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Hiroyuki Sanada | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
真田 広之 | |||||
.jpg) Sanada on a press tour for the series Helix (2013) | |||||
| Born | Hiroyuki Shimozawa (下澤 廣之) 12 October 1960 Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan | ||||
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Producer, singer, martial artist | ||||
| Years active | 1965–present | ||||
| Spouse |
Satomi Tezuka
(m. 1990; div. 1997) | ||||
| Children | 2 | ||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | 真田 広之 | ||||
| Hiragana | さなだ ひろゆき | ||||
| Katakana | サナダ ヒロユキ | ||||
| |||||
Hiroyuki Sanada MBE (真田 広之, Sanada Hiroyuki, born Shimozawa; 12 October 1960)[1] is a Japanese actor, producer, singer and martial artist. He began his career in the mid-1960s at the age of six, and gained prominence for his roles in Japanese and Hong Kong action films, later establishing himself as a dramatic actor.
He is best known to international audiences for his roles as Ryuji Takayama in Ring (1998) where he played alongside Nanako Matsushima who was also his co-star in a 1997 television drama A Story of Love.[2] Beginning in the 2000s, Sanada grew his Hollywood presence with such roles as Seibei Iguchi in The Twilight Samurai (2002), Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003), Kenji in Rush Hour 3 (2007), and Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion in Mortal Kombat (2021).[3][4] His role as The Fool in the Shakespeare play King Lear also gave him notable theatrical attention in the United Kingdom.
He made his first major Hollywood appearance portraying Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003), later appearing in such films as Sunshine (2007), Speed Racer (2008), The Wolverine, 47 Ronin (both 2013), Minions (2015), Life (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Army of the Dead (2021), Bullet Train (2022), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). He also had recurring roles on Lost (2010) and the HBO series Westworld (2018–2020). In 2024 he starred in the FX miniseries Shōgun as Yoshii Toranaga, a fictionalized version of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
He has received numerous accolades, including two Hochi Film Awards, two Japan Academy Film Prizes, a Mainichi Film Award, three Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor, four Kinema Junpo Awards, and honors from the Yokohama Film Festival. In 2018, he received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government for his "artistic developments, improvements, and accomplishments".[5]
Life and career
1966–1978: Child actor
Born in Tokyo, he was scouted by an entertainer while playing with the son of the actor Kokichi Takada who lived in the same condominium. After working as a model for a magazine for young children, he joined the Himawari Theatre Group at the age of five. He made his film debut in 1966 in the ninkyo yakuza film Game of Chance (浪曲子守唄) starring Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba, reprising his role as Chiba's character's son in two sequels released the following year.
Originally planning to be an action movie star, he studied Shorinji Kempo and later took up Kyokushin kaikan karate.[6] He began playing baseball at age 8 as a catcher,[7] and started training at the age of 11 with Chiba's Japan Action Club, where he developed good all-around martial arts ability and soon became Chiba's protégé. After entering high school, following Chiba's advice, he decided to devote himself to his studies and withdrew from performing arts activities. In 1978, he resumed his performing arts activities in earnest after passing the audition for the movie Shogun's Samurai (柳生一族の陰謀). It was at this point that he changed his surname from Shimozawa (下澤) to Sanada (真田).[citation needed]
1982–1999: Hong Kong action films and Japanese character roles
