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Hazuki Kato On Starring In Atomic Eden, Working With Fred Williamson, More

May 14, 2021 | Posted by Bryan Kristopowitz

The 411 Interview: Hazuki Kato

Hazuki Kato is an actress that, according to imdb, has been working in show business since 2007. She has appeared in such movies as Ballistica, Sin Reaper 3D, Shi, and Falcon Rising. Kato also stars as “Reiko- The Samurai” in the action flick Atomic Eden, directed by Nico Sentner and featuring Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, Mike Moller, and Lorenzo Lamas, which is now available on various digital platforms (check out the Atomic Eden Facebook page here for more info). In this interview, Kato talks with this writer about making Atomic Eden, working with the cast and crew, how she got into the martial arts, and more.

Bryan Kristopowitz: How did you get involved with Atomic Eden?

Hazuki Kato: I worked with Nico Sentner on a horror film called Sin Reaper before Atomic Eden. We were chatting on set and I mentioned to him that I had been training in martial arts for years, and that’s when he told me about this project and offered me the part. I was really excited and grateful for this opportunity and it was perfect timing!

BK: How did you approach your character Reiko- The Samurai?

HK: I read the script over and over again to fully understand the character and spent a lot of time discussing it with other actors to create the relationship, history, and chemistry.

BK: What was it like working with director Nico Sentner?

HK: Nico is great! He was very welcoming especially as we were filming in a different country (Germany). He introduced us to East German culture and gave everyone the opportunity to hang out and spend time with each other. This was very effective in creating chemistry between the actors and crew. I was able to perform in a warm, trustful and comfortable environment.

BK: What was it like working with the cast of Atomic Eden? What was it like working with Fred “The Hammer” Williamson?

HK: The cast of Atomic Eden were very cool and welcoming! Fred Williamson has a long professional career as an actor, and during the filming of Atomic Eden, I was still new to a movie set and was very nervous, but he gave me lots of amazing advice. He was very charming and made us laugh all the time. He made our movie making experience very fun and relaxing!

BK: What was the hardest part of making Atomic Eden for you as an actor? What was the easiest?

HK: I would say that the most difficult part was when I caught a cold at night during the final days of shooting.

BK: Do you enjoy working in genre movies? Do you have a favorite genre to work in?

HK: I really do!! I love action B-movies! It’s fun and entertaining to watch. I am really happy to actually be in one!

BK: How did you get involved in martial arts?

HK: Martial arts is a big part of my life. I started classic ballet when I was 3 years old and continued until I was 10. But I was never good at it and I really didn’t enjoy it. I also did not like school growing up, as I was insecure and kind of losing my path in life. So one day when I was 10 my mother took me to karate class and I just fell in love with it. My karate teacher complimented me telling me that I was able to kick very high (I was quite flexible thanks to my ballet lessons!). It was the first compliment I ever received from anyone other than my parents and it made me feel really happy and confident. And, hence, karate became my passion.

I trained in Kyokushin style karate and continued until I was 15. I took a break for a few years and then came to the US. One day, for my very first acting audition, I found out that the casting director was looking for an Asian actress with martial arts skills! I hastily created an action reel and submitted it. I unfortunately didn’t get the role, but this incident made me realize how important it was to have martial arts skills as a Japanese actress here in Hollywood. Since then I have been training Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Kali, and Japanese Sword Fighting for over a decade. Martial arts training definitely helped my acting career, but more importantly, it strengthened my mental state. Being an actress is tough. You have to go through many rejections and sometimes you start doubting yourself. When I get frustrated or feel anxious, I will start punching and kicking my sand bag, shadow box, or swing my Bokken (wooden sword) like there is no tomorrow. This helps me focus, clear my mind, and become motivated again. It may scare some men away, but I won’t stop!

BK: What was it like making the action movie Falcon Rising with Michael Jai White?

HK: It was awesome! I learned a lot from him as he is such an amazing martial artist. He is very professional and has a great personality. I also watched many of his action movies.

BK: Any moviemaking heroes?

HK: Angelina Jolie! Tomb Raider! I grew up watching Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as a teenager and I idolize her! I also love Charlize Theron 😊

BK: Any upcoming projects you can tell us about?

HK: I’ll be playing the character “Tarren Kh’an” in Garrison 7, by Gena8studios. This is a sci-fi trilogy that will be shot in Australia, and I’m really excited to play this character as she is a total badass!

BK: What do you hope audiences get out of Atomic Eden?

HK: Have fun watching this extraordinary indie action B-movie! The film has lots of fight scenes, gun action, an exciting story, and it’s just a thrill to watch.

BK: Would you want to appear in an Atomic Eden 2?

HK: Of course! I would love to!

BK: Just how cool is it to have a codename/nickname like “The Samurai”?

HK: It is super cool and the name has a special place in my heart. I am Japanese and am very proud of our Samurai history and culture. I love this codename!