Emerald Diaries

Hi Everyone!

It's my birthday today and I've decided to move my blog over here for a fresh start.  See you over there!!

Emerald

Sanada-san's Japanese fan posted this link on a Japanese message board!!  You can see him around the halfway mark in this 2-minute clip:

MTV Summer Movies

Can't wait!!

My very special friend from Japan sent this link to Sanada-san's interview on Asahi Weekly's  English language edition (whew, I don't have to translate that one!).  She has, however, sent me some juicy interviews with photos that appeared in the Japanese media in the last couple of days, so I'll try to get to work on them later today.

I realize that most of my posts to date have primarily dealt with Hiroyuki Sanada who is starring in Danny Boyle's Sunshine which just opened throughout the world, except for the North American markets, but I state for the record that this blog was never intended to be a fan blog ...

I currently work as a senior legislative staffer for a state legislature that only operates for a portion of the year, and ours is perhaps one of a handful of state legislatures that actually commemorate Medal of Honor recipients due to a fairly large military presence throughout the state.  This year's ceremony took place on Monday, April 16 -- the number of honorees were less than previous years, but the sadness and a profound sense of loss were evident as ever.   As we listened to each honorees, we all realized how young they were -- they all were barely out of high school and most of them probably couldn't drink legally!  I was trying to absorb the absurdity of the death of these brave soldiers and Marines when we were hit with the news of the massacre at Virginia Tech ...

On Tuesday, the Mayor of Nagasaki was shot to death by a disgruntled yakuza member who had a beef with the city's bureaucracy, while Thursday, April 19th was the 12-year anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing ... and we close out the work week with a murder-suicide at NASA's Johnson Space Center!  Not to mention that scores of people are dying every day in Iraq and other regions throughout the world ... I'm still reeling from all this violence and the only question that comes to my mind is, WHY??   Why is there so much anger and bloodshed??

Perhaps I'm overly sensitive due to the fact that I'm a direct survivor of the 9-11 World Trade Center attacks.  (I had a 9:00 a.m. meeting in the #2 Tower on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 and the only reason I'm alive today is because of my split-second decision to go out of the building for coffee -- I was barely halfway across the street when the first plane went in.)  Or maybe it's because I used to work for CNN as a news producer where breaking news became de rigeur.  Whatever it is, something is just not right with this world.  The only silver lining I can see right now is the renewed discussion over gun control in this country, but it's distressing to see that this country is so divided over the whole issue of gun violence.

In my daily search on Japanese message boards for any Hiro-related news, I found a link to a Nikkei story about Olympus shares reaching an all time high!  (The Japanese symbol/code is 7733 and it's a Nikkei 225 component.)  Since 60% of the company's revenues come from overseas markets (25% from European countries), Olympus is clearly a beneficiary of the Euro's recent rise against the Japanese yen, but I contend that investors and traders alike were clearly taken with the full-page ad of Sanada-san that appeared in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, otherwise known as Nikkei. (Photo provided by my special friend in Japan.)

HS-Olympus Nikkei Ad

But seriously, the Nikkei article does note that market analysts and institutional investors regard the hiring of Japan's top actor, especially someone who's as popular and talented as Hiro as a great move on Olympus' part to boost its share value and brand image. And the former investment banker in me wholeheartedly agree!!

I also noticed that there is a new version of the television commercial (version "B") plus the newspaper ads on Olympus' website -- they also posted a series of behind-the-scene photos of Hiro's TV commercial shoot -- so please check them all out over here!

I was checking out the Japanese message boards and saw a link to a Spanish blog entry on the filming of The City of Your Final Destination here.  I guess the post is primarily about Anthony Hopkins, but Hiro looks cool as ever -- click on his photo for a closer look.  I can handle English and Japanese, but if there's any Spanish speakers out there -- we could really use your help!

I'm finally able to post my translation/interpretation of the transcript of Hiro's long interview on WOWOW, Japan's premium satellite channel.  I truly apologize that it took so long but I got slammed at my day job ... but I also wanted to give Hiro's words the proper care and attention they deserve because he is such an articulate man who laces his thoughtful answers with dignity and humor.  I've also added some anecdotes and background information that may be useful to better understand this marvelous actor.  