Sanada's martial arts film career introduced him to Hong Kong action cinema, where he portrayed the ninja Genbu in Ninja in the Dragon's Den (1982), then worked with Michelle Yeoh, with whom he co-starred in Royal Warriors (1986). He has a long-standing friendship with Jackie Chan. Outside of Japan, Sanada was often credited in his younger days as Henry Sanada, Harry Sanada, or Duke Sanada.[citation needed]
In Japan, Sanada established himself as a character actor in the 1984 movie Mahjong Hourouki directed by Makoto Wada. In 1997 Sanada starred in a television drama A Story of Love, also known by its Japanese title Konna Koi no Hanashi, where he played the role of Shuichiro Harashima, a wealthy but lonely upper-class businessman who falls in love with a decorating designer from a lower class family played by Nanako Matsushima.[2] The following year in 1998, Sanada once again co-starred with Nanako Matsushima in a 1998 mystery thriller Ring (also known by its Japanese title, Ringu), where he played the role of Ryūji Takayama, the estranged former husband of Matsushima's character, who had a sixth sense that detects supernatural auras.[8]
1999–2002: Royal Shakespeare Company
In 1999 and 2000, he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in their production of King Lear, for which he was awarded as an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2002, citing his "contribution to spreading British culture in Japan through his performance in a joint Shakespeare production."[9] Some media reports erroneously stated that Sanada received the honour for being the first Japanese actor to perform with the RSC, but Togo Igawa had joined the troupe earlier, in 1986.[10]
Sanada went on to perform roles in major films such as Tasogare Seibei (The Twilight Samurai), Ring and Kaitō Ruby.[citation needed]
2003–2009: The Last Samurai and international breakthrough
In 2003, Sanada's role as Ujio, a master swordsman, opposite Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai, gained him international popularity and critical praise. Sanada played Matsuda (the Japanese imperialist who befriends Ralph Fiennes' character Todd Jackson) in the 2005 film The White Countess directed by James Ivory. He starred in the Chinese film The Promise directed by Chen Kaige as General Guangming. Sanada appeared in Rush Hour 3 in 2007 with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Danny Boyle's Sunshine, and The City of Your Final Destination in 2009, in which he plays the younger lover of Anthony Hopkins' character Adam Gund.[citation needed]
2010–2020: Lost, Westworld, and Avengers: Endgame
Sanada joined the cast of the ABC TV series Lost in 2010 during its sixth and final season. He portrayed Dogen, a high-ranking member of "The Others".[11] In 2013, he appeared in 47 Ronin (the first English-language adaptation of the Chushingura legend, Japan's most famous tale of samurai loyalty and revenge) alongside Keanu Reeves,[12] and as Shingen Yashida in The Wolverine opposite Hugh Jackman.[13]
Sanada was a guest star as Takehaya, a former Japanese Navy officer and legendary pirate captain in post-plague Asia, in the apocalyptic drama series The Last Ship.[14] He also starred in the 2017 movie Life with Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. In 2018, he began a recurring role as swordmaster Musashi on the HBO series Westworld and played the minor role of Akihiko in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. In August 2019, Sanada was cast in the Mortal Kombat reboot as Scorpion.[15] In 2020, Sanada starred alongside Johnny Depp in the film Minamata.[citation needed]
2021–present: Bullet Train, John Wick: Chapter 4, Shōgun
In 2021, Sanada was announced as producer and part of the cast of the FX limited series Shōgun, adapted from the James Clavell novel, playing the part of Lord Toranaga.[16][7] The series has received widespread global critical acclaim, with Sanada's role in the series considered a highlight among many reviewers.[17][18]
