Actor
Ken Watanabe
- Born: 21 October 1959, Koide, Niigata, Japan
- Estimated net worth: $40 million
Ken Watanabe is a renowned Japanese actor known for his powerful performances in both Japanese and Hollywood films. He gained international fame with roles in movies such as 'The Last Samurai' and 'Inception'. Watanabe is celebrated for his distinctive voice…
Ken Watanabe: best films and shows
About Ken Watanabe
Ken Watanabe is a renowned Japanese actor known for his powerful performances in both Japanese and Hollywood films. He gained international fame with roles in movies such as 'The Last Samurai' and 'Inception'. Watanabe is celebrated for his distinctive voice and ability to convey deep emotion, making him a respected figure in the film industry.
- Born
- 21 October 1959, Koide, Niigata, Japan
- Height
- 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
- Spouses
- Kaho Minami (2005-2012)
- Children
- 2 children (names not publicly disclosed)
- Parents
- Isamu Watanabe, Kiyoko Watanabe
- Estimated net worth
- $40 million
Fun facts about Ken Watanabe
- Ken Watanabe was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2014 but made a full recovery and returned to acting.
- He is known for his role in the Japanese version of the animated film 'The Lion King', where he voiced Mufasa.
Famous Ken Watanabe quotes
“You can’t change the past.”
“You must be strong.”
“It is a great honor.”
Ken Watanabe filmography
Cast (104)
| Year | Title | Character | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Yamazaki Riverside - Over an Actor's Shoulder - Movie | Self | |
| 2026 | Samurai Vengeance Movie | Kinji Shinoda | 8.5 |
| 2026 | Kyotojin no Hisokana Tanoshimi Rouge: Keisho TV | 東雲朔太郎 | |
| 2025 | The Final Piece Movie | Shigeyoshi Toumyo | 7.7 |
| 2025 | LA PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER Movie | Unknown character | |
| 2025 | Kokuho Movie | Hanjiro Hanai | 7.9 |
| 2025 | Unbound TV | Tamema Okitsugu | 9.3 |
| 2025 | TRUE COLORS TV | Taichirou Tsujimura | 8.0 |
| 2024 | All Lives Movie | Unknown character | 7.2 |
| 2024 | Kensuke's Kingdom Movie | Kensuke (voice) | 7.1 |
Show 94 more creditsShow fewer
| Year | Title | Character | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | True Love: Making The Creator Movie | Self | 6.2 |
| 2023 | The Creator Movie | Harun | 7.0 |
| 2022 | Tokyo Vice TV | Hiroto Katagiri | 7.9 |
| 2020 | Alice in Borderland TV | Old Gentleman | 8.1 |
| 2020 | Toubousha TV | Unknown character | 7.0 |
| 2020 | 劇場の灯を消すな！PARCO劇場編 Movie | Unknown character | 7.0 |
| 2020 | Fukushima 50 Movie | Masao Yoshida | 6.5 |
| 2019 | Godzilla: King of the Monsters Movie | Dr. Ishiro Serizawa | 6.7 |
| 2019 | Pokémon Detective Pikachu Movie | Lieutenant Hide Yoshida | 6.9 |
| 2019 | An Artist of the Floating World Movie | Ono Masuji | |
| 2018 | The King and I Movie | The King of Siam | 7.0 |
| 2018 | Bel Canto Movie | Katsumi Hosokawa | 5.4 |
| 2018 | Isle of Dogs Movie | Head Surgeon (voice) | 7.8 |
| 2018 | 7 Guardians of the Tomb Movie | Father | 5.3 |
| 2018 | Segodon TV | Shimazu Nariakira | 8.3 |
| 2017 | NHK WORLD PRIME TV | Self - Presenter | 9.0 |
| 2017 | Transformers: The Last Knight Movie | Drift (voice) | 6.1 |
| 2017 | Dirty, Clean, & Inbetween Movie | Restaurant Patron | |
| 2017 | The Memories of Happiness Movie | Taro Miura | |