WOWOW Cinema Voice Interview

BONUS:  If you go to WOWOW Cinema Voice's front page here, you can read the English translation of Danny Boyle's interview.  Go to the bottom of the page and click on the blue button next to his photo.

Q.  Please tell us how you came to be involved in Sunshine (Sunshine 2057 in Japan).  When we spoke to director Danny Boyle the other day, he told us that Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai advised him to watch your starring performance in Tasogare Seibei (Twilight Samurai), and was so deeply impressed that he decided to make you an offer right away.

HS:  I heard about that after we went into production.  I had absolutely no idea why I was offered this role.  Apparently, the role of the captain was not Japanese in the original script – he was supposed to be an American and Kaneda’s name was nowhere to be found. [Emerald’s Note:  It may be obvious to Japanese anime and SF fans, but the name of Sanada-san’s character – Akira Kaneda – is especially intriguing because the lead character in the 1988 Japanese SF masterpiece AKIRA is Shotaro Kaneda.]  But when the filmmakers decided to underscore the captain’s behavior and motivations with a quintessentially Asian, and specifically Japanese sensibilities, Wong Kar Wai recommended me for the role.  When I think about why the captain had to be Japanese, it’s possible that Danny saw the traditional Japanese sense of virtue, mental fortitude, and self-sacrifice that he wanted the captain to embody – qualities that present-day Japanese are in danger of forgetting – in my portrayal of Seibei.

Q.  What happened after they contacted you?

HS:  Initially, there were some scheduling conflicts but I was really intrigued with the idea of working with Danny so I decided to read the script.  Although Danny’s previous work dealt with SF elements, I was especially intrigued with how he would create a movie that took place entirely in space and I felt the urge to throw myself into this project.  I spoke on the phone with Danny for about 20-30 minutes, not as an audition, and he pleaded with me to take on the role of the captain.  So I went through agony again (laughs) and decided to throw myself into the project for real.

Q.  For me, Captain Kaneda’s image overlapped with Hiroyuki Sanada’s public image.  I’m sure there is Hiroyuki Sanada the actor, and Hiroyuki Sanada the individual, but were there any common characteristics between you and the role?

HS:  When you’re creating a character with the director and your costars, you’re constantly comparing and asking yourself, “What if it was me?”  The approach I take is to totally throw myself, body and mind, into the filmmaking process since I’m devoting many, many months out of my life portraying a character so in the case of Kaneda, I feel that I would have taken the same course of action had I had been a part of such a mission.  That’s why I was able to naturally portray Kaneda as a “Japanese” captain who took a certain course of action, with feelings of respect and gratitude to the notion that the opportunity to play this role was given to a Japanese actor.  If those things can be felt and understood by the audience, not just the Japanese moviegoers but all audience throughout the world, would be wonderful.

Q.  You just mentioned about the spirit of self-sacrifice and volunteerism that are being forgotten by the Japanese today.  I frequently go on business trips overseas, and I notice those qualities wherever I go – I feel that Americans and Europeans are superior to us in possessing those characteristics.  For example, when they experienced a power blackout, we saw a lot of people all over the city directing traffic in sweltering heat, even though there was nothing to be gained personally by them.  Since you’ve been in a series of overseas productions, do you notice any aspects that the Japanese lack or in contrast, excel at?

