Dad. That's how I was inspired to be an actor. My grandfather really loved me like as his own son. My Mom always made me run everywhere whenever she went out with her own bicycle... miles and miles. I didn't like studies much... but I was very good at Math for some reason. I used to fight with my schoolmates at school all the time because they challenged me. ?I was very wild, pure, energetic and genuine at the time... I still am :-)" - written by Shin on 12/09/05

Who is Shin Koyamada and how it all started...
Born and raised in Japan, Shin used to spend his past time watching American and Hong Kong action movies rented by his father. "My father really liked American movies, and I was always watching with him," says Shin. "He rented American movies, three, four, everyday. I was watching Jackie Chan movies, Bruce Lee, and I knew that I wanted to be just like that, in the movies. After I graduated from junior high school, I wanted to be in Holywood working as an actor, or Hong Kong." Most people will laugh at a little kid's dream of becoming a Hollywood star. That was half of what happened to Shin's parents when he told them about his dream to be an action movie star. They were reluctant to let their young son travelling alone in a foreign country especially when there's a big language barrier. They told Shin to enter and finish high school before he could do whatever he wanted. According to Shin, his parents were even hoping that he was just going through the teenage phase, however, Shin's mind was made. Shin passed his primary school exam (yes, that's how young he was when he made up his mind) and got into a good high school in Japan. He focused all his energy to physical training in track, long distance bicycle racing, gymnastics and swimming despite his parents' wish for him to focus more in studies. Some might think that he's missing out on all the teenage life and fun of computer games and dating but Shin spend all the time that he can find (before class, during lunch, evening, weekends) training and moving towards Hollywood stardom. Despite all the attention he got from ladies in school, Shin is a very focused young man with vision, determination and not to forget, a heartrob with that gorgeous smile and warm, friendly attitude! He was chosen as Captain of almost every team as a natural leader... winning first place and almost always placed in the top three. His good friend said, "People want to be around him, help him and be a part of his team because they know he's a winner. Nothing can stop him from achieving his goals because he never quits." When Shin started Karate at the age of 16, his teacher almost quickly noticed his talent and created a special training method for him. Starting with a white belt, as any other beginner, his teacher would spend time with him sparring and teaching forms after class. While other students practiced and tested and earned yellow, orange, green and different color belts, Koyamada just kept practicing. In only 18 months, Shin was tested and awarded black belt by his teacher as the symbol that he had become a master of this form of Karate and is qualified to teach.
The journey continues...
Shin reminded his parents again about his Hollywood plans after graduation. "I picked Hollywood, because I can't speak Chinese, and English is probably easier," he says. His family and friends were still against his decision, worrying that he is too young and do not speak English. However, Shin is thankful that they did provide him with the financial support to live in the United States as he packed his bag after 6 months of English class, enrolled in the Theater of Arts Performing Arts Academy, secured a student visa and moved to Hollywood on September 2000 at the age 18. "They have to. No parents can let their children go to other countries and not support them," Once settled down in California, Shin pushed himself further in learning and training in Kung Fu with the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association and others that left him little time for sleep. After only six months of Kung Fu training, he competed in his first national tournament and won first place. Each month after for five months, he competed in six National Martial Arts Tournaments and won first place in all but one, which was a second. Shin managed to divide his time well between training and acting class at Los Angeles City College. He was called upon to choreograph and perform martial arts forms and stage combat for a production of Shakespeare's Coriolanus at the Knightsbridge Theater. Later on, he was featured on an episode of the children's action show "Power Ranger" and a short film called A Ninja Pays Half My Rent. While on set, Shin quickly bonded with the director, producer, stunt team, cast and crew. They invited Shin to show them a videotape of his winning Martial Arts Tournament forms and encouraged him to remain in contact for future work. Without an agent or a manager, Shin submitted his own profile to various projects via an Internet casting site till he came across a casting call for The Last Samurai on a website called proartistsgroup.com. He submitted his headshot and martial arts reel, which piqued the interest of casting director, Vickie Thomas. Soon after, he auditioned for the film's producers. Shin was photocopying his resume at Kinko's when he learned that he had won the role of Nobutada. "I was watching 'Minority Report'", he recalls. "I felt a kind of connection with Cruise. Something's going to happen I thought, but I didn't expect that I would be in the next movie with him." He called his parents in Japan to share the good news, but they thought he was joking and hung up. He called back but they refused to believe him. "I told them I would see them with Tom Cruise," Shin says. He landed his first debut feature film role in The Last Samurai. Co-starring opposite Tom Cruise in the Warner Brothers epic as Nobutada, friend to Cruise's character (Cpt. Algren), a fierce archer, double swordsman, and a Samurai. While filming The Last Samurai in Japan and New Zealand, he added Kyudo (Japanese Archery) and horseback riding to his repertoire. Now a double swordsman and master of karate, Shin also honed in on his acting skills with the help Director/Producer Edward Zwick and Actor/Producer Tom Cruise. Making the most of a powerful debut.
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What's Next?
For a 23-year-old Hollywood neophyte, however, Shinis already quite media- savvy, carefully spelling out names and giving dates for the journalist's convenience. Yet he also retains a frankness that in older, more established actors may seem like indiscretion, but is somehow endearing. In Audrey Magazine, when asked what he misses about Japan, he gives an honest, rather than diplomatic, answer. "I miss sometimes traditional Japanese food. In the United States, there's some Japanese food, but it's not as good. So I miss that. I miss, well, that's it. I think that's all I miss," he says with a laugh. "I don't miss my friends. My friends were against it when I came. I said, Whatever you say, this is my dream, my goal." "When I go to different countries, I miss the United States," he adds after a pause. "I feel like I was born in the United States, but I'm not. I think it's because I was watching American movies since I was a little kid. I didn't really know about Japanese society. I grew up in the mountains," he says. "You know countries mostly through the movies. That's why people here know Japanese people as samurais, because they see samurai movies a lot. That's the way they get cultures or peoples." While Shin's heroes are Asian action stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, he also wants to be the sexy, romantic lead like Brad Pitt which Asian actors rarely get to be in the US. Whether he's reading martial arts books or improving his English, Shin seems set on becoming a distinctly Asian American superstar. It is ironic and perhaps a bit ominous that while Shin is set on becoming an American actor, his first film took khim back to Japan and immersed him in Japanese culture (albeit the Hollywood version). Although most of the shooting took place in New Zealand, they also took some initial shots in Japan. He also speaks mostly Japanese in the film with some broken English. In fact, his diligent study of English was almost more of a handicap than a help when it came to saying his lines."The director told me that my English was too good for the samurai back in those days," he recalls. Now that the 23-year-old actor has shared the screen with one of the world's biggest movie stars, what's next? Champagne? Limos? Pool parties? Not quite. "I am back in kung fu training," he says.
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BAD RUMOURS!!
There's bad rumours about Shin being a bodyguard to Japan's top gangster group since young to support his family and also having lots of scars and gunshot marks on his body. Just wanna clarify here that the rumours are NOT TRUE! I've got it clarified with Shin so please don't spread rumours without proof.