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Hiroyuki Sanada

真田 広之
Hiroyuki Sanada 2013 (cropped).jpg
Sanada on a press tour for the series Helix (2013)
Born
Hiroyuki Shimozawa
(下澤 廣之)

(1960-10-12) 12 October 1960 (age 64)
Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan
Occupation Actor, Producer, singer, martial artist
Years active 1965–present
Spouse(s)
Satomi Tezuka
(m. 1990; div. 1997)
Children 2
Japanese name
Kanji 真田 広之
Hiragana さなだ ひろゆき
Katakana サナダ ヒロユキ
Transcriptions
Romanization Sanada Hiroyuki

Hiroyuki Sanada MBE (真田 広之, Sanada Hiroyuki, born Shimozawa; 12 October 1960) is a Japanese actor, producer, singer and martial artist. He began his career in the mid-1960s at the age of six, and gained prominence for his roles in Japanese and Hong Kong action films, later establishing himself as a dramatic actor.

He is best known to international audiences for his roles as Ryuji Takayama in Ring (1998) where he played alongside Nanako Matsushima who was also his co-star in a 1997 television drama A Story of Love. Beginning in the 2000s, Sanada grew his Hollywood presence with such roles as Seibei Iguchi in The Twilight Samurai (2002), Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003), Kenji in Rush Hour 3 (2007), and Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion in Mortal Kombat (2021). His role as The Fool in the Shakespeare play King Lear also gave him notable theatrical attention in the United Kingdom.

He made his first major Hollywood appearance portraying Ujio in The Last Samurai (2003), later appearing in such films as Sunshine (2007), Speed Racer (2008), The Wolverine, 47 Ronin (both 2013), Minions (2015), Life (2017), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Army of the Dead (2021), Bullet Train (2022), and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). He also had recurring roles on Lost (2010) and the HBO series Westworld (2018–2020). In 2024 he starred in the FX historical drama series Shōgun as Yoshii Toranaga, a fictionalized version of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

He has received numerous accolades, including two Hochi Film Awards, two Japan Academy Film Prizes, a Mainichi Film Award, three Blue Ribbon Awards for Best Actor, four Kinema Junpo Awards, and honors from the Yokohama Film Festival. In 2018, he received the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government for his "artistic developments, improvements, and accomplishments".

Life and career

1966–1978: Child actor

Born in Tokyo, he was scouted by an entertainer while playing with the son of the actor Kokichi Takada who lived in the same condominium. After working as a model for a magazine for young children, he joined the Himawari Theatre Group at the age of five. He made his film debut in 1966 in the ninkyo yakuza film Game of Chance (浪曲子守唄) starring Shinichi "Sonny" Chiba, reprising his role as Chiba's character's son in two sequels released the following year.

Originally planning to be an action movie star, he studied Shorinji Kempo and later took up Kyokushin kaikan karate. He began playing baseball at age 8 as a catcher, and started training at the age of 11 with Chiba's Japan Action Club, where he developed good all-around martial arts ability and soon became Chiba's protégé. After entering high school, following Chiba's advice, he decided to devote himself to his studies and withdrew from performing arts activities. In 1978, he resumed his performing arts activities in earnest after passing the audition for the movie Shogun's Samurai (柳生一族の陰謀). It was at this point that he changed his surname from Shimozawa (下澤) to Sanada (真田).

1982–1999: Hong Kong action films and Japanese character roles

Sanada's martial arts film career introduced him to Hong Kong action cinema, where he portrayed the ninja Genbu in Ninja in the Dragon's Den (1982), then worked with Michelle Yeoh, with whom he co-starred in Royal Warriors (1986). He has a long-standing friendship with Jackie Chan. Outside of Japan, Sanada was often credited in his younger days as Henry Sanada, Harry Sanada, or Duke Sanada.

In Japan, Sanada established himself as a character actor in the 1984 movie Mahjong Hourouki directed by Makoto Wada. In 1997 Sanada starred in a television drama A Story of Love, also known by its Japanese title Konna Koi no Hanashi, where he played the role of Shuichiro Harashima, a wealthy but lonely upper-class businessman who falls in love with a decorating designer from a lower class family played by Nanako Matsushima. The following year in 1998, Sanada once again co-starred with Nanako Matsushima in a 1998 mystery thriller Ring (also known by its Japanese title, Ringu), where he played the role of Ryūji Takayama, the estranged former husband of Matsushima's character, who had a sixth sense that detects supernatural auras.

