Ken Watanabe Picture
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Ken Watanabe (I)

Actor | Producer | Director

Both of Ken Watanabe's parents were teachers: his mother taught general education and his dad taught calligraphy. He became interested in acting at the age of 24 when a director of England's National Theatre Company, where he was studying, told him that acting was his special gift. Ken is mostly known in Japan for playing samurais... See full bio »

Born:

Kensaku Watanabe
in Uonuma, Japan
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Marcia Gay Harden and Ken Watanabe Still of Liam Neeson and Ken Watanabe in Batman Begins Ken Watanabe and Keisha Castle-Hughes Edward Zwick and Ken Watanabe Still of Rob Marshall, Ken Watanabe and Ziyi Zhang in Memoirs of a Geisha Still of Ken Watanabe in Letters from Iwo Jima
86 photos | 58 videos | 1155 news articles »

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Franklin Ojeda Smith - -- "...back in the day the 'barb wire' was more visible" and early on I chose baseball over acting; then academia and not baseball. Now,"...the kids are grown, the dog is dead and now that I may, I choose acting." Please take a look: 1)Boardwalk Empire - Deacon Cuffy 2)Murder Incorporated - Sam Christenson 3)Cayman Went - Aniston Turnkey 4)Letting Go -Therapist 5)Footsteps in the Sand - Jim. Thank You! Franklin

Franklin Ojeda Smith -

Francine Locke Film Reel -- Family Law (Best Actress, Gideon), Stealing Home (Best Supporting Actress-nom.) 168 Project, True Tale Monster (Albert P. Weisman Award), The Discarded (2011 Feature Release).

Francine Locke Film Reel

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel -- This reel contains Christopher performing in Film and Television. The clips included are from the following: "The Boundary", "The Wire", "Duplicity", "Law & Order(SVU)", "Michael Clayton", "Cost Of A Soul", "HEROES" and "Law & Order (CI)".

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel

Melanie Molnar - Reel -- No description provided.

Melanie Molnar - Reel

My Demo Reel -- Includes clips from GLORY DAZE, COMMUNITY and horror film URBAN EXPLORER.

My Demo Reel


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Nominated for Oscar. Another 10 wins & 15 nominations See more awards »

Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (58 titles)
???? Silence (pre-production)
 
2014 Godzilla (filming)
 
2013 Unforgiven (post-production)
Jubee kamata
 
2012 Makete katsu - sengo wo tsukutta otoko Yoshida Shigeru (TV mini-series)
Shigeru Yoshida
– Episode #1.1 (2012) … Shigeru Yoshida
 
2012 Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home
Shunichiro Yamaguchi
 
2011 Ai inochi - Shinjuku Kabukicho Kakekomi Dera - (TV movie)
Hirayama
 
2010 Hei no naka no chûgakkô (TV movie)
 
2010 Inception
Saito
 
2010 Shanghai
Tanaka
 
2010 Tômawari no ame (TV movie)
Sohei Fukumoto
 
2009 Clouds Over the Hill (TV series)
Narration
– Ryugakusei (2009) … Narration
– Nisshin Kaisen (2009) … Narration
– Kokka Meido (2009) … Narration
– Sei-un (2009) … Narration
– Shônen no kuni (2009) … Narration
 
2009 The Unbroken
Hajime Onchi
 
2009 Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Mr. Tall
 
2009 Keiji ichidai: Hiratsuka Hachibei no Shôwa jiken shi (TV series)
Hachibei Hiratsuka
 
2007 Hoshi hitotsu no yoru (TV movie)
 
2006 Letters from Iwo Jima
General Kuribayashi
 
2006 Memories of Tomorrow
Masayuki Saeki
 
2005 Memoirs of a Geisha
Chairman
 
2005 Batman Begins (Video Game)
Ra's al Ghul (voice)
 
2005 Batman Begins
Ra's Al Ghul
 
2005 Year One in the North
Hideaki Komatsubara
 
2004 Suna no utsuwa (TV series)
Syuichiro Imanishi
 
2003 The Last Samurai
Katsumoto
 
2003 Joshi keimusho higashi 3 gô tô 4 (TV movie)
 
2003 Itan no natsu (TV movie)
Tatsumi
 
2003 T.R.Y.
Masanobu Azuma
 
2002 Tô-san no natsumatsuri (TV movie)
 
2002 Chinmoku no aribai (TV movie)
 
2002 Hi wa mata noboru
Okubo
 
2002 Another Battle/Conspiracy
Fujimaki Hiroaki
 
2001 Chûshingura 1/47 (TV movie)
 
2001 Sennen no koi - Hikaru Genji monogatari
Fujiwara no Michinaga/Fujiwara no Nobutaka
 
2001 Oboreru sakana
Miyota
 
2001 Ningen no shômei 2001 (TV movie)
 
2001 Hôjô Tokimune (TV series)
 
2000 Zawa-zawa Shimo-Kitazawa
Ishida
 
2000 Ikebukuro West Gate park (TV series)
Yokoyama
– Episode #1.11 (2000) … Yokoyama
– Episode #1.1 (2000) … Yokoyama
– Episode #1.10 (2000) … Yokoyama
– Episode #1.2 (2000) … Yokoyama
– Episode #1.3 (2000) … Yokoyama
See all 11 episodes »
 
