Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe was born on October 21, 1959 in Koide, Niigata, Japan as Kensaku Watanabe. Standing at 6 feet tall, Ken Watanabe is tall by Japanese standards. His parents were both teachers—his mother taught general education and his father taught calligraphy. Ken Watanabe became interested in acting when he was 24 when he was told that acting was his special gift. In Japan, Ken Watanabe is widely known for playing samurais and he incorporates the samurai values into his daily life—not amassing too many material possessions and living with pride, honor and discipline. Ken Watanabe is currently separated from his wife and has two children, a daughter, An Watanabe, who is 18 and working as a model and a 20-year-old son, Shin Shinitiro who works as an actor. Ken Watanabe was introduced to American audiences with his role in The Last Samurai in 2003. Ken Watanabe won the Best Actor award at the 31st Hochi Film Awards for his role in Ashita no Kioku.

Television show filmography for Ken Watanabe =

• [[
Harenochi Kaminari (2005) 
Suna No Utsuwa (2004) 

• Kawa, Itsuka Umi e 
Kochira Dai San Shakaibu 
Tokimune Hojo (2001)
• 
Ikebukuro West Gate Park (2000) 

• Homura Tatsu (1993)
• 
Dokuganryu Masamune (1987)
• 
Hanekonma (1986)

Movie filmography for Ken Watanabe

• Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
• 
Ashita no Kioku (2006)
• 
Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
• 
Year One in the North (2005) 

• The Last Samurai (2004)
• 
Hi wa Mata Noboru (2002) 

• Sennen no koi-Hikaru Genji monogatari (2001)

Ken Watanabe Cover Model

• American Express (2005)

External Links

• Official Profile