1999–2002: Royal Shakespeare Company

In 1999 and 2000, he performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in their production of King Lear, for which he was awarded as an Honorary Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2002, citing his "contribution to spreading British culture in Japan through his performance in a joint Shakespeare production." Some media reports erroneously stated that Sanada received the honour for being the first Japanese actor to perform with the RSC, but Togo Igawa had joined the troupe earlier, in 1986.

Sanada went on to perform roles in major films such as Tasogare Seibei (The Twilight Samurai), Ring and Kaitō Ruby.

2003–2009: The Last Samurai and international breakthrough

In 2003, Sanada's role as Ujio, a master swordsman, opposite Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai, gained him international popularity and critical praise. Sanada played Matsuda (the Japanese imperialist who befriends Ralph Fiennes' character Todd Jackson) in the 2005 film The White Countess directed by James Ivory. He starred in the Chinese film The Promise directed by Chen Kaige as General Guangming. Sanada appeared in Rush Hour 3 in 2007 with Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, Danny Boyle's Sunshine, and The City of Your Final Destination in 2009, in which he plays the younger lover of Anthony Hopkins' character Adam Gund.

2010–2020: Lost, Westworld, and Avengers: Endgame

Sanada joined the cast of the ABC TV series Lost in 2010 during its sixth and final season. He portrayed Dogen, a high-ranking member of "The Others". In 2013, he appeared in 47 Ronin (the first English-language adaptation of the Chushingura legend, Japan's most famous tale of samurai loyalty and revenge) alongside Keanu Reeves, and as Shingen Yashida in The Wolverine opposite Hugh Jackman.

Sanada was a guest star as Takehaya, a former Japanese Navy officer and legendary pirate captain in post-plague Asia, in the apocalyptic drama series The Last Ship. He also starred in the 2017 movie Life with Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. In 2018, he began a recurring role as swordmaster Musashi on the HBO series Westworld and played the minor role of Akihiko in the 2019 film Avengers: Endgame. In August 2019, Sanada was cast in the Mortal Kombat reboot as Scorpion. In 2020, Sanada starred alongside Johnny Depp in the film Minamata.

2021–present: Bullet Train, John Wick: Chapter 4, Shōgun

In 2021, Sanada was announced as producer and part of the cast of the FX limited series Shōgun, adapted from the James Clavell novel, playing the part of Lord Toranaga. The series has received widespread global critical acclaim, with Sanada's role in the series considered a highlight among many reviewers.

In 2022, Sanada had a major supporting role in Bullet Train opposite Brad Pitt. In 2023, he portrayed Koji Shimazu, manager of the Osaka Continental Hotel, in John Wick: Chapter 4, and was featured in a multi-commercial campaign introducing Mazda CX-90.

Education and music career

Sanada received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film Science from Nihon University in 1982.

From 1980 to 1991, Sanada released a series of albums and singles in Japan as a singer; several of these were tied to films, TV shows, or stage productions he was starring in. In 2010 and 2011, compilations were released covering his songs for movies and pop hits respectively.

