20 Dec 2003
Telephone conference with Ken
Sanspo.com (Japanese, with pic)
19 Dec 2003
Ken in Golden Globes Awards
Sanspo.com (Japanese, with pic)
11 Dec 2003
Japanese Star Ken Watanabe follows way of the samurai
USAtoday (English, with pic) or here
3 Dec 2003
Ken was highly praised in US!
Sanspo.com (Japanese, with pic)
Golden Globes nominated !
Sanspo.com (Japanese, with pic)
1 Dec 2003
Inside the fight training
ActionAdventure (in English)
(Abstract)
Ken Watanabe, who plays Katsumoto, the samurai leader who inspires Captain Algren (Cruise), was impressed by the sets, the full glory of which often did not even make it into the film. ��Of course I felt the scale of Hollywood always because the set is amazing,�� Watanabe said. ��Beautiful winter season, winter scene. Me and Algren work a lot in the snow temple. No dialogue, it��s only montage, very short cuts and the big set we made is so amazing. I walked through the set and I saw it the first time, Ed said, ��Welcome to Hollywood.�� I felt that.��
Watanabe had to train specifically for his sword fights. ��It��s a difficult thing because Katsumoto carries two swords. Very different style, and the footwork is so very different. Very difficult choreography [stunt coordinator] Nick Powell made. It��s so difficult. We have to trust each other and have to exercise, many exercises, because Nick Powell had Hollywood style and we had Japanese style also involved.��
