Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe, born on October 21, 1959, is a Japanese actor renowned for his portrayal of tragic hero characters. English-speaking audiences recognize him for his roles as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in "Letters from Iwo Jima" and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in "The Last Samurai," the latter earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Watanabe has won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Actor twice, for "Memories of Tomorrow" in 2007 and "Shizumanu Taiyō" in 2010. His notable roles also include appearances in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" and "Inception," "Memoirs of a Geisha," and "Pokémon Detective Pikachu."
In 2014, Watanabe starred in the reboot "Godzilla" as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa, a role he reprised in the sequel, "Godzilla: King of the Monsters." He provided his voice for the Decepticon-turned-Autobot Drift in the fourth and fifth installments of the Transformers franchise, "Transformers: Age of Extinction" and "Transformers: The Last Knight." In 2022, he appeared in the HBO Max crime drama series "Tokyo Vice."
Watanabe made his Broadway debut in April 2015 in Lincoln Center Theater's revival production of "The King and I," portraying the title role. He received his first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 69th Tony Awards for his portrayal. Watanabe is the first Japanese actor to be nominated in this category. He reprised his role at the London Palladium in June 2018.

Ken Watanabe was born on October 21, 1959, in the mountain village of Koide in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. His parents, both educators, instilled in him a love for learning and creativity from a young age. Due to his parents' work, Watanabe's childhood was marked by several relocations to different villages, including Irihirose, Sumon, and Takada. Despite the challenges of moving, Watanabe attended Niigata Prefectural Koide High School, where he discovered his passion for music as a member of the concert band club, playing the trumpet.
After graduating from high school in 1978, Watanabe aspired to attend Musashino Academia Musicae, a conservatory in Tokyo, to pursue his love for music. However, financial difficulties arose when his father fell seriously ill during Watanabe's junior high school years, preventing him from continuing his music lessons. Facing these challenges, Watanabe made the difficult decision to abandon his dream of attending the conservatory. Despite this setback, he remained determined to pursue a creative path and turned his attention to acting, recognizing it as a means to express himself artistically. Reflecting on his decision, Watanabe remarked, "I had to give up my musical aspirations. I realized I had no talent as a musician. But I still wanted to find a way to be creative, so I decided to try acting." This pivotal moment marked the beginning of Watanabe's journey into the world of acting, where he would go on to achieve great success and acclaim.


After graduating from high school in 1978, Ken Watanabe embarked on his acting journey by moving to Tokyo and enrolling in the drama school operated by the Engeki-Shudan En theatre troupe. Under the guidance of this renowned troupe, he honed his craft and quickly gained recognition for his talent. His breakthrough came when he was cast as the protagonist in the play "Shimodani Mannencho Monogatari," directed by the esteemed Yukio Ninagawa. This role catapulted him into the spotlight, earning him critical acclaim and popular acclaim alike.
In 1982, Watanabe made his television debut in the series "Michinaru Hanran" (Unknown Rebellion), followed by his first appearance as a samurai in "Mibu no Koiuta." His transition to the big screen occurred in 1984 with his feature film debut in "MacArthur's Children."


Watanabe's portrayal of samurai characters became his signature in Japan, with notable performances in historical dramas such as "Dokuganryu Masamune" (One-eyed Dragon, Masamune) in 1987, where he played the lead role, and the television series "Gokenin Zankurō," in which he portrayed Matsudaira Kurō. He continued to excel in historical dramas like "Oda Nobunaga," "Chūshingura," and the film "Bakumatsu Junjo Den."
In 1989, while filming "Heaven and Earth" directed by Haruki Kadokawa, Watanabe received the devastating diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia. Undeterred by his illness, he resumed his acting career while undergoing chemotherapy. However, a setback occurred in 1991 when he experienced a relapse.


Following his recovery, Watanabe's career regained momentum. He delivered a compelling performance alongside Kōji Yakusho in the 1998 film "Kizuna," earning a nomination for the Japanese Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In 2002, Watanabe made a significant career move by joining the K Dash agency after parting ways with the 'En' theatre group where he began. His role in the film "Sennen no Koi" (Thousand-year Love), based on "The Tale of Genji," garnered him another nomination for the Japanese Academy Award.
In 2006, Watanabe achieved a milestone in his career by winning the Best Lead Actor award at the Japanese Academy Awards for his portrayal of a patient with Alzheimer's disease in "Memories of Tomorrow" (Ashita no Kioku). This accolade solidified his status as one of Japan's most esteemed actors.

References

1.  "Ken Watanabe Receives 2015 Tony Nomination for "The King and I"". crunchyroll.com. April 29, 2015. Archived from the original on May 1, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
2. ^ Longman, Will (November 17, 2017). "Details confirmed for The King and I at the London Palladium in 2018". LondonTheatre.co.uk. Archived from the original on August 2, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
3. ^ "The King and I". londonboxoffice.co.uk. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
4. ^ Keck, William (February 24, 2004). "Japanese Cruise". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
5. a b c d e f g h Lee, Ann (May 19, 2022). "'Each little thing in my life is precious': Ken Watanabe on cancer, childhood and Hollywood cliches". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
6. ^ Rebecca Murray. "The Last Samurai - Ken Watanabe Interviews". About.com Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
7. ^ Corkill, Edan (July 6, 2013). "From Hollywood to Hirohito". The Japan Times. The Japan Times, Ltd. Archived from the original on July 24, 2016. Retrieved February 19, 2014.