Filmography

Films

Year Title Role Director(s) Notes Ref.
1966 Game of Chance
(浪曲子守唄)
Kenichi Endō Ryūichi Takamori
(鷹森立一)
1967 Game of Chance 2
(続 浪曲子守唄)
Kenichi Endō Ryūichi Takamori
(鷹森立一)
Game of Chance 3: Lullaby for My Son
(出世子守唄)
Kenichi Endō Ryūichi Takamori
(鷹森立一)
1969 Abashiri Prison: Drifter at the Edge of the World
(新網走番外地 さいはての流れ者)
Shōichi Teruo Ishii
(石井輝男)
1970 Legacy of Honor
(遊侠列伝)
Ichiro Kawamata Shigehiro Ozawa
(小沢 茂弘)
Brutal Tales of Chivalry 7
(昭和残侠伝 死んで貰います)
Yasuo Hanada Masahiro Makino
(マキノ雅弘)
1974 The Executioner
(直撃! 地獄拳)
Young Ryūichi Kōga Teruo Ishii
(石井輝男)
1978 Shogun's Samurai
(柳生一族の陰謀)
Hayate Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
Message from Space
(宇宙からのメッセージ)
Shirō Hongō Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
1979 Sanada Yukimura no Bōryaku
(真田幸村の謀略)
Isa Nyūdō Miyoshi Sadao Nakajima
(中島貞夫)
G.I. Samurai
(戦国自衛隊)
Takeda Katsuyori Kōsei Saitō
(斎藤光正)
Tonda Couple
(翔んだカップル)
Hoshida Shinji Sōmai
(相米慎二)
Shogun's Ninja
(忍者武芸帖 百地三太夫)
Takamaru Momochi Norifumi Suzuki
(鈴木則文)
1981 Samurai Reincarnation
(魔界転生)
Iga no Kirimaru Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
Roaring Fire
(吼えろ鉄拳)
Jōji Hibiki/Tōru Hinohara Norifumi Suzuki
(鈴木則文)
The Kamikaze Adventurer
(冒険者カミカゼ -ADVENTURER KAMIKAZE-)
Akira Hoshino Ryūichi Takamori
(鷹森立一)
The Blazing Valiant
(燃える勇者)
Joe Toru Dobashi
(土橋亨)
1982 Lovers Lost
(道頓堀川)
Kunihiko Yasuoka Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
Ninja in the Dragon's Den
(龍之忍者)
Genbu Corey Yuen
(元奎)
Hong Kong action film
Fall Guy
(蒲田行進曲)
Himself Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
Cameo
Ninja Wars
(伊賀忍法帖)
Jōtarō Kōsei Saitō
(斎藤光正)
1983 Kabamaru the Ninja
(伊賀野カバ丸)
Shizune Mejiro Norifumi Suzuki
(鈴木則文)
Legend of the Eight Samurai
(里見八犬伝)
Shinbei Inue Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
1984 The Street of Desire
(彩り河)
Jōji Tanaka Haruhiko Mimura
(三村晴彦)
Kōtarō Makaritōru!
(コータローまかりとおる!)
Tatsuya Yoshioka Norifumi Suzuki
(鈴木則文)
Mahjong hōrōki
(麻雀放浪記)
Tetsu Bōya Makoto Wada
(和田誠)
1985 The Dagger of Kamui
(カムイの剣)
Jiro Rintaro
(りんたろう)
Voice
1986 House on Fire
(火宅の人)
Chūya Nakahara Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
Inuji ni Seshi Mono
(犬死にせしもの)
Shigesa Kazuyuki Izutsu
(井筒和幸)
Cabaret
(キャバレー)
Tanokura Haruki Kadokawa
(角川春樹)
In the Line of Duty: Royal Warriors
(皇家戰士)
Kenji "Peter" Yamamoto David Chung
(鍾志文)
Hong Kong film
1987 Sure Death 4: Revenge
(必殺IV 恨みはらします)
Ukyōnosuke Okuda Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
1988 Kaitō Ruby
(快盗ルビイ)
Tōru Hayashi Makoto Wada
(和田誠)
1989 Who Do I Choose?
(どっちにするの。)
Jun Yamamoto Shusuke Kaneko
(金子修介)
1990 Yellow Fangs
(リメインズ_美しき勇者たち)
Eiji Sonny Chiba
(千葉真一)
Let's Go to the Hospital
(病院へ行こう)
Kōhei Shintani Yōjirō Takita
(滝田洋二郎)
Tugumi
(つぐみ)
Kyōichi Jun Ichikawa
(市川準)
1992 Succession
(継承盃)
Masakazu Yoshinari Kazuki Ōmori
(大森一樹)