HS:  I agree that the U.S. and European countries are way ahead of us in honoring such qualities as volunteerism and environmentalism.  Compared to those countries that are dealing with these issues with concern and a sense of crisis, I acutely feel the need to seriously consider the Japanese lack of awareness and sophomoric behavior as a reflection of the so-called “peace amnesia” brought upon by years of abundant wealth and safety.  On the other hand, the concept of rights and entitlement are much more developed in those countries and the demanding, asserting, and denying of those rights occur frequently so in reaction, the Japanese “offering” of virtue and self-sacrifice becomes appealing.  Of course, it’s accepted practice that you will only do what you’re paid to do and nothing more, but it’s that typically Japanese persistence and the subtle follow-up even when no one is looking … For example, the working conditions are harsher in the Japanese film industry because unions don’t exist, but this environment allows us to develop and nurture the necessary skills to create a work of art in a very short period of time.  You will never find these conditions in the West so these skills will never develop there.  Right now, there are people in the West who are discovering that things are handled differently in Asia.  In turn, they want to learn more about Asian esthetics and openly contemplate the inclusion of these sensibilities into their everyday practices as the right thing to do.  In this way, working overseas has allowed me to see both the good and the bad in both cultures.  As I travel back and forth, mingling with actors, directors and various staff and crew members of different nationalities, I hope to be able to visualize and create the ideal workplace which combines the good qualities of the East and the West – and I feel that it must be done in the very near future.

Q.  Danny Boyle was describing you as an actor who really loves to work hard …

HS: (Laughs) Really!

Q.  He was emphatic about hating actors who walk off the set without finishing their work, so I asked him if he was talking about (an) American actor(s) and he burst out laughing.  So this is the director who tells us that you’re a terrific cook and a good guitar player … [Emerald’s Note:  Sanada-san also plays the piano, double bass, and can handle a little bit of jazz trumpeting.  Not only was he a recording artist that has 7 albums under his belt, he’s a songwriter and has scored a handful of movies and TV shows.]

HS:  (Laughs) I never knew those qualities were used to evaluate an actor …. (laughs)

Q.  Danny described you as the person who brought the whole group together when the entire cast lived together in a dormitory during training.  He also said that you were the leader because you have a distinct way of laughing that drew everybody’s attention.  What was communal living like for you?  From what Danny tells me, it sounded like a lot of fun …

HS:  I really enjoyed myself.  Out of the three-week rehearsal period, two weeks were spent cooped up in a student dormitory where the entire cast had to share a communal kitchen and spend every waking moment together.  Some of the younger actors who weren’t used to communal lifestyles complained – they didn’t understand why it was necessary because they were “pros”.  Because I’m accustomed to communal living/training, I understood what Danny was trying to accomplish so I gave a lot of advice to them.  We discovered that the only way we could eat was to make the meals ourselves, but since I was the only one who knew how to cook, I became the designated chef from the first day of training.  Fortunately, everyone liked what I made so perhaps I fulfilled the responsibilities as the captain …?  Otherwise, there were physical workouts, flight training, diving, and (zero gravity) flight simulations – activities that I’ve already experienced before so I was able to offer advice in a number of situations.  Because of that, I was able to gradually fall into the role of the captain in the first three days (laughs) … And I appointed myself into my usual role as the social director – every weekend, I got everybody together to go out to dinner and spend the entire evening eating, drinking and talking … Gosh, I’m always doing the same thing everywhere I go … (laughs) I’m a little appalled at myself! [Emerald’s Note:  Sanada-san was a leading member of Japan Action Club founded by Japanese action star Sonny Chiba from the ages of 12-30.  JAC is famous for the rigorous training its members had to endure, and regularly scheduled months-long training camps in remote locations throughout the world.  Hiro holds a 4^th degree black belt designation in Kyokushin Karate, which is infamous for its unbelievably difficult training – the school’s founder, Masatatsu Oyama, lived in the mountain for years and actually fought with wild beasts for his training (Sonny Chiba produced and starred in a film trilogy based on his real-life karate master’s life) – and has talked about a number of his training episodes which include having to stand barefoot in the snow for hours.  Hiro is also known for his culinary talents and his love for drinking and socializing with his ever-widening circle of friends – he always makes his own meals when he goes on location and his favorite type of cuisine is sosaku ryori – creating a dish using the ingredients on hand just like Iron Chef.]

