A Long Road To “Heroes”

If you have visited some of the scifi cons, such as Westercon, and paid attention to those involved with security, then you may have recognized a familiar face on October 2nd’s episode of the new NBC hit SF series “Heroes.”

Actor Tadao Tomomatsu, who had been doing security for cons as a way to pay the bills while getting acting or production gigs was featured prominently in the episode “Don’t Look Back,” playing New York detective Furokawa, acting as the Japanese interpreter for one of the lead characters, Hiro Nakamura (played by The Groundlings’ Masi Oku).

In the second episode of the new acclaimed series, Nakamura, who can transport himself to any place or time, teleported himself from Tokyo to New York and ended up in one of New York’s finest jail houses. Tomomatsu interrogated Oku’s character in Japanese.

Tadao is no newcomer to the entertainment industry. When he was a very young man, he worked as a production assistant on the famous “General Hospital” soap opera. He also worked on the production staff for the game show “Family Feud,” the TV series “Sirens,” the Tommy Lee Jones film “Volcano,” and most notably, worked steadily as a member of the production team on the mega-hit NBC television show “Friends.”

In 1996 Tadao decided to step from behind the camera and become a performer in TV and motion pictures. As anyone who is in this business knows, it can be a long haul between paying gigs and steady work. Tadao has worked hard in small roles since making that decision to leave production for acting. You can see him in the SF flick “Independence Day,” the “Godzilla” remake, and “Inspector Gadget,” both starring Matthew Broderick. For the last ten years Tadao has also starred in the hit television series “Tracey Takes On,” and Dick Van Dyke’s “Diagnosis Murder.”

A very versatile actor, with a knack for being in the right place at the right time, we hope to see a lot more of Tadao Tomomatsu in the near future. You can learn more about him and what he is up to by visiting his official website.