Let's Go to the Hospital 2
(病は気から 病院へ行こう2)
Ichirō Katakura Yōjirō Takita
(滝田洋二郎)
1993 We Are Not Alone
(僕らはみんな生きている)
Keiichi Takahashi Yōjirō Takita
(滝田洋二郎)
Nemuranai Machi: Shinjuku Same
(眠らない街 新宿鮫)
Takashi Samejima Yōjirō Takita
(滝田洋二郎)
1994 Uneasy Encounters
(怖がる人々)
Man Makoto Wada
(和田誠)
Episode 1
Hero Interview
(ヒーローインタビュー)
Jinta Todoroki Michio Mitsuno
(光野道夫)
Crest of Betrayal
(忠臣蔵外伝 四谷怪談)
Takumi-no-kami Asano Kinji Fukasaku
(深作欣二)
Special appearance
119
(119)
Headquarters member Naoto Takenaka
(竹中直人)
1995 Sharaku
(写楽)
Tonbo Masahiro Shinoda
(篠田正浩)
East Meets West Kenkichi Kamijō Kihachi Okamoto
(岡本喜八)
Emergency Call
(緊急呼出し エマージェンシー・コール)
Hideyuki Harada Kazuki Ōmori
(大森一樹)
1998 Ring
(リング)
Ryūji Takayama Hideo Nakata
(中田秀夫)
Spiral
(らせん)
Ryūji Takayama George Iida
(飯田譲治)
Murder on D Street
(D坂の殺人事件)
Seiichirō Fukiya Akio Jissoji
(実相寺昭雄)
Tadon to Chikuwa
(たどんとちくわ)
Asami Jun Ichikawa
(市川準)
1999 Ring 2
(リング2)
Ryūji Takayama Hideo Nakata
(中田秀夫)
Special appearance
2000 First Love
(はつ恋)
Shinichirō Fujiki Tetsuo Shinohara
(篠原哲雄)
2001 Minna no Ie
(みんなのいえ)
Bartender Kōki Mitani
(三谷幸喜)
Round About Midnight
(真夜中まで)
Kōji Moriyama Makoto Wada
(和田誠)
Onmyōji
(陰陽師)
Dōson Yōjirō Takita
(滝田洋二郎)
2002 Vengeance for Sale
(助太刀屋助六)
Sukeroku Sukedachiya Kihachi Okamoto
(岡本喜八)
The Twilight Samurai
(たそがれ清兵衛)
Seibei Iguchi Yoji Yamada
(山田洋次)
2003 The Last Samurai Ujio Edward Zwick American-New Zealand film
2005 Aegis
(亡国のイージス)
Hisashi Sengoku Junji Sakamoto
(阪本順治)
The White Countess Matsuda James Ivory British-American film
The Promise
(無極)
General Guangming Chen Kaige
(陳凱歌)
Chinese film
2007 Sunshine Kaneda Danny Boyle American-British film
Rush Hour 3 Kenji Brett Ratner American film
2008 Speed Racer Mr. Musha The Wachowskis American film
2009 The City of Your Final Destination Pete James Ivory American film
2012 Tenchi: The Samurai Astronomer
(天地明察)
Narrator Yōjirō Takita
(滝田洋二郎)
2013 The Wolverine Shingen Yashida James Mangold American-British film
The Railway Man Takashi Nagase Jonathan Teplitzky American film
47 Ronin Ōishi Yoshio Carl Rinsch British-American film
2015 Mr. Holmes Tamiki Umezaki Bill Condon American-British film
Minions Dumo the Sumo Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda American film Voice
2017 Life Sho Murakami Daniel Espinosa American film
2018 The Catcher Was a Spy Kawabata Ben Lewin American film
2019 Avengers: Endgame Akihiko Russo brothers American film
2020 Minamata Mitsuo Yamazaki Andrew Levitas American-British film
2021 Mortal Kombat Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion Simon McQuoid American film
Army of the Dead Bly Tanaka Zack Snyder American film
2022 Bullet Train The Elder David Leitch American film
2023 John Wick: Chapter 4 Shimazu Koji Chad Stahelski American film
2025 Mortal Kombat 2 Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion Simon McQuoid Post-production

