Masatoshi Nagase

From AsianMediaWiki

Masatoshi Nagase

[edit] Bio

Nagase Masatoshi is perhaps 'the' Japanese indie actor. Best known abroad for his role in Jim Jarmusch's 1989 cult movie Mystery Train, Nagase has appeared in many popular Japanese movies and dramas but at home his face is maybe most associated with the humorous TV commercials he has appeared in. The best of these was the series for cup noodles in which Nagase was placed, a la Forest Gump or Woody Allen's Zelig, in famous scenes from the 20th century, noodles in hand. He has also released two albums and is an active artist and photographer. He married former aidoru (idol) Koizumi Kyoko in 1995 after the two met on one of Nagase's photo shoots. Their marriage lasted until early in 2004, not a bad run for such a high-profile couple.

Nagase dropped out of high school and moved to Tokyo to start his acting career in the movie Shonben Rider in 1983. His ambition was to be a film actor but he repeatedly failed to pass auditions and worked almost entirely in television during the '80s. His encounter with Jarmusch and the confidence he gained through his work on Mystery Train led to more successful international film work. The Asian Beat Project was an ambitious series of six movies produced by Hayashi Kaizo made in six different Asian countries in 1991-2, each starring Nagase. The last in the series Autumn Moon, set in Hong Kong, won the Grand Prize at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1992. The 1996 Icelandic "journey of self-discovery" movie Cold Fever was also a critical success.

[edit] Filmography

Chocolate (2009)
Yume no Manimani (2008)
R246 Story (2008)
Moryo no hako (2007)
Funuke domo, kanashimi no ai wo misero (2007)
Sakuran (2006) .... Mitsunobu
The Youth of Kamiya Etsuko Kamiya Etsuko no seishun (2006)
Angel Tenshi (2006) .... Yoshikawa
Summer of Ubume Ubume no natsu (2005) .... Tatsumi Sekiguchi
Tantei Jimusho 5: 5 Number de Yobareru Tanteitachi no Monogatari (2005)
Gina K (2005)
The Hidden Blade Kakushi ken oni no tsume (2004) .... Munezo Katagiri
Loved Gun Rabudo gan (2004) .... Hayamada
Dead End Run (2003)
Worst by Chance Guuzen nimo saiaku na shounen (2003) .... Kazuo Hikita
Mike Yokohama: A Forest with No Name Shiritsu tantei Hama Maiku: Namae no nai mori (2002) .... Mike Yokohama
Aiki (2002) .... Bartender
The Sea Watches Umi wa miteita (2002) .... Ryosuke
Suicide Club Jisatsu saakuru (2002) .... Detective Shibusawa
Pistol Opera Pisutoru opera (2001) .... Man dressed in black
Luxurious Bone Zeitaku na hone (2001) .... Aratani
Stereo Future (2001) .... Keisuke Katsura
Chloe Kuroe (2001) .... Kotaro
Electric Dragon 80.000 V (2001) .... Thunderbolt Buddha
Enclosed Pain Tojiru hi (2000)
Party 7 (2000) .... Shunichirô Miki
Gojoe Gojo reisenki: Gojoe (2000) .... Tetsukichi
Hakuchi: The Innocent Hakuchi (1999) .... Party-kyaku
Three Businessmen (1998) .... Blind Man
Beautiful Sunday (1998)
Abduction Yukai (1997) .... Ichiro Fuji
Niji o tsukamu otoko (1996) .... Teacher
A Class to Remember 2 Gakko II (1996)
Ullie (1996) .... Nonomura
Trap Wana (1996) .... Maiku Hama/Mikki
Flirt (1995) .... Hal's assistant
Stairway to the Distant Past Harukana jidai no kaidan o (1995) .... Mike Hama
Cold Fever] (1995) .... Hirata
Berlin (1995) .... Tetsuo
The Most Terrible Time in My Life] Waga jinsei saiaku no toki (1994) .... Maiku Hama
Otobai shojo (1994)
Tora-San Makes Excuses Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro no seishun (1992) .... Ryusuke (Choko's brother)
Original Sin Shinde mo ii (1992) .... Makoto Hirano
Autumn Moon] Qiu yue (1992) .... Tokio
My Sons Musuko (1991) .... Tetsuo
Asian Beat: I Love Nippon (1991) .... Tokio
Mo no shigoto (1991)
Bakayarô! 3: Henna yatsura (1990) .... Tadashi Okajima (Episode 4)
Mystery Train (1989) .... Jun
Miyuki (1983) .... Masato Wakamatsu
Shonben Rider (1983) .... Jojo