Randall Duk Kim

Randall Duk Kim (born September 24, 1943) is an American actor. On stage, he is known both for his extensive classical repertoire and as an interpreter of the works of playwright Frank Chin. He is the co-founder of the American Players Theatre. To film audiences, he is best known for his portrayal of the Keymaker in The Matrix franchise, and as the voice of Master Oogway in the Kung Fu Panda franchise. He is an Obie Award winner and an Outer Critics Circle Award nominee.

Early life Kim was born to a fundamentalist Baptist family of Chinese and Korean descent. He grew up on a farm near the Koko Head Crater. He developed an interest in acting as a child after seeing the musical Oklahoma! at the Honolulu Community Theatre. In high school, he often watched plays at the University of Hawaii. After graduating high school, while visiting family in San Diego, he visited the Old Globe Theatre where he saw The Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, and Richard III. He credited Morris Carnovsky for inspiring him to become an actor.

In 1964, Kim and his friend Charles Bright moved to New York City to become professional actors. Bright became an apprentice with the Association of Producing on the Phoenix at 74th Street. Kim and Bright befriended the house manager and the house manager gave Kim unsold seats at shows. Kim spent time in London from 1966 to 1967. He worked part-time and watched shows from the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Career

Theater Kim began doing theater when he was 18 years old. He has portrayed a wide variety of roles on the stage, focusing upon Western classical works, including Shakespeare, Chekhov, Ibsen and Molière. He has spent most of his career in theater.

Kim starred in the first play written by an Asian American to be produced professionally in New York, The Chickencoop Chinaman by Frank Chin, which was mounted by The American Place Theatre in 1972.

Kim co-founded the American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin with Anne Occhiogrosso and Charles Bright in 1977. He was the theater's artistic director.

In 1974, Kim starred in Chin's second play, The Year of the Dragon. Also that year, he became one of the first Asian-American actors to play a leading role in an American production of a Shakespeare play when he played the title role in The New York Public Theater's 1974 production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Kim played the title role in Hamlet at the Guthrie Theatre in 1978–79.

He played Kralahome in the 1996 revival of The King and I on Broadway, later succeeding to the leading role. Other Broadway credits include Golden Child and the revised version of Flower Drum Song, both written by David Henry Hwang.

Film and television Kim played the part of General Alak in the 1999 movie Anna and the King. Kim portrayed the Keymaker in the film The Matrix Reloaded (2003). He was originally asked by casting director Mali Finn for the role. Kim voiced Po's and Shifu’s teacher, Grand Master Oogway, in Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016).

Personal life He is married to actress and fellow American Players Theatre co-founder, Anne Occhiogrosso.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1970 The Hawaiians Asia at 19 Uncredited 1970 Tora! Tora! Tora! Tadao - Japanese Messenger Boy Unconfirmed; uncredited 1974 Nourish the Beast Actor Credited as Randy Kim; television film 1995 Prisoners in Time Nagase Takashi Television film 1998 The Replacement Killers Alan Chan 1998 The Thin Red Line Nisei Interpreter Uncredited 1999 Anna and the King General Alak 2001 The Lost Empire Shu 2003 MTV Movie Awards Reloaded Keymaker Short television film 2003 The Matrix Reloaded Keymaker 2005 Memoirs of a Geisha Dr. Crab 2006 Falling for Grace Mr. Hung 2007 Tailor Made Wong Short film 2007 Year of the Fish Auntie Yaga/Old Man/Foreman 2008 Kung Fu Panda Master OogwayVoice 2008 Secrets of the Furious Five Master OogwayVoice 2009 Dragonball Evolution Grandpa Gohan 2009 Ninja Assassin Tattoo Master 2010 The Last Airbender Old Man in Temple 2011 Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters Master OogwayVoice 2014 John Wick Continental Doctor 2016 Kung Fu Panda 3 Master Oogway Voice 2019 John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Continental Doctor

TV series Year Title Role Notes 1968–1969 Hawaii Five-O Eddie/John Lo/Oscar 3 episodes 2001 100 Centre Street Pham Van Trong Episode: "Hostage" 2006 Thief Uncle Lau 3 episodes 2008 Cashmere Mafia John Mason Episode: "The Deciders" New Amsterdam Donald Chen Episode: "Legacy" Fringe Dashiell Kim Episode: "The Equation" 2011 Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness Master Oogway Voice, 2 episodes 2012 Person of Interest Mr. Han Episode: "Many Happy Returns" Elementary Old Man Episode: "You Do It Yourself" 2022 The Boys Presents: Diabolical John Voice, episode: "John and Sun-Hee" 2024–2026 Avatar: The Last Airbender Wan Shi Tong Voice, 2 episodes

Video games + List of voice performances in video games Year Title Role 2003 Enter the Matrix Keymaker 2005 Red Ninja: End of Honor Shingen 2007 Stranglehold James Wong 2015 Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends Master Oogway 2023 DreamWorks All-Star Kart Racing Master Oogway