Hitoshi Masaki

When I was in Jr. High School, I went to the movies to see Rocky and Rocky II back to back. After that, I was so inspired by Rocky's unbreakable spirit and his determination to "Never Give Up" that I decided to become a boxer. I wanted to be a world champion like Rocky. I boxed for the next 8 years but when I didn't make the cut for the 1988 Summer Olympics, I realized it was time to move on. I asked myself, "What should I do now?" Then It occurred to me - Rocky is a movie. In order to inspire people like Rocky inspired me, I must become an actor. I went to an audition for one of the most respected theatre companies in Japan, Bungakuza. They accepted me into their acting school and after 5 years of training with them they accepted me as a Bungakuza acting member, but I wasn't sure if that was the right fit for me. Once again I asked myself, "What should I do?". I decided to leave Bungakuza. My dream is to inspire other people as an actor through my movies like the movie Rocky inspired me. I moved to the US and everyday I continued to fight for that dream to become a reality. Then I had a 17 year gap from acting. I had to open another business to keep my US visa. I couldn't do any acting at all during those days. But I made my come back to acting in 2015 and I am still fighting for my dream to come true!