The fearless samurai, the brave general, the brilliant prince - whom Ken Watanabe had portrayed in his life. A talented actor from Japan managed to overcome a serious illness and achieve worldwide popularity. By the age of 56, he managed to play over 50 roles, appearing not only in Japanese, but also in foreign film projects. What turned out to be the creative path of the famous “samurai”, what can be said about his personal life?
Ken Watanabe: childhood
The famous Japanese was born in the small town of Koid, there was a joyful event in 1959. Ken Watanabe does not come from a cinematic dynasty at all, his father worked as a calligrapher, his mother was a teacher. He remembered his childhood as a series of endless travels, constantly arranged by his parents. At the insistence of the pope, he and his brother also went in for sports from an early age, practicing jogging in the summer and skiing in the winter.
Interestingly, as a teenager, Ken did not indulge in dreams about an acting career. His only passion in those years was music, in particular, the young Watanaba liked to play the trumpet. The boy was not only a member of the school music club, but also from time to time organized concerts. It is possible that Ken Watanabe would never have become a movie star if fate had not intervened. His intention to become a student at a Tokyo conservatory was hindered by his father’s severe illness.
Senior Watanabe was not able to return to his official duties. As a result of his dismissal from work, the family was unable to pay for the training of the future "samurai".
First successes
Despite serious financial difficulties, Ken Watanabe nevertheless fulfilled his intention to move to Tokyo. In search of a way to earn a living, he came up with the idea of becoming an actor. Oddly enough, the young man without special education was gladly taken to one of the local theaters, most likely, the leadership was impressed by his talent. This was followed by participation in productions, then episodic roles in several series, which did not bring the young man popularity.
“Children of General MacArthur” is the first picture thanks to which Japanese viewers learned about the existence of such an actor as Ken Watanabe. The filmography of the Japanese began with a drama in which he got the role of a samurai. In the family, the young man did not have brave warriors, but he embodied the image of his noble hero on the screen easily and naturally. The Japanese directors, impressed by what they saw, began to offer the rising star the endless roles of samurai, which Watanabe did not refuse. It is not surprising, because Ken's acquaintances claim that in his hands even a banal kitchen knife looks like a dangerous sword.
Illness and recovery
The life path traveled by the Japanese cannot be called simple. In 1990, he learned that he was seriously ill when doctors diagnosed him with acute myeloid leukemia. Despite the course of chemotherapy, Ken did not refuse to shoot the action movie "Heaven and Earth", in which he played one of the main roles. Watanabe also dealt with the relapse that occurred in 1991.
The Japanese actor still had to take a short pause in work, he devoted the free time to restore his own health. The return turned out to be triumphant, many bright roles were played. For example, the Japanese Cinematographic Academy awarded an honorary prize for its role in the drama Memoirs of Tomorrow, in which the actor played a wealthy businessman, suddenly struck by Alzheimer's disease.
Best Roles
Among the best works of the Japanese in the big cinema, one cannot fail to mention the painting “The Last Samurai”, in which Ken Watanabe showed himself brilliantly in 2003. The films in which he was shot in the future also proved to be successful, but it was the adaptation of the work of John Logan that gave him worldwide fame. Interestingly, Tom Cruise turned out to be his colleague on the set. Ken played the rebellious samurai Katsumoto, who lived at the end of the 19th century and was at war with the character of Cruise.
“Memoirs of a geisha” - a picture that allowed Watanaba to declare himself as a talented dramatic actor. He got the image of the beloved of the beautiful geisha Sayyuri, whose difficult story is revealed in this film project. Viewers will see everything in this drama: the conflict of love and duty, the charm of secret love, seething passions, rivalry of the fair sex.
It is worth watching the drama Letters from Iwo Jima, in which the Japanese got the role of a strong-willed general, the famous action movie Batman: The Beginning, where he also played.
