As a devoted cinephile who’s had the pleasure of witnessing the magic of cinema unfold through the years, I can confidently say that the story of Hiroyuki Sanada and Ken Watanabe in “The Last Samurai” is one for the ages. While many might have expected the “Tom Cruise of Japan,” Sanada, to land the coveted role of Katsumoto, it was the visionary director Edward Zwick who saw beyond the hierarchical norms and cast Ken Watanabe instead.
Hiroyuki Sanada is a renowned movie star, admired not just within Japan, but globally as well. His talent has been respected for many years, and recently, he’s gained Emmy recognition for his work on Shogun. Filmmakers are eager to collaborate with him, and producers often request his involvement in various projects.
During the production of ‘The Last Samurai’, there was a comparable instance where the producers desired Sanada to portray Katsumoto. This actor, often referred to as Japan’s “Tom Cruise”, was highly regarded as an ideal candidate for the supporting role alongside Cruise. However, the film’s director, Edward Zwick, held a contrasting view and was eager to cast Ken Watanabe for the role of Katsumoto instead. He elaborated on this in his book titled ‘Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood’, as mentioned by Vulture.
In Japan, many institutions followed a hierarchical structure when it came to casting roles. Initially, it was presumed that Hiroyuki Sanada, commonly known as the “Japanese Tom Cruise,” would play Katsumoto opposite Tom Cruise. However, upon encountering Ken Watanabe, I was captivated by his unique combination of strength, humor, and emotional depth, which led me to choose him for the role instead.
The Japanese executives didn’t agree with Zwick’s decision, clearly expressing their disappointment and viewing it as an inappropriate move.
Upon learning about my decision for Ken, the Japanese representatives from Warner Bros. openly expressed their disappointment. They communicated to the executives in Burbank that this was an unwise mistake.
Sanada realized the significance of the director’s vision and didn’t want to tamper with it. According to Zwick, the actor agreed to take on a smaller part in the movie, which was crucial because otherwise the director’s ideal cast might not have materialized. And with Sanada playing Katsumoto, we could have ended up with an entirely different film.
Hiroyuki Sanada personally stepped in to help the situation. His decision to portray Ujio, Katsumoto’s steward, was a powerful endorsement of Ken and the film.
In The Last Samurai, Watanabe had an opportunity to demonstrate his worth, clearly showing that he was the ideal choice for the role and the director’s determination to secure him was justified. Simultaneously, Sanada left a lasting impression as Ujio on the silver screen. Furthermore, Zwick’s production turned out to be a success, raking in $454 million against a budget of $140 million.
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2024-09-16 20:31