Ken Watanabe

Ken Watanabe

Acting
Born 1959-10-21Uonuma, Niigata, Japan

Biography

Ken Watanabe (born October 21, 1959) is a Japanese stage, film, and television actor. To English-speaking audiences he is known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Among other awards, he has won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor twice, in 2007 for Memories of Tomorrow and in 2010 for Shizumanu Taiyō. He is also known for his roles in director Christopher Nolan's Hollywood blockbusters Batman Begins and Inception.

Movies (70)

Inception
8.4

Inception

2010Movie8.4
Batman Begins
7.7

Batman Begins

2005Movie7.7
The Last Samurai
7.6

The Last Samurai

2003Movie7.6
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
6.9

Pokémon Detective Pikachu

2019Movie6.9
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
6.7

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

2019Movie6.7
The Creator
7.0

The Creator

2023Movie7.0
Transformers: The Last Knight
6.1

Transformers: The Last Knight

2017Movie6.1
Godzilla
6.4

Godzilla

2014Movie6.4
Isle of Dogs
7.8

Isle of Dogs

2018Movie7.8
Transformers: Age of Extinction
6.0

Transformers: Age of Extinction

2014Movie6.0
Kokuho
7.8

Kokuho

2025Movie7.8
Letters from Iwo Jima
7.5

Letters from Iwo Jima

2006Movie7.5
Memoirs of a Geisha
7.6

Memoirs of a Geisha

2005Movie7.6
Tampopo
7.8

Tampopo

1985Movie7.8
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
5.9

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

2009Movie5.9
The Sea of Trees
6.2

The Sea of Trees

2016Movie6.2
The Final Piece
7.7

The Final Piece

2025Movie7.7
Shanghai
6.1

Shanghai

2010Movie6.1
7 Guardians of the Tomb
5.3

7 Guardians of the Tomb

2018Movie5.3
Fukushima 50
6.5

Fukushima 50

2020Movie6.5
Memories of Tomorrow
6.1

Memories of Tomorrow

2006Movie6.1
Oda Nobunaga
8.0

Oda Nobunaga

1992Movie8.0
Rage
6.9

Rage

2016Movie6.9
Earth
7.6

Earth

2007Movie7.6
Kensuke's Kingdom
7.2

Kensuke's Kingdom

2024Movie7.2
Bel Canto
5.5

Bel Canto

2018Movie5.5
Unforgiven
7.0

Unforgiven

2013Movie7.0
Love of a Thousand Years - Story of Genji
5.9

Love of a Thousand Years - Story of Genji

2001Movie5.9
Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald
7.7

Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald

1997Movie7.7
Samurai Vengeance
8.8

Samurai Vengeance

2026Movie8.8
Takeda Shingen
10.0

Takeda Shingen

1991Movie10.0
Bonds
5.6

Bonds

1998Movie5.6
Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS
8.0

Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS

2002Movie8.0
The Unbroken
6.7

The Unbroken

2009Movie6.7
T.R.Y.
7.2

T.R.Y.

2003Movie7.2
Year One in the North
5.7

Year One in the North

2005Movie5.7
Ashes and Snow
7.3

Ashes and Snow

2005Movie7.3
The King and I
7.0

The King and I

2018Movie7.0
All Lives
7.3

All Lives

2024Movie7.3
Evolution Within Extinction
7.7

Evolution Within Extinction

2014Movie7.7
A Naive History of the Bakumatsu Era
7.5

A Naive History of the Bakumatsu Era

1991Movie7.5
Space Travelers
6.1

Space Travelers

2000Movie6.1
The Memories of Happiness

The Memories of Happiness

2017Movie
Hanzo, the Razor

Hanzo, the Razor

1993Movie
The Sea and Poison
7.0

The Sea and Poison

1986Movie7.0
An Artist of the Floating World

An Artist of the Floating World

2019Movie
Snow Jack

Snow Jack

2014Movie
MacArthur's Children
5.5

MacArthur's Children

1984Movie5.5
The Whispered City
9.0

The Whispered City

2000Movie9.0
Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home
6.4

Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home

2012Movie6.4
Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of 'Letters from Iwo Jima'

Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of 'Letters from Iwo Jima'

2007Movie
The Making of "Tampopo"

The Making of "Tampopo"

