Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe Profile

Name: Ken Watanabe
DOB: October 21, 1959
Place of birth: Uonuma, Niigata prefecture, Japan
Profession: Actor

(Also credited as Watanabe Ken)

Ken Watanabe Biography


Ken Watanabe is arguably the most well known Japanese actor internationally. He starred in a few Hollywood blockbuster movies, including The Last Samurai, Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins and Letters from Iwo Jima.

Ken Watanabe was nominated for the Academy Awards in 2004 for the best supporting actor category in The Last Samurai, co-starring Tom Cruise.

Ken Watanabe moved to Tokyo to start his acting career after graduating from high school. He started gaining notice as a stage actor before making his TV debut with Michinaru Hanran (Unknown Rebellion) in 1982.

Ken Watanabe made his movie debut in 1984 in MacArthur’s Children.

Ken’s breakthrough came in 1987, portraying as a Samurai in TV drama Dokuganryu Masamune (One eyed dragon, Masamune). The drama is still one of the highest rated Samurai-related series in Japan history; and Ken became quite a star since then.

Ken’s acting career suffered a setback in 1989 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He went into hiatus to undergo chemotherapy treatments, and only made his comeback in 1994, but suffered a relapse.

Ken Watanabe made another comeback in 1997 in award winning movie Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald. He then starred in Kizuna in 1998, which won him a Japanese Academy Awards for best supporting actor.

Ken Watanabe also managed to claim another 2 Japanese Academy Awards for best supporting actor in 2002 and 2003.

2003 also signalled Ken’s international breakthrough with The Last Samurai. He was nominated for multiple awards as best supporting actor. His popularity also led to his inclusion in People Magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People 2004 edition.

Ken’s popularity continued to rise in Hollywood with popular movies like Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins and Letters from Iwo Jima.