waiting for his picture... . |
real name | Ken WATANABE |
occupation | actor | |
date of birth | 21 October, 1959 | |
birth place | Uonuma (Koide), Niigata, Japan | |
blood type | A | |
size | height/ 184cm ( 6 feet 1&1/2 inches ) weight/ 76kg ( 167 lb. ) |
|
hobbies and specialities |
ski, golf, tennis, basketball, truck driver's licence, trumpet, horseback riding, baseball, cooking |
|
office | K DASH | |
fan mail address | Mr. Ken Watanabe c/o K DASH 5F Okamoto LK building 2-7-10, Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0011 Japan |
2003
He costarred with Tom Cruise and Hiroyuki Sanada in the Hollywood movie
"The Last Samurai" which was released at the end of 2003.
He participated in the Japanese Academy Award ceremony in New Zealand
with the cast and crew of "The Last Samurai" including other nominees.
He was awarded with a Japanese Academy Award for the role, Okubo,
the sidekick of the main charactor in the film "Hiwa mata noboru
( The Sun Will Rise Again )"
Before the release, Ken's performance in "The Last Samurai" is already
generating talk about a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.
**********************************************************
He has a good reputation for his roles in Samurai movies. Especially "Gokenin
Zankuro" ,which lasted 5 series, must be one of his most important works.
In the last and 50th episode he even directed and starred himself. His
innovative
direction also became a topic.of discussion.
Another work which should be mentioned is "Mibugishiden". It was a 10-hour
samurai TV drama that aired on January 2nd, 2002. This touching story and
his incredible performance moved a lot of viewers to tears and created
sensation.
Currently Ken aggressively continues to make good works and enjoys playing
distinct personalities such as a serious cop, a typical Japanese office worker,
a violent gangster, a cool and attractive samurai, a dignified feudal lord, a
charismatic Heian-period nobleman, .a sharp professional soldier like a
razor blade
and a Hojo regency of dignity and monarchy. His costume-play is also worth
watching. He continues his active career today as one of the few contemporary
actors with a broad range of works. He is literally one of the most recognized
Japanese actors now in Japan and so will be in the world soon. Further
successes
in many fields are expected.
■He is a completely different person from the same-named actor,
Ken Watanabe, who often appears on Hollywood Ninja movies. ■
related link in English:
■ an article about "Shin jingi naki tatakai-bosatsu" >The
Japan Times
■ an article about "Hi wa mata noboru", "The Sun Will
Rise Again" > Taipei Times
■ Ken Watanabe expeditions to Grise Fiord in Nunavut, Canada > Canada-Goose
■ The Last Samurai official site
■ an article about "The Last Samurai" > San Francisco Chronicle
■ an article about Ken Watanabe> USATODAY
■ Ken Watanabe profile >Modern Japan
■ "The Last Samurai" Premiere Interviews with Ken Watanabe and
Shin Koyamada
■ Los Angeles Magazine
■ USA Today "The Sun Will Rise Again"
■ movieline award
■Ken Watanabe On His Next Film
Exclusive: It's a Japanese story >Empire
■stage■ | |
year | stage title |
1980 | Britannicus henso |
1981 | Shitaya mannencho monogatari |
Fuyu no raion (The Lion in Winter) | |
Pajaze | |
1982 | Platonof |
Kafun netsu | |
1985 | Pizarro |
1988 | Hamlet |
2000 | Hamlet no gakuya -anten |
Eien part1-kanojo to kare (voice) | |
2001 | Eien part2-kanojo to kare |
■movie■ | |||
year | original Japanese movie title ( English title ) |
director | role |
1984 | Setouchi shonen yakyu dan ( MacArthur's Children (1984)) |
Masahiro Shinoda | Tetsuo |
1985 | Tampopo ( Dandelion (1985)) |
Juzo Itami | Gun |
Kekkon annai mystery | Matsunaga | Tetsuya / Masakazu | |
1986 | Umi to dokuyaku (Sea and Poison, The (1987) (USA)) |
Kei Kumai | Toda |
1991 | Bakumatsu jyunjyoden | Mitsuyuki Yakushiji | Ryouma Sakamoto |
1997 | Rajio no jikan ( Radio no jikan (1997) Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald (1997)) |
Koki Mitani | Truck Driver |
1997 | Tenamonya syosha | Katsuhide Motoki | Wang |
1998 | Kizuna | Kichitaro Negishi | Police Detective Sako |
2000 | Supeesu Toraberaazu ( Space Travelers ) |
Katsuyuki Motohiro | Hayato Sakamaki |
Zawazawa Shimokitazawa | Jun Ichikawa | Ishida | |
2001 | Oboreru sakana | Yukihiko Tsutsumi | Miyota |
2002 | Sennen no koi - hikaru genji monogatari ( Genji: A Thousand-Year Love ) |
Tonko Horikawa | Fujiwara Michinaga/ Fujiwara Nobutaka |
Hi wa mata noboru aka The Sun Will Rise Again |
Kiyoshi Sasabe | Osamu Okubo | |
2003 | T.R.Y. | Kazuki Ohmori | Masanobu Azuma |
Shin jingi naki tatakai-bousatsu (Fight Without Loyalty/Murder) |
Hajime Hashimoto | Hiroaki Fujimaki | |
Last Samurai, The | Edward Zwick | Katsumoto | |
2004 | Kita no zeronen | Isao Yukisada | Hideaki Komatsubara |
Batman begins | Christopher Nolan | Ra's Al Ghul | |
Sayuri ( Memoirs of a Geisha) | Rob Marshall | Mr. Chairman |
■TV drama■ | |
year | Japanese original title |
1983 | Mibu no koiuta (series) |
Michinaru hanran | |
Kazoku no onna | |
Taiyo ni hoero "Bouken no umi" | |
1984 | Sanga moyu (series) |
Tenkou syojo Y (series) | |
Umi akeru toki | |
Nijitte monogatari (series) | |
1985 | Orecchi no hoshizora yakyu |
1986 | Hanekonma (series) |
Ose ni iki Ose ni shisu | |
1987 | Dokuganryu masamune (series) |
1988 | Tabidachi |
1989 | Oda Nobunaga |
Anata ga hoshii (series) | |
Harenochi Kaminari (series) | |
1990 | Musuko no gokikan ( part 1-2 ) |
Shikakenin Fujieda Baian (series) | |
1992 | Ganryujima-Kojiro to Musashi |
Kimitachi ga ite bokugairu ( part 1-2 ) | |
Izakaya Choji | |
1992 | Aniki |
Shiawase kazoku | |
Wagamachi ( part 1-10 ) | |
Machibugyo nikki | |
1993 | Homura tatsu (series) |
Kagishi (part 1-5 ) | |
Daisainan | |
1994 | Goyokiba |
1995 | Gokenin zankuro (5 series) |
Sushi, kuinee! (part1-4) | |
1996 | Chushingura |
1997 | Tatakai sunde higa kurete |
1998 | Chokusen no shikaku |
Shimei tehai (part 1-2) | |
Chusingura (series) | |
1999 | Yonimo kimyona monogatari "Jikan no nai machi" |
Bakayaro special "humor tte nanda" | |
2000 | Hatsuru sokonaki |
Ikebukuro West Gate Park (series) | |
Asakusa Hanaoka syashinkan | |
2001 | Hojo Tokimune (series) |
Ningen no shoumei 2001 | |
Kochira daisan syakaibu (series) | |
2002 | Mibugishiden |
Chinmoku no ariibai | |
Tosan no natsumatsuri | |
Kyokohan sousa dainanagakari | |
2003 | Itan no natsu |
2004 | Suna no utsuwa |