1986Movie
Dirty, Clean, & Inbetween

Dirty, Clean, & Inbetween

2017Movie
Proof of the Man 2001

Proof of the Man 2001

2001Movie
True Love: Making The Creator
6.3

True Love: Making The Creator

2023Movie6.3
Chronicle of the Town Magistrate

Chronicle of the Town Magistrate

1992Movie
Drowning Fish
7.7

Drowning Fish

2001Movie7.7
Another Battle/Conspiracy

Another Battle/Conspiracy

2003Movie
星ひとつの夜

星ひとつの夜

2007Movie
LA PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER

LA PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER

2025Movie
Kekkon Annai Mystery
8.8

Kekkon Annai Mystery

1985Movie8.8
Ganryujima: Kojiro and Musashi
8.5

Ganryujima: Kojiro and Musashi

1992Movie8.5
Ai inochi - Shinjuku Kabukicho Kakekomi Dera -

Ai inochi - Shinjuku Kabukicho Kakekomi Dera -

2011Movie
Commando Invasion
6.8

Commando Invasion

1987Movie6.8
A School Behind Bars
10.0

A School Behind Bars

2010Movie10.0
劇場の灯を消すな！PARCO劇場編
7.0

劇場の灯を消すな！PARCO劇場編

2020Movie7.0
Baian the Assassin: Showdown

Baian the Assassin: Showdown

1993Movie
第三の時効

第三の時効

2003Movie
ツナガルココロ 3 LOVE STORIES

ツナガルココロ 3 LOVE STORIES

2008Movie
Baian the Assassin

Baian the Assassin

1990Movie

TV Shows (34)

Alice in Borderland
8.1

Alice in Borderland

2020Series8.1
Tokyo Vice
7.9

Tokyo Vice

2022Series7.9
Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari Tokubetsuhen
9.5

Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari Tokubetsuhen

1990Series9.5
Segodon
8.3

Segodon

2018Series8.3
Masamune Shogun
9.0

Masamune Shogun

1987Series9.0
The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk
8.8

The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk

2015Series8.8
Ikebukuro West Gate Park
7.4

Ikebukuro West Gate Park

2000Series7.4
Unbound
9.3

Unbound

2025Series9.3
TRUE COLORS
8.0

TRUE COLORS

2025Series8.0
NHK WORLD PRIME
9.0

NHK WORLD PRIME

2017Series9.0
Hanekonma
8.0

Hanekonma

1986Series8.0
Back of Father
8.0

Back of Father

2014Series8.0
The Fire Still Burns

The Fire Still Burns

1993Series
Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga

1989Series
Mibu Gishiden: Shinsengumi de Ichiban Tsuyokatta Otoko
8.0

Mibu Gishiden: Shinsengumi de Ichiban Tsuyokatta Otoko

2002Series8.0
Gokenin Zankuro
8.0

Gokenin Zankuro

1995Series8.0
Kyotojin no Hisokana Tanoshimi Rouge: Keisho

Kyotojin no Hisokana Tanoshimi Rouge: Keisho

2026Series
Hojo Tokimune
8.0

Hojo Tokimune

2001Series8.0
Vessel of Sand
4.0

Vessel of Sand

2004Series4.0
横山秀夫サスペンス シリーズ (TBS)

横山秀夫サスペンス シリーズ (TBS)

2002Series
川、いつか海へ 6つの愛の物語

川、いつか海へ 6つの愛の物語

2003Series
Toubousha
7.0

Toubousha

2020Series7.0
A Tale of Two Truncheons

A Tale of Two Truncheons

1984Series
五年目のひとり

五年目のひとり

2016Series
Kagi-shi

Kagi-shi

1993Series
Waga Machi

Waga Machi

1992Series
Baian the Assassin
10.0

Baian the Assassin

1991Series10.0
Izakaya Chōji

Izakaya Chōji

1992Series
Musuko no Gokikan

Musuko no Gokikan

1990Series
強行犯捜査第七係

強行犯捜査第七係

2002Series
Gyoretsuno dekiru sodanjo

Gyoretsuno dekiru sodanjo

2011Series
Shimei Tehai

Shimei Tehai

1998Series
藤田宜永サスペンス「異端の夏」

藤田宜永サスペンス「異端の夏」

2003Series
刑事一代 平塚八兵衛の昭和事件史

刑事一代 平塚八兵衛の昭和事件史

2009Series