Tatsuya Nakadai facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tatsuya Nakadai
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| 仲代 達矢 | |
Nakadai in 2009
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Motohisa Nakadai (仲代 元久)
December 13, 1932 Tokyo, Japan
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1952–present |
Tatsuya Nakadai (仲代 達矢, Nakadai Tatsuya, born Motohisa Nakadai; December 13, 1932) is a famous Japanese actor. He is known for his powerful performances in many classic films.
Nakadai has worked with some of the greatest directors in Japan. He appeared in eleven movies by director Masaki Kobayashi. These include the famous trilogy The Human Condition, where he played the main character. He also starred in Kobayashi's movies Harakiri and Samurai Rebellion.
He also worked with the legendary director Akira Kurosawa on five films. One of his most famous roles was the lead character in Kurosawa's epic movie Ran. Nakadai has starred in many other important Japanese movies, making him one of the most respected actors of his generation.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life
Tatsuya Nakadai was born in Tokyo and grew up in a very poor family. Because he couldn't afford to go to college, he decided to become an actor. He loved watching Broadway musicals and would travel to New York City once a year to see them.
Before becoming an actor, Nakadai worked as a clerk in a shop. His life changed when director Masaki Kobayashi discovered him and cast him in the movie The Thick Walled Room.
Becoming a Star
The next year, Nakadai had a tiny, uncredited part in Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, Seven Samurai. You can see him for just a few seconds as a samurai walking through a town. Because the release of The Thick-Walled Room was delayed for three years, Seven Samurai was technically the first movie he appeared in that audiences saw.
His big break came with the movie Black River, also directed by Kobayashi. He played a young gangster, and the role made him famous. Nakadai continued to work with Kobayashi and won his first Blue Ribbon Award for the movie Harakiri. In it, he played an aging, masterless samurai called a rōnin. Nakadai has said Harakiri is his personal favorite of all the movies he has made.
Working with Kurosawa
In the 1980s, Nakadai starred in two more famous films by Akira Kurosawa.
In Kagemusha, he played two different parts. He was a powerful warlord (a daimyō) named Takeda Shingen, and also a thief who has to pretend to be the warlord. Playing both roles won him his second Blue Ribbon Award for Best Actor.
In Ran, he played another warlord, Hidetora Ichimonji. This character was based on King Lear from William Shakespeare's play King Lear. The story was also inspired by a real historical warlord named Mōri Motonari.
Teaching and Later Years
Besides acting, Tatsuya Nakadai has also taught acting to many younger actors who went on to become famous themselves.
In 2015, he was given the Order of Culture, one of Japan's highest honors for artists and scholars.
Famous Movies
Tatsuya Nakadai has appeared in over 120 films. Here are some of his most well-known roles:
- Seven Samurai (1954) - His first on-screen appearance was a brief, uncredited role as a wandering samurai in this classic film.
- The Human Condition (1959–1961) - A powerful trilogy of films where he played the main character, Kaji, a man trying to survive during World War II.
- Yojimbo (1961) - He played Unosuke, the cool and deadly rival to the main character, armed with a pistol.
- Sanjuro (1962) - He returned as a rival samurai, Muroto Hanbei, in this sequel to Yojimbo.
- Harakiri (1962) - He starred as an old samurai seeking honorable revenge. This is one of his most celebrated performances.
- High and Low (1963) - He played Chief Detective Tokura, who leads the investigation in this thrilling crime drama.
- Kwaidan (1964) - An anthology of four ghost stories, where Nakadai starred in the "Yuki-Onna" (The Snow Woman) segment.
- The Sword of Doom (1966) - He played a cruel and skilled samurai who follows a dark path.
- Goyokin (1969) - A samurai film where he played a ronin haunted by his past.
- Kagemusha (1980) - He played two roles: the warlord Takeda Shingen and the thief who impersonates him.
- Ran (1985) - He starred as the aging Lord Hidetora Ichimonji, a powerful ruler who divides his kingdom among his sons.
- Hachiko Monogatari (1987) - He played the loving owner of the famously loyal dog, Hachiko.
Awards and Honors
Tatsuya Nakadai has received many awards for his acting.
- Medal with Purple Ribbon (1996) - An award from the Japanese government for artistic achievement.
- Order of the Rising Sun (2003) - A high honor from the Emperor of Japan.
- Person of Cultural Merit (2007) - Recognized for his great contributions to Japanese culture.
- Asahi Prize (2013) - A prestigious award for excellence in arts and sciences.
- Order of Culture (2015) - One of the highest honors in Japan for an artist.
- Honorary citizen of Tokyo (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Tatsuya Nakadai para niños
