James Saito is an American actor of Japanese descent, best known as the original Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) and as Dr Chen in the ABC series Eli Stone (2008). Along with film and television, James has worked extensively in theater, including the Broadway productions of The King and I (1997) and David Henry Hwang's Golden Child (1998). Off-Broadway plays include Sarah Ruhl's The Oldest Boy (2014) at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center and Julia Cho's Durango at The Public Theater for which he won an Obie award in 2007. He was born in Los Angeles, California and received a degree in theater at UCLA. James now lives in New York City and studied with Uta Hagen at HB studio. He was in the last group of students who studied with Sanford Meisner on the island of Bequia in the Grenadines and then continued with Mr. Meisner in North Hollywood. He worked with Stella Adler in her scene study and script interpretation classes. James wanted to learn as many styles and techniques of acting because he found that different roles or situations may need a different tool to find the truth or to play it more effectively. So along with these 3 legendary teachers, he also studied with Milton Katselas, Wynn Handman, Peggy Feury, Jose Quintero and Nina Foch.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)as Judge Henry Suzuki
California Scenario(2026)as Bill
Breathe(2024)as The Man
The Company You Keep(2023)as Joseph Hill
Little America(2020)as Ray
The Motel(2005)
Marvel's Wastelanders(2022)as Baron Zemo
20 Years of Asian American Playwriting(2021)
Hollywood First Look(2017)as Self
Red Carpet Report(2009)as Self
Flipped Switch(2008)as Self
Production History(2026)as Self
5 Second Movies(2007)as Shredder
Partners in Kryme: Turtle Power(1990)as The Shredder
