Peter Tuiasosopo

Peter "Navy" Tuiasosopo (born May 24, 1965) is an American actor known for his roles as E. Honda in Universal Pictures Street Fighter and Manumana in the Paramount Pictures film Necessary Roughness. He also played custodian Yoshi Nakamura in the Disney TV show Kickin It. He is a former American football center in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams. He played college football at Utah State University.

Peter Tuiasosopo
Born (1965-05-24) May 24, 1965
OccupationActor
Years active1992–Present
SpouseCheryl D. Leonard

Football career
No. 68
Position:Center
Personal information
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:285 lb (129 kg)
Career information
High school:Phineas Banning (Wilmington, California)
College:Utah State
Undrafted:1987
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Games played:3
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early years

Tuiasosopo attended Taper Avenue Elementary and Phineas Banning High School in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. He lettered in both football as an offensive/defensive lineman and on the track team as a shot-putter. He accepted a football scholarship from Utah State University.[1]

Professional football

Tuiasosopo was signed as an undrafted free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals after the 1987 NFL Draft. He was waived on August 1.[2]

After the players went on a strike on the third week of the 1987 season, those games were canceled (reducing the 16-game season to 15) and the NFL decided that the games would be played with replacement players. In September, he was signed to be a part of the Los Angeles Rams replacement team. He started 3 games at center and was released after the strike ended.

On March 7, 1988, he was re-signed by the Los Angeles Rams.[3] He was cut before the season started. On July 29, 1989, he was signed by the Los Angeles Rams.[4] He was released before the start of the season.

Acting

Tuiasosopo is perhaps best known for playing the role of E. Honda in the live action movie Street Fighter along with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raúl Juliá.

His first motion picture film role was Manumana "the Slender", the committed and respectful center on the fictional reconstructed Texas State "Fighting Armadillos" football team in the 1991 film Necessary Roughness. Tuiasosopo took a leave of absence from McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach, California for the film. Shortly afterwards, he co-starred in his first television series with original television Batman Adam West as the strong-armed detective Al Hamoki for the Fox network called Danger Theatre. Tuiasosopo had another film role as Willie Dumaine in 12 Rounds along with WWE wrestler John Cena. He also had a part in the NCIS season 10 episode "Hereafter" as Charles Kang / Chucky Bang. He also played in the Disney TV show Kickin It as a custodian and an ex-sumo wrestler named Yoshi Nakamura.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991Necessary RoughnessManumana "the Slender"
1993Danger TheatreDetective Al Hamoki
1994On Deadly GroundWorker #1
Street FighterE. Honda
1996The Jamie Foxx ShowJackie Chin
1997Batman & RobinObservatory Guard
1998BASEketballEd Tuttle
2000Charlie's AngelsPink's Body Guard
2001The Fast and the FuriousBodyGuard
2002The Scorpion KingNight Gate Guard
2008Speed RacerFuji Announcer #2
200912 RoundsWillie Dumaine
A Perfect GetawaySupply Guy
The Slammin' SalmonMiami Dolphin #1
2011Kickin' ItYoshi Nakamura
2011The Young and the RestlessKoaaUnknown episodes
2012Fun SizeMr. Mahani (Samoan Man)
2013NCISCharles Kang / Chucky BangEpisode: "Hereafter"
2013New GirlBig Bob and Steve S2Ep10
2013Mob CityBig Oso
2015Ray DonovanSamoan Guard
2015Black-ishOfficer Tuiasosopo
2018Mayans MCAfa

Personal life

Tuiasosopo was born and raised in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California. His father was U.S. Army (27 years) and U.S. Postal Service retired Manavaalofa Petelo "Sgt. Pete" Tuiasosopo (1935–2008) of Fagatogo, American Samoa and mother Registered Nurse (30 years) retired Silaulala "Sheila" Lealoa Alofaituli (1927–2007) of Vatia, American Samoa. He is one of seven children: Brother Andrew Tuiasosopo (Carson, California) and sisters Jean Redondo (Long Beach, California), Aavonda Gonzales (San Pedro, California), Aaleslie Speake (deceased), Aaona Speake (deceased) and Adaline Aure (Bellingham, Washington).

Tuiasosopo's uncle is Bob Apisa. His cousins are Manu Tuiasosopo, John Tautolo and Terry Tautolo. His second cousin is Marques Tuiasosopo.[5][6]

References

  1. "Navy Tuiasosopo profile". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  2. "Transactions". Herald and Review. 2 August 1987. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  3. "Transactions". The Argus-Press. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  4. "RAMS SIGN EX-AGGIE TUIASOSOPO". Deseret News. 29 July 1989. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  5. "Mike Tuiasosopo profile". Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  6. "Shrine Classic: A Family Affair for Cousins". Los Angeles Times. 22 July 1988. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
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