Peter Navy Tuiasosopo, widely recognized for his memorable performances in Street Fighter and Necessary Roughness, has died. He was 61. Manoah Peter Tuiasosopo, his son, announced his father’s passing in a heartfelt Facebook post.
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“With a heavy heart… our father Peter N. Tuiasosopo passed away this morning at 3:16 a.m.,” he wrote on Monday. “My dad lived an amazing life and in no way does his impact stop here,” he added. “We will continue to live with him in spirit, and as saddened as we are, he is without a doubt in Heaven with his brothers, sisters, parents, daughter, and Jesus, and no longer in pain.”
The Facebook post did not disclose the cause of death. However, his son later revealed to TMZ that his father passed away due to heart complications in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mr. Peter Navy Tuiasosopo who played E. Honda in the Street Fighter movie and other roles passed away at 61 yesterday (Feb 10). Rest in peace sir, and thank you. pic.twitter.com/rW0BvMPEnR
— OasisArcade 80s/90s/Retro+ (@Oasis_Arcade) February 11, 2025
Per IMDb, Tuiasosopo launched his acting career in 1991, debuting as Manumana “the Slender” in the film Necessary Roughness. He portrayed the dedicated and honorable center for the fictional Texas State “Fighting Armadillos” football team, leaving a memorable impression in his first major role.
RIP to Manu Manu The Slender aka Peter Navy Tuiasosopo
— The Monsta (@SteveMackDHS) February 11, 2025
One of my favorite football characters ever pic.twitter.com/5wvsB35zHN
He later gained further recognition by portraying E. Honda, a beloved character from the Street Fighter video game series, in the film adaptation.
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo’s Roles Extended to Many Classic Film and TV Shows
His filmography also includes the role of Willie Dumaine in 12 Rounds alongside John Cena, as well as appearances in Batman & Robin, BASEketball, Charlie’s Angels, Austin Powers in Goldmember and The Scorpion King, among other notable titles.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of our Hall Of Fame alumni, Peter Navy Tuiasosopo. Many may know him for all his acting roles, but we simply knew him for more. Coach, spiritual advisor, mentor, father figure. Rest well Pete. #SoProudToBeAPirate☠️ @breezepreps @latsondheimer pic.twitter.com/NKyiFdA5os
— San Pedro Pirate Football (@SPPirateFB) February 11, 2025
In his television debut, Danger Theatre, he starred as detective Al Hamoki alongside Adam West. He later gained recognition for his role as Yoshi Nakamura, a custodian and former sumo wrestler, in Disney’s Kickin’ It.
Over the years, he also made guest appearances on popular shows such as NCIS (as Charles Kang/Chucky Bang), Mob City, Ray Donovan, black-ish, Mayans M.C., and, most recently, Magnum P.I. Additionally, he had a recurring role as “Big Bob” in the hit series New Girl.
His son shared that the family is in the process of organizing a Celebration of Life and will provide details once plans are finalized.