Q.  Did you spend the 2-week period in flight training during the day and the rest of the time with other cast members?

HS:  The typical day’s menu began at when we went to the studio for 2 hours worth of line readings with the entire cast sitting around the table listening to Danny’s requests, asking questions, offering comments and making changes.  After lunch, we would spend 3 hours in lectures – the subject matter changed on a daily basis – from scientists, experienced astronauts, and experts in various fields. We had to learn everything that astronauts are supposed to know.  We took notes, raised our hands when we had questions – it was just like being back in college!  (laughs)  [Emerald’s Note:  Sanada-san managed to graduate from Nihon University with a film degree in four years at the height of his “screen idol” phase.]  After a quick coffee break, we spent the rest of the afternoon in physical training.  We went to the airport to practice taking off and landing jumbo jets – the ones who couldn’t make it were left behind … (laughs) And then, we would practice diving, experience zero-gravity flights, and after all that, we went back to the studio for rehearsals on the sets.  We had to use all of the props, and the screenwriter (Alex Garland) will be there, editing and rewriting our lines and even adding ad-libs as he watched us rehearse.  You’d think that our day will be over, but after eating a light supper, all of us were shepherded into the screening room to watch movies – at least one movie a day.  We saw all kinds of films about space like 2001 Space Odyssey, Alien, and The Right Stuff but some of the other films we saw left us asking, “Why are we watching this?” until the light goes off in your head and you realize that Danny had a reason for us to see it.  For example, there was a story about a group whose mission was to transport a load on a truck from point A to point B, and a claustrophobic human drama that takes place behind closed doors in a rural town – all of these films were specifically chosen by Danny.  And after the day’s screening, we trudged back to the dormitory and I had to figure out what to make for dinner (laughs)!  Once we finished eating, I was so exhausted that all I could do was to take a shower before going to bed.  This went on for 2 weeks so there was no choice but for the group to come together as a team.  We became a team on a mission who’ve worked together for 16 months, which was exactly what Danny wanted from us.  For the actors, we naturally “became” our characters as a member of an ensemble.  We spent a lot of time in rehearsals, but once we started shooting, it felt like a “live” performance where we were merely living out our lives and left everything to Danny to “frame” our performances from all sorts of angles and shapes and to shave off all that was unnecessary.  So on one hand, we spent a lot of time in rehearsals undergoing scrupulous preparation like we do in theater/stage productions, but once we began shooting, you felt the thrill of a “live” performance – the whole experience was a stark contrast to each other.

Q.  Were there any arguments or controversies within the team just like the way it happened in the movie?

HS:  Well, we’re all adults and none of us were ever backed into a corner like that so … we didn’t have any fistfights but there were some tense moments.

Q.  And the Captain came forward and …

HS:  Cracked a joke! (laughs) Well, I had to play the mediator from time to time.

Q.  Don’t you find it difficult to precisely express yourself in English?  Your English in this movie is so good -- can you suggest some tips for those of us who are struggling to learn the language?

HS:  Yes, I agree -- it’s extremely difficult.  I feel like I’m gasping for air every time I take a lesson with my coach. It’s a learning experience and an opportunity for discovery each and every time.  In my case, I get to learn while I work, thankfully.  However, it’s impossible to begin shooting until you fully understand each other, in both listening to others and in expressing myself, so you desperately have to find the right words to use.  And while lines will inevitably change after you’ve memorized them, you still have to have it down several hours later.  The tension that’s a part of this deadline-driven process stimulates my brain, and forces me to frantically memorize my lines.  Not only is there a deadline, but it’s visually recorded for all to see.  The whole experience is frightening but this is what motivates and rouses me to keep working on my English.

Q.  Did you immerse yourself in English language lessons when you performed on the stage in England?  [Emerald’s Note:  Sanada-san spent 7 months with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of King Lear, playing the Fool to Sir Nigel Hawthorne’s King Lear back in 1999.]

HS:  I tried out for various overseas projects prior to that and worked with a dialogue coach.  But these days, I have to speak different versions of English apart from what’s spoken in ordinary conversations, since the accents and intonations will be different according to each character’s origins and educational backgrounds.  Sometimes I have to speak with an upper-class British accent, sometimes with an American accent, and sometimes I have to speak with a mixture of accents.  The demands will be different depending on the character I play, so for someone like me who can barely keep up in English, it’s an interesting experience to have to meet these expectations.  I just try to enjoy it like a thrilling roller-coaster ride, and masochistically turn the whole thing into a hobby of sorts.

