Hiroyuki Sanada is a familiar name even for those of you who are not a fan of Japanese movies. The Japanese actor, who made his name from his appearances in blockbuster movies, is a well-known name in Hollywood. If you enjoy his performances, on this occasion, Dunia Games would like to show you some facts about the talented actor. Without further ado, let's get into it.

1. Hiroyuki Sanada: Profile and Bio

Here are some brief profile and bio of the popular actor Hiroyuki Sanada:

• Name : Hiroyuki Sanada
• Real Name : Hiroyuki Shimosawa
• Kanji : 真田 広之
• Date of Birth : 12 October 1960
• Birthplace : Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan
• Height : 170cm
• Blood Type : A
• Occupation : Actor
• Years Active : 1968 - present

2. Hiroyuki Sanada’s Early Career

In 1978, he appeared in the movie Yagyu Clan Conspiracy. And since then, he's been playing in Makoto Wada's projects. The film tells about the death of the second Tokugawa Shogun, who turns out to be poisoned by his son, Lemitsu. Lemitsu and his brother Tadanaga become sworn enemies to the shogunate and the land split into disparate factions, which eventually erupts into war. Hiroyuki Sanada played a minor role in this movie as he was just starting his career in acting.

3. His Breakthrough in Hollywood

Sanada's first Hollywood movie is The Last Samurai. This film also starred popular actors such as Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. The director Edvard Tsvik offered him to join the cast. Sanada plays Ujio, a samurai and one of Katsumoto's most trusted followers. He teaches Algren the art of sword fighting, and respecting others as equals. He's one of the last samurai to die in the final battle during Katsumoto's attack.

4. The Pupil of a Japanese Action Legend

When he was 11, Sanada joined the Japan Action Club, a martial arts association owned by the legendary actor Shinichi Chiba, also known as Sonny Chiba. He was able to be under the legend's tutelage due to his talent. Sonny Chiba was a well-known Japanese actor and martial artist.

5. He's Always Wanted to be an Action Star

The actor, who was born on 12 October 1960, has always wanted to be an action star since he was young. He even studied the martial arts Shorinji Kempo and Kyokushin Karate in order to become an action movie star.

6. He Used to Star in a Hong Kong Film

During his early career in action movies, he was introduced to Michelle Yeoh, with whom he later starred in the 1986 film Royal Warriors, a Hong Kong film directed by David Chung.

7. His Real Name

The actor's real name is Hiroyuki Shimosawa. But since he received numerous offers to be involved in many projects overseas, he was often credited as Henry Sanada, Harry Sanada, or Duke Sanada.

8. Made His Debut at 5 Years Old

Hiroyuki Sanada started his career as a model for children's magazines before finally joining the Himawari Theater Group at the age of 5. His film debut was in 1966 – just after his sixth birthday – in the movie Game of Chance, starring Sonny Chiba and returned the following year as the son of Chiba's character in two of the film's sequels.

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9. Known for His Role as a Samurai

One of Sanada’s most iconic movies is The Last Samurai, in which he played with Tom Cruise in 2003. In that movie, he plays Matsuda, a samurai who forms an alliance with Todd Jackson.

10. His Role as Scorpio in Mortal Kombat

He played in the latest movie adaptation of Mortal Kombat in 2021. In that movie, he plays Hanzo Hasashi, better known as Scorpion. The main character that he plays is adapted from a 1995-released video game.

11. He Used to Perform Alongside Jackie Chan

He has been friends for quite a long time with Jackie Chan, even though they had never played in a movie together before Rush Hour 3 in 2007. Rush Hour 3 is one of Jackie Chan's most iconic movies. Hiroyuki Sanada plays the main antagonist in the film.

12. The Husband of Satomi Tezuka

Sanada is married to Satomi Tezuka, a well-known Japanese actress. They married in 1990. Satomi Tezuka is an actress born on June 7, 1961 in Tokyo, who's famous for her roles in "The Taste of Tea", "Prodigy", and "Fuzoroi no Ringotachi". They ultimately decided to separate in 1997 after seven years of marriage. From this marriage Satomi has two sons.

13. Fluent in Three Languages

Hiroyuki Sanada's first language is Japanese. But since he's played in numerous Hollywood movies, he learned English to help him play in American and British films. Then he also started learning Mandarin for his role in Mo Gik (The Promise).

14. Has Won Numerous Awards

Hiroyuki Sanada has received several awards, such as the Japanese Academy award for Newcomer of the Year for his work in the film The Twilight Samurai (2002). Then there are the Blue Ribbon awards for the best actor category in 1994, 1996 and 2006. Two awards from the Hochi Film Awards for the best actor category in 1988 and 1995, and four times received the Kinema Junpo Award for the best actor category in 1989, 1994, 1996, and 2003. One Mainichi Film Concours award in 2003 for best actor, two Nikkan Sports Film Awards for best actor in 1995 and 2002, and two awards at the Yokohama Film Festival Awards for best actor in 1989 and 1994.

15. A Nihon University Graduate

Being a talented actor doesn't mean that Hiroyuki Sanada abandoned his studies. Sanada attended Nihon University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He graduated in Film Science from Nihon University's college of arts in 1982.

So, those were some fascinating facts about the Japanese actor, Hiroyuki Sanada. Stick around for more anime and gaming info, and make sure to follow Dunia Games on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. For more info from Dunia Games, install the Dunia Games app from Google Play Store! On the Dunia Games app, you can make top-ups of your favorite games and get extra data of up to 3GB!

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