| 2016 | 五年目のひとり TV | 키자키 슈지 | |
| 2016 | Rage Movie | Yohei Maki | 6.9 |
| 2016 | The Sea of Trees Movie | Takumi Nakamura | 6.2 |
| 2015 | The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk TV | 東雲朔太郎 | 8.8 |
| 2014 | Evolution Within Extinction Movie | Self | 7.7 |
| 2014 | Snow Jack Movie | Reiji Kurata | |
| 2014 | Back of Father TV | Takamura Kouji | 8.0 |
| 2014 | Transformers: Age of Extinction Movie | Drift (voice) | 6.0 |
| 2014 | Godzilla Movie | Dr. Ishiro Serizawa | 6.4 |
| 2013 | Unforgiven Movie | Jubee Kamata | 7.0 |
| 2012 | Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home Movie | Junichiro Kawaguchi | 6.4 |
| 2011 | Gyoretsuno dekiru sodanjo TV | Regular | |
| 2011 | Ai inochi - Shinjuku Kabukicho Kakekomi Dera - Movie | Unknown character | |
| 2010 | A School Behind Bars Movie | Unknown character | 10.0 |
| 2010 | Inception Movie | Saito | 8.4 |
| 2010 | Shanghai Movie | Tanaka | 6.1 |
| 2009 | Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Movie | Mr. Tall | 5.9 |
| 2009 | The Unbroken Movie | Hajime Onchi | 6.7 |
| 2009 | 刑事一代 平塚八兵衛の昭和事件史 TV | Unknown character | |
| 2007 | Earth Movie | Narrator (voice) | 7.7 |
| 2007 | 星ひとつの夜 Movie | Nonoyama Hiroji | |
| 2007 | Red Sun, Black Sand: The Making of 'Letters from Iwo Jima' Movie | Self | |
| 2006 | Letters from Iwo Jima Movie | General Tadamichi Kuribayashi | 7.5 |
| 2006 | Memories of Tomorrow Movie | Masayuki Saeki | 6.1 |
| 2005 | Memoirs of a Geisha Movie | Chairman | 7.6 |
| 2005 | Batman Begins Movie | Ra's al Ghul | 7.7 |
| 2005 | Ashes and Snow Movie | Japanese Narrator (voice) | 7.3 |
| 2005 | Year One in the North Movie | Komatsubara Hideaki | 5.7 |
| 2004 | Vessel of Sand TV | Shuichiro Imanishi | 4.0 |
| 2003 | 川、いつか海へ 6つの愛の物語 TV | Unknown character | |
| 2003 | The Last Samurai Movie | Moritsugu Katsumoto | 7.6 |
| 2003 | 第三の時効 Movie | Unknown character | |
| 2003 | Another Battle/Conspiracy Movie | Fujimaki Hiroaki | |
| 2003 | 藤田宜永サスペンス「異端の夏」 TV | Unknown character | |
| 2003 | T.R.Y. Movie | Masanobu Azuma | 7.2 |
| 2002 | Mibu Gishiden: Shinsengumi de Ichiban Tsuyokatta Otoko TV | Unknown character | 8.0 |
| 2002 | 横山秀夫サスペンス シリーズ (TBS) TV | Unknown character | |
| 2002 | 強行犯捜査第七係 TV | Unknown character | |
| 2002 | Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS Movie | Okubo | 8.0 |
| 2001 | Love of a Thousand Years - Story of Genji Movie | Unknown character | 5.9 |
| 2001 | Drowning Fish Movie | Miyota | 7.7 |
| 2001 | Hojo Tokimune TV | Hojo Tokiyori | 8.0 |
| 2001 | Proof of the Man 2001 Movie | Munesue Koichiro | |
| 2000 | The Whispered City Movie | Ishida | 9.0 |
| 2000 | Ikebukuro West Gate Park TV | Yokoyama | 7.4 |
| 2000 | Space Travelers Movie | Sakamaki ("Crusher") | 6.1 |
| 1998 | Shimei Tehai TV | Unknown character | |
| 1998 | Bonds Movie | Detective Sako Akio | 5.6 |
| 1997 | Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald Movie | Raita Onuki | 7.6 |
| 1995 | Gokenin Zankuro TV | Zankuro Matsudaira | 8.0 |
| 1993 | Baian the Assassin: Showdown Movie | Dr. Baian | |
| 1993 | The Fire Still Burns TV | Fujiwara Tsunekiyo | |
| 1993 | Kagi-shi TV | Unknown character | |
| 1993 | Hanzo, the Razor Movie | Unknown character | |
| 1992 | Chronicle of the Town Magistrate Movie | Mochizuki Koheita | |
| 1992 | Waga Machi TV | Unknown character | |
