Ken Watanabe
Known for
Acting
Life
Born 1959 (age 66)
Born in
Uonuma, Niigata, Japan
Credits
View on IMDb99 acting credits
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.
Known For
Inception
15 Jul 2010
Batman Begins
10 Jun 2005
Godzilla
14 May 2014
Transformers: Age of Extinction
25 Jun 2014
The Last Samurai
05 Dec 2003
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
03 May 2019
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
29 May 2019
Transformers: The Last Knight
16 Jun 2017
Photos
Filmography
2026
- Samurai Vengeanceas Kinji Shinoda
- Kyotojin no Hisokana Tanoshimi Rouge: Keishoas 東雲朔太郎9 episodes
2025
- The Final Pieceas Shigeyoshi Toumyo
- LA PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER
- Kokuhoas Hanjiro Hanai
- Unboundas Tamema Okitsugu48 episodes
- TRUE COLORSas Taichirou Tsujimura9 episodes
2024
- All Lives
- Kensuke's Kingdomas Kensuke (voice)
2023
- The Creatoras Harun
2022
- Tokyo Viceas Hiroto Katagiri18 episodes
2020
- Alice in Borderlandas Old Gentleman1 episode
- Toubousha2 episodes
- 劇場の灯を消すな！PARCO劇場編
- Fukushima 50as Masao Yoshida
2019
- Godzilla: King of the Monstersas Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
- Pokémon Detective Pikachuas Lieutenant Hide Yoshida
- An Artist of the Floating Worldas Ono Masuji
2018
- The King and Ias The King of Siam
- Bel Cantoas Katsumi Hosokawa
- Isle of Dogsas Head Surgeon (voice)
- 7 Guardians of the Tombas Father
- Segodonas Shimazu Nariakira17 episodes
2017
- Transformers: The Last Knightas Drift (voice)
- Dirty, Clean, & Inbetweenas Restaurant Patron
- The Memories of Happinessas Taro Miura
2016
- 五年目のひとりas 키자키 슈지1 episode
- Rageas Yohei Maki
- The Sea of Treesas Takumi Nakamura
2015
- The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folkas 東雲朔太郎9 episodes
2014
- Snow Jackas Reiji Kurata
- Back of Fatheras Takamura Kouji1 episode
- Transformers: Age of Extinctionas Drift (voice)
- Godzillaas Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
2013
- Unforgivenas Jubee Kamata
2012
- Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Homeas Junichiro Kawaguchi
2011
- Gyoretsuno dekiru sodanjoas Regular1 episode
- Ai inochi - Shinjuku Kabukicho Kakekomi Dera -
2010
- A School Behind Bars
- Inceptionas Saito
- Shanghaias Tanaka
2009
- Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistantas Mr. Tall
- The Unbrokenas Hajime Onchi
- 刑事一代 平塚八兵衛の昭和事件史1 episode
2006
- Letters from Iwo Jimaas General Tadamichi Kuribayashi
- Memories of Tomorrowas Masayuki Saeki
2005
- Memoirs of a Geishaas Chairman
- Batman Beginsas Ra's al Ghul
- Ashes and Snowas Japanese Narrator (voice)
- Year One in the Northas Komatsubara Hideaki
2004
- Vessel of Sandas Shuichiro Imanishi11 episodes
2003
- 川、いつか海へ 6つの愛の物語6 episodes
- The Last Samuraias Moritsugu Katsumoto
- 第三の時効
- Another Battle/Conspiracyas Fujimaki Hiroaki
- 藤田宜永サスペンス「異端の夏」1 episode
- T.R.Y.as Masanobu Azuma
2002
- Mibu Gishiden: Shinsengumi de Ichiban Tsuyokatta Otoko4 episodes
- 横山秀夫サスペンス シリーズ (TBS)6 episodes
- 強行犯捜査第七係1 episode
- Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHSas Okubo
2001
- Love of a Thousand Years - Story of Genji
- Drowning Fishas Miyota
- Proof of the Man 2001as Munesue Koichiro
- Hojo Tokimuneas Hojo Tokiyori49 episodes
2000
- The Whispered Cityas Ishida
- Ikebukuro West Gate Parkas Yokoyama11 episodes
- Space Travelersas Sakamaki ("Crusher")
1998
- Shimei Tehai4 episodes
- Bondsas Detective Sako Akio
1997
- Welcome Back, Mr. McDonaldas Raita Onuki
1995
- Gokenin Zankuroas Zankuro Matsudaira8 episodes
1993
- Baian the Assassin: Showdownas Dr. Baian
- The Fire Still Burnsas Fujiwara Tsunekiyo35 episodes
- Kagi-shi1 episode
- Hanzo, the Razor
1992
- Chronicle of the Town Magistrateas Mochizuki Koheita
- Waga Machi10 episodes
- Izakaya Chōji1 episode
- Oda Nobunaga
- Ganryujima: Kojiro and Musashias Kojirō
1991
- Baian the Assassinas Fujieda Baian5 episodes
- A Naive History of the Bakumatsu Eraas Ryoma Sakamoto
- Takeda Shingenas Narrator
1990
- Baian the Assassinas Dr. Baian
- Musuko no Gokikan2 episodes
- Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari Tokubetsuhen5 episodes
1989
- Oda Nobunaga1 episode
1987
- Masamune Shogunas 伊達政宗50 episodes
- Commando Invasion
1986
- The Sea and Poisonas Toda
- Hanekonmaas Genzo Onodera156 episodes
1985
1984
- MacArthur's Childrenas Tetsuo Nakai
- A Tale of Two Truncheons13 episodes