In 2022, Sanada had a major supporting role in Bullet Train opposite Brad Pitt.[19] In 2023, he portrayed Koji Shimazu, manager of the Osaka Continental Hotel, in John Wick: Chapter 4,[20] and was featured in a multi-commercial campaign introducing Mazda CX-90.[21][22]
Education and music career
Sanada received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Science from Nihon University in 1982.[23]
From 1980 to 1991, Sanada released a series of albums and singles in Japan as a singer; several of these were tied to films, TV shows, or stage productions he was starring in. In 2010 and 2011, compilations were released covering his songs for movies and pop hits respectively.[citation needed]
Filmography
Films
| Year | Title | Role | Director(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Game of Chance (浪曲子守唄) |
Kenichi Endō | Ryūichi Takamori (鷹森立一) |
||
| 1967 | Game of Chance 2 (続 浪曲子守唄) |
Kenichi Endō | Ryūichi Takamori (鷹森立一) |
||
| Game of Chance 3: Lullaby for My Son (出世子守唄) |
Kenichi Endō | Ryūichi Takamori (鷹森立一) |
|||
| 1969 | Abashiri Prison: Drifter at the Edge of the World (新網走番外地 さいはての流れ者) |
Shōichi | Teruo Ishii (石井輝男) |
||
| 1970 | Legacy of Honor (遊侠列伝) |
Ichiro Kawamata | Shigehiro Ozawa (小沢 茂弘) |
[24] | |
| Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7 (昭和残侠伝 死んで貰います) |
Yasuo Hanada | Masahiro Makino (マキノ雅弘) |
|||
| 1974 | The Executioner (直撃! 地獄拳) |
Young Ryūichi Kōga | Teruo Ishii (石井輝男) |
||
| 1978 | Shogun's Samurai (柳生一族の陰謀) |
Hayate | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
||
| Message from Space (宇宙からのメッセージ) |
Shirō Hongō | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
|||
| 1979 | Sanada Yukimura no Bōryaku (真田幸村の謀略) |
Isa Nyūdō Miyoshi | Sadao Nakajima (中島貞夫) |
||
| G.I. Samurai (戦国自衛隊) |
Takeda Katsuyori | Kōsei Saitō (斎藤光正) |
|||
| Tonda Couple (翔んだカップル) |
Hoshida | Shinji Sōmai (相米慎二) |
|||
| Shogun's Ninja (忍者武芸帖 百地三太夫) |
Takamaru Momochi | Norifumi Suzuki (鈴木則文) |
|||
| 1981 | Samurai Reincarnation (魔界転生) |
Iga no Kirimaru | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
||
| Roaring Fire (吼えろ鉄拳) |
Jōji Hibiki/Tōru Hinohara | Norifumi Suzuki (鈴木則文) |
|||
| The Kamikaze Adventurer (冒険者カミカゼ -ADVENTURER KAMIKAZE-) |
Akira Hoshino | Ryūichi Takamori (鷹森立一) |
|||
| The Blazing Valiant (燃える勇者) |
Joe | Toru Dobashi (土橋亨) |
|||
| 1982 | Lovers Lost (道頓堀川) |
Kunihiko Yasuoka | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
||
| Ninja in the Dragon's Den (龍之忍者) |
Genbu | Corey Yuen (元奎) |
Hong Kong action film | ||
| Fall Guy (蒲田行進曲) |
Himself | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
Cameo | ||
| Ninja Wars (伊賀忍法帖) |
Jōtarō | Kōsei Saitō (斎藤光正) |
|||
| 1983 | Kabamaru the Ninja (伊賀野カバ丸) |
Shizune Mejiro | Norifumi Suzuki (鈴木則文) |
||
| Legend of the Eight Samurai (里見八犬伝) |
Shinbei Inue | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
|||
| 1984 | The Street of Desire (彩り河) |
Jōji Tanaka | Haruhiko Mimura (三村晴彦) |
||
| Kōtarō Makaritōru! (コータローまかりとおる！) |
Tatsuya Yoshioka | Norifumi Suzuki (鈴木則文) |
|||
| Mahjong hōrōki (麻雀放浪記) |
Tetsu Bōya | Makoto Wada (和田誠) |
|||
| 1985 | The Dagger of Kamui (カムイの剣) |
Jiro | Rintaro (りんたろう) |
Voice | |
| 1986 | House on Fire (火宅の人) |
Chūya Nakahara | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
||
| Inuji ni Seshi Mono (犬死にせしもの) |
Shigesa | Kazuyuki Izutsu (井筒和幸) |
|||
| Cabaret (キャバレー) |
Tanokura | Haruki Kadokawa (角川春樹) |
|||
| In the Line of Duty: Royal Warriors (皇家戰士) |
Kenji "Peter" Yamamoto | David Chung (鍾志文) |
Hong Kong film | ||
| 1987 | Sure Death 4: Revenge (必殺IV 恨みはらします) |
Ukyōnosuke Okuda | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
||
| 1988 | Kaitō Ruby (快盗ルビイ) |
Tōru Hayashi | Makoto Wada (和田誠) |
||
| 1989 | Who Do I Choose? (どっちにするの。) |
Jun Yamamoto | Shusuke Kaneko (金子修介) |