Q.  You began as a child actor, took some time off and then returned to acting.  What are some of the fundamentals of acting you consider important – like because of something you learned in the past is the reason why you can do this …

HS:  Well, it has nothing to do with technique because if you do this for a long time, you will naturally develop them but it has more to do with attitude, like not sitting back, relying on technique and letting success go to your head.  The (older) actors I really like are the ones that possess all the skills but won’t let us see them and keep everything fresh – in other words, they don’t show the audience how great their acting is but somehow they are able to make us believe in their portrayals and feel what their characters are experiencing.  I feel that acting is not a job where you are paid just to sell your skills, so in many ways, there’s always a sense of danger in trying not to fall into that trap and that’s always an important aspect.  So each time, you aim for a target where you may or may not be able to reach, and throw yourself fully into the environment feeling the fear and tension of a freshman who is making his debut.  In this way, I can feel fresh and new, and hopefully the audience will feel the same.  It’s a good way to kill two birds with one stone, I think.

Q.  In looking at your career, you seem to seek a set of new challenges at each opportunity rather than holding on to the same thing – rather like thoroughly pursuing acting to the extremes instead of taking an interest in other areas such as directing …

HS:  That’s right.  Not once have I felt the need to do anything other than to act – or perhaps it’s more like I can’t do anything else (laughs).  Well, that’s something to consider once you’ve fulfilled the demands of your primary occupation anyway.  And speaking of goals, when I look at the times in the past where I felt that I was doing my best, I now realize that they weren’t such a big deal while I can see the splendid artistry and depth in the almost-forgotten moments.  My values change as I get older and gain more experience, so it’s inevitable to pass through a series of thresholds in a process called life.  Not in a manner of “more haste, less speed” but by the time you come to an age where you are able to take on adult roles, how you’ve managed to nourish yourself throughout your life seem to determine the kind of actor you become.  I’ve held these beliefs from early on so I’ve always welcomed detours throughout my life.

Q.  Have you ever hit a wall or felt like quitting?

HS:  Well, I get depressed all the time, thinking that I’m not suited for the job, or feeling that there’s nothing else out there that I can do (laughs).  But the words, “I quit” have never come out of my mouth.  Life may become easier if I do decide to quit acting – quitting, finding something else to do, and then returning to acting may not be such a bad thing.

Q.  For someone who’s been acting a long time, what is the most exciting aspect for you in bringing your performance to the screen?

HS:  Now …?  Right now, I guess …

Q.  Right now?

HS:  It’s about bringing the finished product to the audience.  I really like being in the theater with the audience and seeing their reactions.  It’s not only the idea of making a movie but the actual shooting itself is the ultimate for me – no matter how much agony I put myself through, I really like the creative process involved in filmmaking.  Of course, I have a lot of fun when I’m reading the script, doing the research, and building up the character in my own imagination, but collaborating with the director and your fellow actors to create something you could never come up with on your own – that moment where you look at each other in the eye and realize that you’ve created something truly amazing – it’s the ultimate high, and I get such a deep sense of satisfaction in those moments.  I just really love the creative process in and of itself, I guess.

Q.  Going forward, are there any movie genres you’d like to challenge, directors you’d like to work with, or other countries or regional markets you’d like to tackle?

HS:  There are a lot of directors with whom I’d like to work.

Q.  What types of directors?

HS:  Oh, all types … (laughs).  With more detours that may come my way, well … I really don’t consider them detours because for me, they’re necessary paths that I have to take at that specific moment in my life.  Others may question why I’m doing what I’m doing, but to explain that this happened because of a previous experience which led to something else – it’s just not logical and rational.  As I’m going through the experience, how things move me, what I feel, and what I choose to reject are always changing within me.  But there are many wonderful writers throughout the world – in Asia, Europe, and even in Spain – and lots of wonderful directors as well so it would be great to have even the slightest opportunity to work with them.  You’d get to know the directors exponentially better by working with them in contrast to just merely watching their films, and that experience is something that I will treasure for the rest of my life.  I really want to work with as many writers as much as possible and team up with as many actors as possible to expand my own capacity one step at a time, as one would advance a koma (a piece in shogi, a Japanese chess game).  But where I would end up, I have no idea whatsoever.

