The White Countess

Oct. 15, 2004
Article with Sanada-san's photo on sina.com

<As always, Feline kidnly translated this Chinese article into English and posted it on Aurora's "Poet and Warrior" board, and permit us to put it here as well. Thank you very much, Feline!>

http://ent.sina.com.cn/2004-10-15/1222533809.html


If the film crew notice board didn't put up a note that Sanada Hiroyuki would be on the set in the afternoon shooting, the reporter wouldn't have realised: that this middle-aged man with medium stature, wearing fine suit and leather shoes sitting in front (of the reporter) is the most famous Japanese super star in <Ringu>, <The Last Samurai> and <Twilight Samurai>. Just because of the unforgettable image of Sanada san having his hair tied up, and with beard in <TLS> and <TS>, suddenly (the reporter) saw a sudden change of look into a "three / severn part" modern hair style in Shanghai, the reporter was in a bit of a shock.

Behind the scene 1: Sanada san practice hard on English

The coming of Sanada san brought the already strong cast another heavy "token". This man, played as Ujio in TLS, treated Cruise like an enemy; played opposite Miyazawa Rie as "love you but difficult to express" Seibei in TS, Sanada san used his strong acting talent and rose his popularity from Japan to across Asia to worldwide in these two years time. Not long ago he worked with Chen Kaige on <Wuji> on an important role.

Sanada san will play a Japanese Spy in Shanghai in 1930's. Takuya Kimura san initially was considered to take this role, but at the end this role fell to Sanada san. The director didn't explain why, but only said to hope to find a Japanese actor with international popularity, and the director admired Sanada san on his role on TLS. But the reporter thinks that this is due to the high standard of english proficiency that the film crew required. In Cannes Film Festival this year, Kimura san was seen to keep his translator wherever he went. But Sanada san was the first Japanese actor invited to join the RSC King Lear during 1999. And during the Shanghai shooting, Sanada san is seen to be talking with the chinese actor in english during resting time.

This is an encounter of the reporter on the Tuesday afternoon this week and the reporter never thought to have seen Sanada san there and it's his first day there! It's a really nice surprise! Sanada san also carried his script everywhere he goes most of the time, whether asking pronunciation from the language tutor, or he's reciting his lines in the script. This made the reporter remembered that previously (around few years ago) Takako Tokiwa san spoke the lines in standard cantonese perfectly during the shootings in Hong Kong on the film <The Figher's Blues> (starring her and Andy LAU). Japanese actors' professionism can once more be seen!