||
| 1990 | Yellow Fangs (リメインズ_美しき勇者たち) |
Eiji | Sonny Chiba (千葉真一) |
||
| Let's Go to the Hospital (病院へ行こう) |
Kōhei Shintani | Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎) |
|||
| Tugumi (つぐみ) |
Kyōichi | Jun Ichikawa (市川準) |
[25] | ||
| 1992 | Succession (継承盃) |
Masakazu Yoshinari | Kazuki Ōmori (大森一樹) |
||
| Let's Go to the Hospital 2 (病は気から 病院へ行こう2) |
Ichirō Katakura | Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎) |
|||
| 1993 | We Are Not Alone (僕らはみんな生きている) |
Keiichi Takahashi | Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎) |
||
| Nemuranai Machi: Shinjuku Same (眠らない街 新宿鮫) |
Takashi Samejima | Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎) |
|||
| 1994 | Uneasy Encounters (怖がる人々) |
Man | Makoto Wada (和田誠) |
Episode 1 | |
| Hero Interview (ヒーローインタビュー) |
Jinta Todoroki | Michio Mitsuno (光野道夫) |
|||
| Crest of Betrayal (忠臣蔵外伝 四谷怪談) |
Takumi-no-kami Asano | Kinji Fukasaku (深作欣二) |
Special appearance | ||
| 119 (119) |
Headquarters member | Naoto Takenaka (竹中直人) |
|||
| 1995 | Sharaku (写楽) |
Tonbo | Masahiro Shinoda (篠田正浩) |
||
| East Meets West | Kenkichi Kamijō | Kihachi Okamoto (岡本喜八) |
|||
| Emergency Call (緊急呼出し エマージェンシー・コール) |
Hideyuki Harada | Kazuki Ōmori (大森一樹) |
|||
| 1998 | Ring (リング) |
Ryūji Takayama | Hideo Nakata (中田秀夫) |
||
| Spiral (らせん) |
Ryūji Takayama | George Iida (飯田譲治) |
|||
| Murder on D Street (D坂の殺人事件) |
Seiichirō Fukiya | Akio Jissoji (実相寺昭雄) |
|||
| Tadon to Chikuwa (たどんとちくわ) |
Asami | Jun Ichikawa (市川準) |
|||
| 1999 | Ring 2 (リング2) |
Ryūji Takayama | Hideo Nakata (中田秀夫) |
Special appearance | |
| 2000 | First Love (はつ恋) |
Shinichirō Fujiki | Tetsuo Shinohara (篠原哲雄) |
||
| 2001 | Minna no Ie (みんなのいえ) |
Bartender | Kōki Mitani (三谷幸喜) |
||
| Round About Midnight (真夜中まで) |
Kōji Moriyama | Makoto Wada (和田誠) |
|||
| Onmyōji (陰陽師) |
Dōson | Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎) |
|||
| 2002 | Vengeance for Sale (助太刀屋助六) |
Sukeroku Sukedachiya | Kihachi Okamoto (岡本喜八) |
||
| The Twilight Samurai (たそがれ清兵衛) |
Seibei Iguchi | Yoji Yamada (山田洋次) |
|||
| 2003 | The Last Samurai | Ujio | Edward Zwick | American-New Zealand film | |
| 2005 | Aegis (亡国のイージス) |
Hisashi Sengoku | Junji Sakamoto (阪本順治) |
||
| The White Countess | Matsuda | James Ivory | British-American film | ||
| The Promise (無極) |
General Guangming | Chen Kaige (陳凱歌) |
Chinese film | ||
| 2007 | Sunshine | Kaneda | Danny Boyle | American-British film | |
| Rush Hour 3 | Kenji | Brett Ratner | American film | ||
| 2008 | Speed Racer | Mr. Musha | The Wachowskis | American film | |
| 2009 | The City of Your Final Destination | Pete | James Ivory | American film | |
| 2012 | Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer (天地明察) |
Narrator | Yōjirō Takita (滝田洋二郎) |
||
| 2013 | The Wolverine | Shingen Yashida | James Mangold | American-British film | |
| The Railway Man | Takashi Nagase | Jonathan Teplitzky | American film | ||
| 47 Ronin | Ōishi Yoshio | Carl Rinsch | British-American film | ||
| 2015 | Mr. Holmes | Tamiki Umezaki | Bill Condon | American-British film | |
| Minions | Dumo the Sumo | Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda | American film Voice | ||
| 2017 | Life | Sho Murakami | Daniel Espinosa | American film | |
| 2018 | The Catcher Was a Spy | Kawabata | Ben Lewin | American film | |
| 2019 | Avengers: Endgame | Akihiko | Russo brothers | American film | |
| 2020 | Minamata | Mitsuo Yamazaki | Andrew Levitas | American-British film | |
| 2021 | Mortal Kombat | Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion | Simon McQuoid | American film | |
| Army of the Dead | Bly Tanaka | Zack Snyder | American film | ||
| 2022 | Bullet Train | The Elder | David Leitch | American film | |
| 2023 | John Wick: Chapter 4 | Shimazu Koji | Chad Stahelski | American film | |
| 2025 | Mortal Kombat 2 | Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion | Simon McQuoid | Post-production |