Q.  Understood.  Thank you very much.  Now, please face the camera and introduce yourself and the film to the viewers of this program.

HS:  I’m Hiroyuki Sanada.  Director Danny Boyle’s Sunshine 2057 is finally opening for everyone to enjoy.  You may feel that this film and its theme are rather unusual for Danny … but contrary to expectations, you will be entering into the usual Danny Boyle’s universe where sensitive human drama unfolds on a magnificently grand scale.  I hope you’ll enjoy seeing the film.

Q.  Thank you very much.

HS:  Thank you very much.

HS-Mainichi Shimbun

I'm still working on the translation of Hiro's looooong interview on Japanese premium cable channel WOWOW, but a short and extremely insightful interview appeared in Mainichi Shimbun, one of Japan's 3 major dailies, this morning.

http://www.mainichi-msn.co.jp/entertainment/cinema/news/20070404dde018200047000c.html

Not only does Hiro discuss his work in Sunshine, he talks about his upcoming movies and what it was like to work with Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jackie Chan.  Hopefully, this summary will whet your appetite for the longer article so enjoy!

**NOTE:  I have edited my post to correct all of my grammatical errors, provide some links, and to clean up some of the confusing language .... I've learned my lesson not to translate anything at 1:00 a.m. after a very long day at work!!

Japan's leading actor Hiroyuki Sanada, who transferred his base of operations to Los Angeles in order to aggressively pursue overseas opportunities, will be starring in a series of non-Japanese films.  He first graces the silver screen as the doomed spaceship captain Kaneda in Danny Boyle’s SF thriller Sunshine, which is opening in Japan on April 14, to be followed by James Ivory’s The City of Your Final Destination in which he plays the lover of the character played by Sir Anthony Hopkins.  He will also appear as the main villain in the latest installment of the Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker franchise Rush Hour 3.  We recently spoke to Sanada-san in Los Angeles.

Q.  How did your involvement with Sunshine come about?

HS:  Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai saw me in The Twilight Samurai (2003 Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Picture) and recommended me to Danny Boyle.  I am extremely honored to have been selected as a member of the director’s cast of 8 all hailing from different countries.

Q.  Was it difficult to serve as the leader of a group of actors of different nationalities?

HS:  We spent 2 weeks in training at a student dormitory located near the studio where we didn’t have a television and had to share a communal kitchen.  Some of the younger actors complained because they wanted to go home, or that they felt such an experience was unnecessary since they were “pros.”  Because I understood what Danny wanted to accomplish, I told all of them that being a professional was the absolute minimum requirement for each of us to get to this point, and what was most important was for all of us to create an atmosphere where we actually were on this extraordinary mission and had been working together for 16 months.  As the oldest cast member, I just naturally fell into the role of a captain.

Q.  Your English is excellent!

HS:  It’s the same as working with a Japanese dialect coach.  Each film requires me to speak with different accents and intonations, so I’m having a lot of fun.

Q.  Your career is so well-established in Japan – why do you feel the need to start from scratch, so to speak, in tackling the overseas markets?

HS:  Nothing will change unless someone like me takes the chance to jump into the overseas' film industries and struggles to learn the ways of the world, because people will continue to hang on to the belief that Japanese actors are unemployable due to their lack of facility with other languages.  Although the fundamentals of acting are universal even when different languages are spoken, we shouldn’t become complacent.  In order to work in English-speaking countries, an actor should learn to speak English at a minimum, and continue to work regardless of the “size” of the role.  What’s important is to continually seek new opportunities in order to improve one’s skills and to leave behind a series of accomplishments/body of work.  I want my generation to see the day when it will be an ordinary occurrence to see Japanese actors involved in international projects.

