Joey Iwanaga Signs With Artists First After 'The Furious'
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- Joey Iwanaga has signed with Artists First for management representation, the company announced exclusively
- Iwanaga played lead villain Paklung in 'The Furious,' directed by Kenji Tanigaki, opposite Xie Miao and Joe Taslim
- 'The Furious' world-premiered at the 2025 Toronto Film Festival, debuted at #1 in the Chinese market, and holds a 98% fresh critic rating and 95% fan rating on Rotten Tomatoes
- Iwanaga's background spans full-contact karate, boxing, taekwondo, hip-hop, and ballet; he began acting at 16 in 'Dancing Karate Kid' (2013) and broke through internationally with 'Enter the Fat Dragon' (2020) opposite Donnie Yen
- His other credits include 'Alice in Borderland' and 'Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part 1 – The Final,' with the live-action Japanese film 'Blue Lock' based on the hit manga next on his slate
Why it matters: For Iwanaga, a management deal with Artists First comes at the precise moment his profile peaks — 'The Furious' delivered both a #1 Chinese box office debut and near-universal critical scores, positioning him for casting leverage on 'Blue Lock' and future martial arts leads.
