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10 Fascinating Facts about Ken Wanatabe

Ken Wanatabe is a famous Japanese actor that has done great Japanese films that have made him a household name in the country. The actor is also well known in Hollywood because of his role in Letters from Iwo Jima and The Last Samurai. Having started his acting career in 1979, the Japanese star jas a lot of experience and thus makes him an indispensable part of the acting community.

Therefore, this article will delve into ten fascinating facts about the actor who has made a name for himself since he started acting. The knowledge from the article will also be critical in getting a deeper insight into the actor’s life apart from the one usually portrayed in films.

1. His break was in 1985

The actor rose to fame in 1984 after he made a debut appearance in MacArthur’s Children. At this time he was mostly known in Japan as most of the Samurai roles that he was casting were produced in the country. His ability to portray the character well in the films made him well-liked and thus garnered him a lot of fans. His fame rise and this translated to him getting roles in international films and thus made him a power player in the acting industry.

2. He was nominated for the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards

Having worked in different films that did well and were well received by the public and film enthusiasts, he has been nominated for and won different awards that recognised the work he has done in the films.

Some of the notable awards that he was nominated for include the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards. This means that he has made himself a name in Hollywood for him to be nominated for the awards. Other awards he has been nominated for throughout his career include Tony Awards and Olivier Awards. The awards he has won include Fijumoto Prize, 30th Japan Academy Awards, Blue Ribbon Awards and the 11th Elan d’Or Awards.

3. He survived cancer

The actor is not only strong in the movies that he plays roles in, but he is also strong in life in that he has survived cancer thrice in the course of his career. In 1989, the actor was diagnosed with leukaemia. During this time he was still going to filming sessions while he was undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Cancer went but later returned in 1994 but he recovered.

In 2016, the actor was diagnosed again with stomach cancer. This time he postponed his performances to get treatment and they were able to successfully remove cancer.

4. He has played the Samurai in most films

His films are mostly of him playing the role of a Samurai. Although he has played other roles his most notable one was the one where he acted as a samurai. He even outshone Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai with the female fans adoring his performance and looks. Furthermore, having played so many roles that involved being a samurai, he has mastered what needs to be done and can therefore change the technique to fit the role he is playing.

5. His first meeting with Clint was a highlight for him

After being cast as part of the film known as Letters from Iwo Jima, he met Clint who was the producer of the film. He describes meeting him as a highlight in his life and even stopped breathing for a moment. After being cast he did more than just showing up for the role as he did research for the film and looked for ways his role as the general of the army could be improved to portray the message the producer was aiming to put across. This fact made him an indispensable member of the crew as he was going the extra mile.

6. He had doubts about the Letters

Ken Wanatabe had reservations about the film Letters from Iwo Jima because he could not comprehend how an American producer could make a Japanese historical drama as he had not experienced the life of a Japanese and the ways of the people in Japan. But he trusted Clint because of his desire to grasp the life of a Japanese soldier. He even provided more information about the Japanese military to the producer that he had found from his research.

7. He loves humour

The actor plays a serious character in most of his films and most of his fans assume that he is a serious fellow. However, he describes himself as a man who loves humour. Therefore, when one gets a chance to interact with him then one should not be shocked by his sense of humour.

The sense of humour is a critical part of his acting career as it enables him to relate well with his colleagues in the acting industry and also when he gets to meet with his fans.

8. His career choice, if he was not an actor, would be a journalist

Ken Watanabe says that if he had not ventured into acting as a career, he would be a journalist. The career alternative seems to be a good one as he is natural on the screens and therefore, if he was a journalist, then it would also be easy for him.

He says that he would be a reporter for either baseball or golf, activities that he enjoys. If he were a reporter, then it would be guaranteed that there would be increased viewership.

9. He has appeared in a documentary

The actor is passionate about efforts advocating for climate change. He was even in a documentary that showed Japan’s earthquake relief efforts. Furthermore, he took on a leadership role to help the victims of the 2011 earthquake that happened in Japan. His charitable work makes him a critical member of the community and the country.

10. He contracted Hepatitis C

While he was being treated for Leukaemia, he contracted Hepatitis C when he was undergoing a blood transfusion. He began treatment for the disease in 2005. His ability to survive the different diseases that plagued him made him come out a strong person. This is part of the charm that he has as an actor.