Koji Yakusho
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Profile
- Name Koji Yakusho / Koji Yakusyo
- Japanese: 役所広司（やくしょ こうじ)
- Real Name: Koji Hashimoto (橋本広司)
- Birthdate: January 1, 1956
- Birthplace: Isahaya, Nagasaki, Japan
- Height: 179cm.
- Blood Type:
Bio
Born on January 1, 1956 in Isahaya, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan, Koji Yakusho gained recognition for his many award-winning performances in both domestic and international motion pictures, and is now recognized as one of the most gifted and established Japanese actors of his time.
In 1983 Yakusho played the role of the feudal warlord, Nobunaga Oda, in NHK's weekly prime-time period drama TOKUGAWA IEYASU. His strong presence captivated audiences and propelled him into the national spotlight. In 1988, he landed his first leading role in the movie, ANOTHER WAY, and in 1989 he won his first Japan Academy Award for his role in UNDER AURORA. He starred in three films in 1996: SHALL WE DANCE?, SLEEPING MAN and SHABU GOKUDO. He won a total of fourteen prominent movie awards for best actor. Subsequent to its domestic box-office success, Masayuki Suo's SHALL WE DANCE? was released in theaters in the US in 1997. His performance won the attention of American audiences and the movie soon became the highest- grossing Japanese movie in US history. In the same year, Yakusho received many prestigious awards for his performances in PARADISE LOST, CURE and Shohei Imamura's THE EEL, with the latter awarded the 1997 Palme D'or at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1998, in recognition of his talent and achievement, he was commended by the Minister of Education in Japan.
CHARISMA, directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, was selected for Director's Fortnight at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. In the following years, EUREKA and WARM WATER UNDER A RED BRIDGE also competed at the Cannes Film Festival. Yakusho won the award for best leading actor for his performance in WARM WATER UNDER A RED BRIDGE at the Chicago International Film Festival. In 2000, Kon Ichikawa's DORA-HEITA was invited to be presented at the Berlin International Film Festival. Yakusho's performances in these critically acclaimed films continue to win him international attention.
In 2005, Yakusho appeared in the Academy Award-nominated Hollywood production MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (directed by Rob Marshall). He also appeared in Alejandro González Iñárritu's BABEL, which won the Ecumenical Jury Award and the Best Director Award at the 59th Cannes Film Festival, and the Best Motion Picture Award at the 64th Golden Globe Awards. Since then, he has gone on to star in domestic box office hits LORELEI: THE WITCH OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN (2005) and THE UCHOTEN HOTEL (2006) as well as the Japan/Canada/Italy co-production film SILK (2008), directed by Francois Girard, and the critically acclaimed drama I JUST DIDN’T DO IT by Masayuki Suo.
Actor
Movies
- The Last Chushingura | Saigo no Chushingura (2011)
- Thirteen Assassins | Juusan-nin no shikaku (2010)
- Toad's Oil (2009)
- The Summit: A Chronicle Of Stones to Serenity | Tsurugidake: Ten no Ki (2009)
- Gelatin Silver, Love (2009)
- Beast of Bataan (2009) - Gen. Masaharu Homma
- Tokyo Sonata (2008)
- Paco and the Magical Picture Book (2008)
- Walking My Life | Zo no senaka (2007)
- Silk (2007)
- Argentine Baba (2007) - Satoru Wakui
- I Just Didn't Do It (2007) - Masayoshi Arakawa, Lawyer
- Retribution (2006) - Noboru Yoshioka
- Babel Babel (2006) - Yasujiro
- The Wow-Choten Hotel Uchoten hoteru (2006) - Heikichi Shindo
- Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) - Nobu
- Lorelei: The Witch of the Pacific Ocean (2005) - Masami Shin'ichi
- University of Laughs (2004) - Mutsuo Sakisaka
- Lakeside Murder Case (2004) - Sunsuke Namiki
- Tokyo: Level One | Tokyo genpatsu (2004) - The Governor of Tokyo
- The Hunter and the Hunted (2004) - Detective Jin
- Fireflies: River of Light Hotaru no hoshi (2004)
- Doppelganger (2003) - Michio Hayasaki
- The Choice of Hercules (2002) - Atsuyuki Sassa
- Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) - Yosuke Sasano
- Pulse (2001) - Ship Captain
- Eureka (2000) - Makoto Sawai
- Alley Cat (2000) - Koheita Mochizuki, aka Dora-Heita
- Swing Man (2000)
- Jubaku: Spellbound (1999) - Hiroshi Kitano
- Charisma Karisuma (1999) - Goro Yabuike
- Tadon to chikuwa (1998) - Kida
- License to Live Ningen gokaku (1998) - Fujimori
- Bonds Kizuna (1998) - Takaaki Ise/Tetsuro Haga
- Cure (1997) - Kenichi Takabe
- Bounce KO Gals (1997) - Oshima
- The Eel (1997) - Takuro Yamashita
- Paradise Lost | Shitsurakuen (1997) - Shoichiro Kuki
- Shabu gokudo (1996) - Makabe
- Sleeping Man (1996) - Kamimura
- Shall We Dance? (1996) - Shohei Sugiyama
- Kamikaze Taxi (1995) - Kantake
- Osaka Gokudo Senso: Shinoidare (1994)
- Gurenbana (1993) - Kenzo Nakada
- Drug Connection | Kyokuto koku shakai (1993)
- Under Aurora (1990) - Genzo Tamiya
- Another Way: D-Kikan Joho (1988)
- The Great Department Store Robbery (1987) - Cello player
- Tampopo (1985) - Man in White Suit
- The Legend of Sayo (1982) - Hatsutaro
- The Tower of Lilies | Himeyuri no to (1982) - Ootaka
- Onimasa | Kiruin Hanako no shogai (1982)
- Willful Murder | Nihon no atsui hibi bosatsu: Shimoyama jiken (1981)
- Saraba, wagatomo: Jitsuroku o-mono shikeishutachi (1980)
- The Last Game | Eireitachi no oenka: saigo no sokeisen (1979)
- Hunter in the Dark (1979) - Kuwano
TV Dramas
- There's Someone Watching | Anata no Tonari ni Dareka Iru (Fuji TV / 2003)
TV Movies
- Ekiro (Fuji TV / 2009)
- Toride Naki Mono (TV Asahi / 2004)
- Wagaya no Rekishi (Fuji TV / 2010)
Director
- Toad's Oil (2009)
Comments
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Judith McNeill Says:
Mar 21 2009 9:51 am
Congradulation Yakusho San, on your first self directed film. You did a wonderful job, you are and will continue to be an amazing actor. I look forward to any new films coming out and really hope you have a lead role in the new Martin Scorsazee (sp?) film about the history of Catholic missionaries in Japan. It sounds fascinating. Kudos to you - you gorgeous, intelligent and talented man. I know this will make it to the Tokyo Film Festival for October, 2009 and I have no doubt you will play a role in that festival for many years to come. I'd love to be there this year and have the priviledge of shaking your hand in congradulations.
Sincerely, Judith Kathleen McNeill, Calgary, Alberta.