James Kazama
James Kazama (丘占輝 (Chinese), カザマ ジェイムス (Japanese), also 占士•卡查馬 is a Thai movie and television actor, dubbing artist, fashion model, contemporary calligraphy artist, installation art artist, pop-rock vocalist, and a licensed nutritionist. Kazama speaks English, French, Cantonese, Japanese, Thai, Mandarin, Spanish, German, and Chaozhou.
Early life[edit]
Kazama was born on 19 June in Hong Kong, the son of a land developer father and a garment factory director mother. Kazama grew up both in Hong Kong and Bangkok.
Asian professional career[edit]
In 1996, Kazama's voiceover potential was discovered by Lo Hung, a well known dubbing artist in Hong Kong, via an introduction by his sister Bonny, a former dubbing artist in Hong Kong. Years later, Kazama provided voiceovers in many well-known Asian movies, TV series, and animations, including the character Dr. Zoidberg in the Cantonese version of Futurama.
In 1999, Kazama entered the semi-final of a karaoke singing contest in Thailand. He is also a former vocalist in pop-rock cover band Hotfever.
Kazama has been in theatre since 1997, spending many of these years in Hong Kong. In 2001, Kazama's theatre group Drama2 破簡坊 had its first performance with the play “Come Try Again!” (來Try Again!), with Kazama in the leading role as “Ah-Sai” (阿細). Each show had a full house and additional seats were added due to demand from the public. The production received critical praise from audience members. Later in the year, Kazama was invited by Home Theatre Home (劇場休舔間) to join the play Man Murdered Nature Murdered Man (人謀殺自然謀殺人), directed by Mike Chow. This play won the Outstanding Team Play Award and Outstanding Director Award at the Hong Kong Federation of Drama Societies 2001 awards.
In 2001, Kazama starred as “Man” in a documentary, “Sexual Harassment Awareness” for the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Kazama is also a chef. In 2002, Kazama and his associates opened La Fu, a private restaurant in Hong Kong. Kazama was the main chef for the restaurant, which received positive reviews for its creativity and Kazama's traditional gourmet dishes.
Life in Europe[edit]
In 2004, Kazama left for Montpellier in southern France, despite not speaking much French. A few months later, he relocated to the Belgian capital, Brussels.
In 2005, Kazama joined the non-profit organization Nativitas in Brussels. He took on the role of main chef at their restaurant social scheme, providing warm hospitality and creatively prepared meals to people with various life difficulties. He commented in local interviews, "No matter whether they're rich people or poor people, they all have the right to have warm and delicious meals!"
In 2008, Kazama was invited by a young Belgian film director, Xavier Nellens, to be cast in a Belgian feature Gloria Jesus. Kazama won the role of Pastor Chang, and due to his outstanding performance, Kazama even gained Pastor Chang an extra background scene in the film. He subsequently traveled to different countries for the location shootings of Gloria Jesus, both in the role of Pastor Chang and as an assistant director. The same year, Kazama established his first abstract painting calligraphy exhibition in Brussels with his new series, Lights and Shadows. His paintings received high praises from visitors throughout Europe.
Kazama also appeared in Valencia and Horchata in Spain, in productions of his Spanish associate Oscar Corrons NOPfilms.
In 2009, Kazama was invited to exhibit his contemporary calligraphy and installation art at ETNIK'Art, in the eastern Belgian city of Liège. His paintings once again received positive feedback from the public, and his work Scream of Time was posted on the Liège City Blog[permanent dead link] as the cover picture of the exhibition. Later that year, Kazama was invited to star as an aggressive Zen master for a RTBF (Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française) program, and appeared in a variety show, J’ai Pigé.
In 2010, Kazama appeared in the fashion show of a Belgian popular fashion brand, Bellrose[permanent dead link], in the northern Belgian city of Antwerp; he was also chosen as a leading model for their catalogue in 2010. Later that year, Kazama was invited by Belgian film director Toon Aerts to guest star in the music video for Beyond Repair by The Sore Losers.
In 2011, Kazama appeared in the 2nd season of the program "À tort ou à raison" on RTBF (Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française). He also appeared in a Belgian feature film, L'envahisseur (English Title: The Invader), as Liong Bing, a passionate artist. This film won the Georges Delerue Prize and Special Mention awards, and was also nominated for the Grand Prix at the Ghent International Film Festival 2011.
In 2012, Kazama starred in the crime thriller Le Jour Attendra (Paris Countdown), directed by Edgar Marie, with Jacques Gamblin, Olivier Marchal, Rada Kateb, and Carlo Brandt.
In 2013, Kazama was invited to participate in a street art project, "Piano en ville," which was hosted by La Commune Saint-Gilles, Brussels. Kazama created an installation artwork called "Golden Baby," which was well-received by the City of Brussels and the public.
External links[edit]
This article "James Kazama" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:James Kazama. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
