HIROYUKI SANADA
Date of Birth: October 12, 1960
Hiroyuki Sanada is an internationally renowned stage and screen actor. He has dazzled audiences around the world with his talent and versatility in such internationally acclaimed motion pictures as
The Last Samurai, co-starring
Tom Cruise, and
Yoji Yamada's 2004
Oscar-nominated film,
The Twilight Samurai and Sharaku, an official selection for the Cannes Film Festival in 1995. Sanada also starred in the original Japanese version of the modern horror-classic
The Ring.
Sanada is also a celebrated stage actor in his home country of Japan as well as internationally. In 1986, Sanada starred in
Romeo & Juliet, directed by legendary Kabuki actor Tamasaburo Bando. On the London stage, Sanada played the role of "Fool" in the Royal Shakespeare Companyâs millennium production of
King Lear for which he was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2005, Sanada starred in
Chen Kaige's epic fantasy romance,
Wu ji/The Promise, a role which required him to learn Mandarin phonetically. In 2005, Sanada made his English language film debut in
The White Countess, a
James Ivory film, opposite
Ralph Fiennes and
Natasha Richardson.
Sanada has filmed a role in the science fiction adventure film
Sunshine, directed by
Danny Boyle for Fox Searchlight, which also stars
Cillian Murphy,
Chris Evans and
Michelle Yeoh, and
Rush Hour 3 as the lead villain opposite
Jackie Chan and
Chris Tucker. Sanada reunited with
James Ivory in 2007 for
City Of Your Final Destiny in which he stars opposite
Anthony Hopkins.
Filmography:
City of Your Final Destination (2008)
Speed Racer(2008)
Rush Hour 3(2007)
Sunshine(2007)
Wu ji (2005)
The White Countess(2005)
Bôkoku no îgisu (2005)
The Last Samurai(2003)
Tasogare Seibei (2002)
Sukedachi-ya Sukeroku (2001)
Onmyoji(2001)
Minna no ie (2001)
Hatsukoi (2000)
Mayonaka made (1999)
Ringu 2 (1999)
Tadon to chikuwa (1998)
D-Zaka no satsujin jiken (1998)
Ringu (1998)
Rasen (1998)
Kinkyu yobidashi - Emâjenshî kôru (1995)
East Meets West (1995)
Sharaku (1995)
Chushingura gaiden yotsuya kaidan (1994)
Hero Interview (1994)
Kowagaru hitobito (1994)
Nemuranai machi - Shinjuku same (1993)
Bokura wa minna ikiteiru (1993)
Keisho sakazuki (1992)
Tugumi (1990)
Byôin e ikô (1990)
Rimeinzu: Utsukushiki yuusha-tachi (1990)
Docchini suruno (1989)
Kaitô Ruby (1988)
Hissatsu 4: Urami harashimasu (1987)
Wong ga jin si (1986)
Inujini sesi mono (1986)
Kamui no ken (1985)
Mahjong hôrôki (1984)
Kotaro makari-toru!
Irodori-gawa (1984)
Satomi hakken-den (1983)
Iga ninpocho (1982)
Kamata koshin-kyoku (1982)
Dotonborigawa (1982)
Hoero! Tekken (1982)
Long zhi ren zhe (1982)
Moeru yusha (1981)
Bôkensha kamikaze (1981)
Makai tensho (1981)
Ninja bugeicho momochi sandayu (1980)
Tonda kappuru (1980)
Sengoku jieitai (1979)
Sanada Yukimura no bouryaku (1979)
Uchu kara no messeji (1978)
Yagyu ichizoku no inbo (1978)
Chokugeki! Jigoku-ken (1974)