Television

Year Title Role(s) Notes Ref.
1966 Freezing Point
(氷点)
2 episodes
JNR Inspector No. 36
(鉄道公安36号)
2 episodes
1967 Special Tactical Police
(特別機動捜査隊)
1 episode
1968–1969 Ahirugaoka 77
(あひるヶ丘77)
Tahei Danno
1970 Mito Kōmon
(水戸黄門)
Kanta 1 episode
1970–1973 Key Hunter
(キイハンター)
3 episodes
1975 The Gorilla Seven
(ザ★ゴリラ7)
1 episode
1977 J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai
(ジャッカー電撃隊)
Katsuya Nakayama 1 episode
Shinkansen Kōankan
(新幹線公安官)
Yasuo 1 episode
1978–1979 Message from Space: Galactic Wars
(宇宙からのメッセージ・銀河大戦)
Hayato Gen/Maboroshi 27 episodes
The Yagyu Conspiracy
(柳生一族の陰謀)
Hyōma Hattori
Sasuke
13 episodes
1978 Seven Detectives
(七人の刑事)
1 episode
1979 The Unfettered Shogun
(吉宗評判記 暴れん坊将軍)
Otome Moroki 1 episode
1980 Roar! Doberman Cop
(爆走!ドーベルマン刑事)
Hiroshi Sawaki 1 episode
1980–1981 Yagyu Abaretabi
(柳生あばれ旅)
Matahei 10 episodes
1981–1982 Shadow Warriors II
(影の軍団II)
Hayate Kozō 10 episodes
1982 Shadow Warriors III
(影の軍団III)
Sasuke 13 episodes
1982–1983 Yagyu Jubei Abaretabi
(柳生十兵衛あばれ旅)
Matahei 9 episodes
1984 Wonderful Circus Guy
(素晴らしきサーカス野郎)
Tsuyoshi Satomi TV film
Chōdenshi Bioman
(超電子バイオマン)
Ken Hayase 1 episode
1985 Shadow Warriors IV
(影の軍団IV)
Katsu Rintarō 18 episodes
And Then the War is Over
(そして戦争が終った)
Tetsutarō Suzuki TV film
Kamen no Ninja Akakage
(仮面の忍者赤影)
Genji TV film
Shadow Warriors: The End of An Era
(影の軍団 幕末編)
Katsu Rintarō 3 episodes
1986 Interviewer Saeko: A Returnless Journey
(インタビュアー・冴子 〜もどらない旅へ〜)
TV film
1987 Classmate is 13-years-old
(同級生は13歳)
Kenkō Inawashiro
Dokuganryu Masamune
(独眼竜政宗)
Matsudaira Tadateru 9 episodes
Sweet Memories
(松田聖子のスイート・メモリーズ)
Kiyoshi Ishihara TV film
Me and Sister
(俺と姉貴)
TV film
1988 Tokugawa Ieyasu
(徳川家康)
Ishida Mitsunari TV film
Love Story in New York
(ニューヨーク恋物語)
Masahiro Sakairi
I Love You So Much
(あなたが大好き)
Seiichi TV film
1989 Oda Nobunaga
(織田信長)
Tokugawa Ieyasu TV film
Sakamoto Ryoma
(坂本龍馬)
Sakamoto Ryōma TV film
1990 Shingo's Ten Duels
(新吾十番勝負)
Aoi Shingo TV film
1991 Taiheiki
(太平記)
Ashikaga Takauji
Fall Guy: Gin-chan Goes
(続・蒲田行進曲 銀ちゃんが行く)
TV film
1992 Seiteki Mokushi Roku
(性的黙示録)
Mitsuo Wada TV film
Seizoroi Shimizu Ikka: Jirocho Uridasu
(勢揃い清水一家 次郎長売り出す)
Shinya no Asakichi TV film
1993 Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Conqueror of a Nation
(天下を獲った男 豊臣秀吉)
Azai Nagamasa TV film
Kōkō Kyōshi
(高校教師)
Takao Hamura 11 episodes
1994 The Reason I Owed to Her
(僕が彼女に、借金をした理由。)
Kunihiko Yamanobe 11 episodes
1995 The Abe Clan
(阿部一族)
Matashichirō Emoto TV film
Miracles in the Holy Night: Santa Claus is Coming to Town
(聖夜の奇跡 聖者が街にやってくる -Santa Claus is Coming to town-」)
Yūji Nonomura TV film
1996 Hideyoshi
(秀吉)
Ishida Mitsunari
1997 Shin Hanshichi Torimonocho
(新・半七捕物帳)
Hanshichi 18 episodes
A Story of Love
(こんな恋のはなし)
Shūichirō Harashima 12 episodes
1998 That Man's Fear
(その男の恐怖)
Keisuke Kishikawa TV film
Tabloid
(タブロイド)
Toshihito Manabe 10 episodes
1999 Summer of Detectives
(刑事たちの夏)
Kazuki Kurokawa TV film
Furuhata Ninzaburō
(古畑任三郎)
Kazuo Yura 1 episode
Kujira o Mita hi
(鯨を見た日)
Tamio Ōba TV film
2001 Unmarried Family
(非婚家族)
Yōsuke Matoba 12 episodes
2004 Locked-in Syndrome
(ロックド・イン症候群)
Shunsuke Kōsaka TV film
2010 Lost Dogen 5 episodes
2011–2012 Revenge Satoshi Takeda 4 episodes
2014–2015 Helix Dr. Hiroshi Hatake 15 episodes
2014 Extant Hideki Yasumoto 13 episodes
2016 The Last Ship Takehaya 9 episodes
2018 Westworld Musashi 2 episodes
2020 Dolores "Sato" Abernathy 2 episodes
2021 Hawkeye Akihiko 1 episode (archive footage)
2024 Shōgun Yoshii Toranaga Miniseries, also producer

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
1981 Yagyu Jubei Makai Tensho Iga no Kirimaru
Stuntman Story Hiroyuki
1982–1984 The Big Adventure of The Fantastic Pirates Icarus (Young Pirate)/Eagle Spirit
1984 Little Shop of Horrors
1985 The Drunken Duke Napoleon Bonaparte
Tenshu Story
1986 Adventure Youth Departure
Stuntman Love Story
Romeo and Juliet Romeo
1987 Biloxi Blues Eugene
1988 Big River Huckleberry
1989–1990 Broadway Bound Eugene
1993 Moonlit Club
1995–1998 Hamlet Hamlet
1999–2000 King Lear The Fool
2000 The Orchestra Pit Conductor

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hiroyuki Sanada para niños

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