Q.  For the first time in your career, you will be portraying a gay character in James Ivory’s The City of Your Final Destination – were you nervous?

HS:  Because I was working with Anthony, I had the utmost trust and confidence that he would be able to accept any and everything I threw at him.  Although there are love scenes, the characters’ relationship had morphed into a familial, father-son bond after 25 years of living together.  The most difficult scene for me was when I had finish tying a string tie around Anthony’s neck the minute I completed speaking my lines – I practiced every night tying it around my leg, but the director changed the type of knot at the very last minute.  I became so nervous that my face must have turned into various shades of green, but Anthony told me to stop wasting my time being tense and nervous and to just relax and enjoy myself.

Q.  You’re right in the middle of filming Rush Hour 3 (Hiro finished filming on Mar.21) –

HS:  Jackie Chan is one of a handful of actors who shares the same roots as me, starting as an action star in Asia and segueing into making Hollywood/overseas films. But we never had the opportunity to work together in the past and I also felt a sense of distance from him.  My role in the movie is that of a man who was like a brother to Jackie’s character while they were growing up in an orphanage but ends up as his enemy.  I felt that I was able to pour a lot of emotion into my character.

Q.  You are spending 75% of your time outside of Japan now –

HS:  I’m not sitting around waiting for offers to come my way – I’m actively pursuing a lot of opportunities.  This is the time for me to cultivate, plant the seeds, and water the land.  I also made the decision to take the plunge into Hollywood because I felt a sense of challenge, danger and peril for the industry.  I want to become an actor that can succeed in the global marketplace.

Hiroyuki Sanada as OLYMPUS Spokesman

This is the first in a series of TV commercials featuring Hiroyuki Sanada --

http://www.olympus.co.jp/jp/corc/corp-ad/sp/ningennozenbu/

Click on the AD ギャラリー(gallery) field on the lower left hand side, and then hit the "play" button.  This commercial was shot in Los Angeles to accomodate Hiro who was right in the middle of filming Rush Hour 3.

I was expecting more "action" and movement given the series' theme (Heart and Body, My Whole Being) but it's a "cute" commercial nonetheless.  Quite a difference from his Suntory tea commercial (清流七茶）) which aired throughout Japan last summer.

I am a woman of many interests, but my admiration and respect for Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada  (真田広之) knows no bounds!  I belong to a small group of intensely dedicated Sanada fans scattered throughout the world, who tirelessly share all available information about our Hiro.  I became enthralled during his year-long run back in 1991 as the lead actor of NHK Taiga drama, Taiheiki (太平記) in which he played Ashikaga Takauji (足利尊氏), the man who redefined the Shogunate’s role in the 14^th century from the age of 20 to 54 years old, and have been following the remarkable career and achievements of this fascinating actor ever since!

Before I continue to wax poetic about Hiro, I want to talk about his latest role in Sunshine directed by Danny Boyle of Trainspotting and 28 Days Later fame.  It’s terribly disappointing that U.S. residents have to wait for the movie’s anticipated release later this fall while the rest of the world gets to see it in April L, so I’ve taken to consoling myself by following the movie’s Japanese premiere (it opens there on April 14).

Misty at Hiroyuki Sanada Enthusiast has done a beautiful job compiling all of the Hiro-related information here.  Her site is chock-full of anything and everything related to Hiro and it’s a must-see for all self-respecting fans of this amazing actor, so please check it out – you’ll have a great time, I promise! J

Anyway, Hiro and Cillian Murphy are in Japan to promote Sunshine and there are tons of information coming out in Japanese … Misty has done a great job updating all the info with some translating/interpreting, but it’s a lot for one person to handle so I offered to tackle some of the job.

The following is a great article on the Q&A session during the Japanese premiere with yummy shots of Hiro and Cillian:

http://www.cinematopics.com/cinema/c_report/index3.php?number=2597&offset=0

I’m not going to attempt a line-by-line translation, but I’ll do my best to summarize their Q&A session –

Q.  Reactions to Danny Boyle’s videotaped message giving high praise to both actors --

Cillian:  Working with Danny Boyle on 28 Days Later was a dream-come-true for me.  I was a long-time fan of his, and because of the movie, I was given the opportunity to learn a lot from him along with more success and recognition in the United States.  28 Days Later will forever be an important film in my career, and the opportunity to work with him again was a wonderful experience.  The only way I can describe him is that he is a great director.