| 1992 | Izakaya Chōji TV | Unknown character | |
| 1992 | Oda Nobunaga Movie | Unknown character | 8.0 |
| 1992 | Ganryujima: Kojiro and Musashi Movie | Kojirō | 8.5 |
| 1991 | Baian the Assassin TV | Fujieda Baian | 10.0 |
| 1991 | A Naive History of the Bakumatsu Era Movie | Ryoma Sakamoto | 7.5 |
| 1991 | Takeda Shingen Movie | Narrator | 10.0 |
| 1990 | Baian the Assassin Movie | Dr. Baian | |
| 1990 | Musuko no Gokikan TV | Unknown character | |
| 1990 | Yonimo Kimyou na Monogatari Tokubetsuhen TV | Unknown character | 9.5 |
| 1989 | Oda Nobunaga TV | Unknown character | |
| 1987 | Masamune Shogun TV | 伊達政宗 | 9.0 |
| 1987 | Commando Invasion Movie | Unknown character | 6.8 |
| 1986 | The Sea and Poison Movie | Toda | 7.0 |
| 1986 | Hanekonma TV | Genzo Onodera | 8.0 |
| 1986 | The Making of "Tampopo" Movie | Self | |
| 1985 | Tampopo Movie | Gun | 7.8 |
| 1985 | Kekkon Annai Mystery Movie | Unknown character | 8.8 |
| 1984 | MacArthur's Children Movie | Tetsuo Nakai | 5.5 |
| 1984 | A Tale of Two Truncheons TV | Unknown character |
Crew (4)
| Year | Title | Role | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tokyo Vice TV | Executive Producer · Production | 7.9 |
| 2012 | Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home Movie | Production Manager · Production | 6.4 |
| 2006 | Memories of Tomorrow Movie | Executive Producer · Production | 6.1 |
| 1989 | Harimao Movie | Producer · Production | 8.0 |
Latest releases
- Samurai Vengeance2026 / TMDB 8.5
- The Final Piece2025 / TMDB 7.7
- LA PANTHÈRE DE CARTIER2025
- Kokuho2025 / TMDB 7.9
- All Lives2024 / TMDB 7.2
- Kensuke's Kingdom2024 / TMDB 7.1
Questions about Ken Watanabe
What are some of Ken Watanabe's most successful films?
Ken Watanabe has starred in several successful films, including 'The Last Samurai', 'Inception', and 'Godzilla'. His performances in these films have earned him critical acclaim and a global fan base.
Has Ken Watanabe won any awards?
Yes, Ken Watanabe has received numerous awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor and a Tony Award nomination for his performance in 'The King and I'.
What was Ken Watanabe's first film?
Ken Watanabe's film debut was in the 1984 movie 'The Ballad of Narayama'. This marked the beginning of his long and successful acting career.
What is Ken Watanabe's estimated net worth?
Ken Watanabe's estimated net worth is around $40 million, primarily earned through his successful acting career in both Japanese and international films.
What is a defining characteristic of Ken Watanabe's acting style?
Ken Watanabe is known for his deep, resonant voice and his ability to portray a wide range of emotions, often bringing a sense of gravitas to his roles.
Is Ken Watanabe involved in any charitable activities?
Yes, Ken Watanabe is known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in supporting cancer research and education initiatives in Japan.
What genres does Ken Watanabe usually act in?
Ken Watanabe typically acts in drama and action genres, often portraying complex characters that reflect themes of honor, sacrifice, and identity.
What notable stage performances has Ken Watanabe done?
Ken Watanabe has performed on stage in productions such as 'The King and I' on Broadway, showcasing his talents beyond film and television.