Hiro's WOWOW Cinema Voice Interview

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.