Hiro:  After reviewing all of his work, he struck me as a genius. Before I met him, I was afraid that he would be difficult to work with but he sometimes lacked focus during filming (laughs).  He was a gentleman in his dealings with the staff and I found it a pleasure to work with him.

Q.  Reactions to the spacesuit that both actors had to wear during the filming –

Cillian:  It was like, WOW!   The spacesuit was very well-made – there even was a built-in camera in the helmet.  It was so difficult to move with that suit on!  Sanada-san didn’t complain at all but not to do so was impossible for me… (laughs)  You can see how sweaty and tired I was in the film, but that was for real!

Hiro:  That spacesuit will be an unforgettable item for the rest of my life (laughs).  Not only was wearing the suit so hot and heavy, but we were suspended during the spacewalk scenes!!  As Cillian said, the suit symbolizes our blood, sweat, and tears (laughs).

Q.  Before the filming began, we understand that all of the cast members spent some time living and training in a dorm-like environment, and that Sanada-san did the cooking –

Hiro:  There was no one else that could cook, and we had no choice but to use the items in the refrigerator.  I served as the head chef rather than the captain (laughs).

Cillian:  Sanada-san was the perfect captain since he’s noble and resolute without being pushy.  He was really terrific when he sang and played the guitar for us.  We all had a great time in training.

Q.  What attracted you to the film?

Cillian:  The script – it was by far the best script I’d read in the last 2 years.  I called the director the minute I finished reading the script to ask for an audition.  I’m not a SF fan but I love Star Wars, 2001 Space Odyssey, and Solaris, and I felt that Sunshine was a continuation of the intellectual/philosophical flow of all of these films.  Also, I never had the opportunity to play a reticent, introverted character like Capa so that was a draw for me as well.

Hiro:  The first attractive factor for me was Danny Boyle.  Of all the SF films that have been made to date, I wondered what kind of impact that Sunshine would have on the genre.  And the most attractive aspect for me was the complex human drama that’s contained in this film.  I very much looked forward to see how Danny would “cook” all of the elements.  I also wondered how a Japanese captain could contribute to this project, and I jumped into the filming with both excitement and apprehension.

Q.  What was it like to work with actors from different countries?

Cillian:  Because the script demanded actors to hail from different countries, the whole experience was very refreshing thought the filming.  Everyone had a different style of acting and preparation.  Because the director gave us extra rehearsal time, we all got to know each other very well and were able to devote 100% of ourselves to our acting.

Hiro:  Getting to know each other as human beings was essential in creating the subtle nuances that are required in ensemble acting and I feel that Danny’s “direction” had already begun when we started our training camp.  Because of all the time we spent in training, we were able to communicate with each other through eye contact – which is exactly the theme of the movie.  Humankind has to overcome national boundaries and come together in order to achieve our collective goals.  This is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves.  We all were gifted with wonderful friendships and a sense of accomplishment after the filming was completed.

Q.  What is the significance of a Japanese actor portraying the captain?

Hiro:  I was conscious of the “responsibilities” as an Asian with respect to the earth, and I felt some sense of pressure.  I also realized that the time has come for a Japanese to be placed in positions of responsibility. Furthermore, I felt that a thoroughly Japanese sense of virtue and spirit was being demanded of me.  Those seemingly insignificant but ultimately important things were likely entrusted to be the factors that underscored Captain Kaneda’s actions.  As Kaneda himself begins to realize that there are things that shouldn’t change even as internationalization progresses, I hope that the members of the audience will share that realization.

Q.  What will the earth be like 50 years from now?

Cillian:  I have no idea what life will be like for me in 50 years, but I do think about the world that will be left for our children to live.  In that sense, I hope that this movie’s message will be understood by the younger generation.