2000 Space Travelers
Sakamaki ("Crusher")
 
2000 Hatsuru sokonaki (TV movie)
 
1998 Kizuna
Detective Sako Akio
 
1997 Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald
Raita Onuki, the truck driver
 
1997 Gokenin Zankurô (TV series)
Zankurô Matsudaira
– Episode #2.10 (1997) … Zankurô Matsudaira
 
1996 Sushi kuinê 3: Nigire!! Tôkyô natsu no aji (TV movie)
Shûzô
 
1996 Tetsuko's Room (TV series)
Co-emcee
– Episode #21.1 (1996) … Co-emcee
 
1992 Kimitachi ga ite boku ga iru II (TV movie)
Senjûrô Fujiwara
 
1992 Kimitachi ga ite boku ga iru (TV movie)
Senjûrô Fujiwara
 
1992 Oda Nobunaga (TV movie)
 
1991 Bakumatsu jyunjyoden
Ryouma Sakamoto
 
1990 Shikakenin Fujieda Baian (TV mini-series)
Baian Fujieda
 
1990 Takeda Shingen (TV mini-series)
Narrator
 
1989 Harenochi kaminari (TV series)
 
1987 Dokugan-ryu Masamune (TV series)
Date Masamune
– Episode #1.1 (1987) … Date Masamune
– Episode #1.10 (1987) … Date Masamune
– Episode #1.11 (1987) … Date Masamune
– Episode #1.12 (1987) … Date Masamune
– Episode #1.13 (1987) … Date Masamune
See all 50 episodes »
 
1986 The Sea and Poison
Toda
 
1985 Tampopo
Gun
 
1985 Kekkon annai mystery
Funayama Tetsuya/Masakazu Sekine
 
1984 MacArthur's Children
Tetsuo
 
1984 Sanga moyu (TV series)
 
1983 Mibu no koiuta (TV series)
 
Show ShowProducer (3 titles)
2012 Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home (co-executive producer)
 
2011 Unite for Japan (short) (executive producer)
 
2006 Memories of Tomorrow (executive producer)
 
Show ShowDirector (1 title)
2011 Unite for Japan (short)
 
Show ShowMiscellaneous Crew (1 title)
2009 Half Kenneth (short) (benefactor)
 
Show ShowSelf (20 titles)
2013 Bokura no jidai (TV series)
Himself
– Tomoko Nakajima, Kayoko Shiraishi & Kaho Minami (2013) … Himself
 
2012 Behind the Seams: The 14th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards Special (TV movie)
Himself
 
2011 Unite for Japan (short)
Himself
 
2011 The 34th Annual Japan Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself/presenter
 
2010 Janela Indiscreta (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #1.22 (2010) … Himself
 
2005-2010 HBO First Look (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Inception (2010) … Himself (also archive footage)
– Batman Begins: An Origin Story (2005) … Himself
 
2010 The 33rd Annual Japan Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself
 
2009 Tetsuko's Room (TV series)
Himself
– Ken Watanabe (2009) … Himself
 
2009 Waratte iitomo! (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 23 October 2009 (2009) … Himself
 
2007 ETV Special (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Kumai Kei: Sengo Nihon no yami ni idomu (2007) … Himself
 
2007 Earth (documentary)
Narrator (voice: Japanese version)
 
2007 Live Earth (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2007 100 Nen Interview (TV series)
Himself
– Watanabe Ken (2007) … Himself
 
2007 The 79th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself - Co-Presenter: Foreign-Language Films Montage
 
2005 Sekai ga moshi hyaku nin no mura dattara 3 (TV movie)
Himself - Narrator
 
2005 Tetsuko no heya 30nen special (TV special)
Guest
 
2005 Ashes and Snow (documentary)
Japanese Narrator (voice)
 
2005 On the Set: Memoirs of a Geisha (TV documentary)
Himself/Chairman
 
2000 The 51st Annual NHK kôhaku uta gassen (TV movie)
Himself
 
1986 Making of 'Tampopo' (video documentary)
Himself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (1 title)
2006 Alberto Iglesias, el músico fiel (TV documentary)
The Chairman (uncredited)
 

Related Videos

Inception -- Clip: Don't be afraid to dream a little bigger Inception -- Inception -- Characters Trailer Inception -- An Inception making-of featurette
See all 58 »
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Personal Details

Other Works:

Print ad, American Express credit card, 2006

Publicity Listings:

1 Interview  | 4 Articles  | 3 Magazine Cover Photos  | See more »

Official Sites:

Ken Wanatabe Official Fan Site (Japanese) | See more »

Height:

6' 0¾" (1.85 m)
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

I'm not a big star in Japan. I'm an actor. I have a very normal life. Four days a week, I cook at home. A star doesn't do that. See more »

Trivia:

Was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 1989. Since then he had fallen ill only once in 1994, but is now a fully recovered actor. See more »

Star Sign:

Libra