Ken Watanabe

October 21, 1959 (age 66) Uonuma, Niigata, Japan
IMDb

Ken Watanabe (born October 21, 1959) is a Japanese stage, film, and television actor. To English-speaking audiences he is known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Among other awards, he has won the Japan Academy Prize for Best Actor twice, in 2007 for Memories of Tomorrow and in 2010 for Shizumanu Taiyō. He is also known for his roles in director Christopher Nolan's Hollywood blockbusters Batman Begins and Inception.

His titles like Inception, Batman Begins, and The Last Samurai - his biggest roles first.
Last updated: August 18, 2026

Watched: 0/56
Weighted avg: 7.17 /10
  • 1
    1
    Inception
    2010July 2010 by Christopher Nolan
    Starring as Saito
    Starring as Saito
    8.12 Excellent++
  • 2
    2
    Batman Begins
    2005June 2005 by Christopher Nolan
    Minor role as Ra's al Ghul
    Minor role as Ra's al Ghul
    7.39 Excellent--
  • 3
    3
    The Last Samurai
    2003December 2003 by Edward Zwick
    Starring as Moritsugu Katsumoto
    Starring as Moritsugu Katsumoto
    7.26 Excellent--
  • 4
    4
    Godzilla
    2014May 2014 by Gareth Edwards
    Supporting as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
    Supporting as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
    5.90 Okay++
  • 5
    5
    Godzilla: King of the Monsters
    2019May 2019 by Michael Dougherty
    Supporting as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
    Supporting as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa
    6.24 Good--
  • 6
    6
    Pokémon Detective Pikachu
    2019May 2019 by Rob Letterman
    Supporting as Lieutenant Hide Yoshida
    Supporting as Lieutenant Hide Yoshida
    6.47 Good-
  • 7
    7
    Transformers: Age of Extinction
    2014June 2014 by Michael Bay
    Minor role as Drift (voice)
    Minor role as Drift (voice)
    5.47 Okay
  • 8
    8
    Letters from Iwo Jima
    2006December 2006 by Clint Eastwood
    Lead role as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi
    Lead role as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi
    7.12 Good++
  • 9
    9
    The Creator
    2023September 2023 by Gareth Edwards
    Supporting as Harun
    Supporting as Harun
    6.61 Good
  • 10
    10
    Memoirs of a Geisha
    2005December 2005 by Rob Marshall
    Supporting as Le président
    Supporting as Le président
    7.27 Excellent--
  • 11
    11
    Isle of Dogs
    2018March 2018 by Wes Anderson
    Minor role as Head Surgeon (voice)
    Minor role as Head Surgeon (voice)
    7.51 Excellent-
  • 12
    12
    The Sea of Trees
    2016April 2016 by Gus Van Sant
    Starring as Takumi Nakamura
    Starring as Takumi Nakamura
    5.73 Okay+
  • 13
    13
    Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
    2009October 2009 by Paul Weitz
    Minor role as Mr. Tall
    Minor role as Mr. Tall
    5.38 Okay-
  • 14
    14
    Tokyo Vice
    2022–2024 by J.T. Rogers
    Starring as Hiroto Katagiri
    Starring as Hiroto Katagiri
    6.98 Good+
  • 15
    15
    Tampopo Japanese
    1985November 1985 by Jūzō Itami
    Starring as Gun
    Starring as Gun
    7.33 Excellent--
  • 16
    16
    Fukushima 50 Japanese
    2020March 2020 by Setsuro Wakamatsu
    Lead role as Masao Yoshida
    Lead role as Masao Yoshida
    6.01 Okay++
  • 17
    17
    Earth
    2007October 2007 by Alastair Fothergill
    Supporting as Narrator (voice)
    Supporting as Narrator (voice)
    7.15 Good++
  • 18
    18
    Bel Canto
    2018September 2018 by Paul Weitz
    Starring as Katsumi Hosokawa
    Starring as Katsumi Hosokawa
    5.21 Okay--
  • 19
    19
    Shanghai
    2010June 2010 by Mikael Håfström
    Supporting as Tanaka
    Supporting as Tanaka
    5.68 Okay+
  • 20
    20
    Rage Japanese
    2016September 2016 by Sang-il Lee
    Lead role as Yohei Maki
    Lead role as Yohei Maki
    6.29 Good--
  • 21
    21
    Unforgiven Japanese
    2013September 2013 by Sang-il Lee
    Lead role as Jubee Kamata
    Lead role as Jubee Kamata
    6.37 Good-
  • 22
    22
    7 Guardians of the Tomb
    2018January 2018 by Kimble Rendall
    Minor role as Father
    Minor role as Father
    4.98 Mediocre++
  • 23
    23
    Ashes and Snow
    2005March 2005 by Gregory Colbert
    Supporting as Japanese Narrator (voice)
    Supporting as Japanese Narrator (voice)
    6.53 Good-
  • 24
    24
    Kokuho Japanese
    2025June 2025 by Sang-il Lee
    Supporting as Hanjiro Hanai
    Supporting as Hanjiro Hanai
    6.96 Good+
  • 25
    25
    Kensuke's Kingdom
    2024February 2024 by Kirk Hendry
    Supporting as Kensuke (voice)
    Supporting as Kensuke (voice)
    6.42 Good-
  • 26
    26
    Memories of Tomorrow Japanese
    2006May 2006 by Yukihiko Tsutsumi
    Lead role as Masayuki Saeki
    Lead role as Masayuki Saeki
    5.90 Okay++
  • 27
    27
    Ikebukuro West Gate Park Japanese
    2000
    Starring as Yokoyama
    Starring as Yokoyama
    6.20 Good--
  • 28
    28
    The Unbroken Japanese
    2009October 2009 by Setsuro Wakamatsu
    Lead role as Hajime Onchi
    Lead role as Hajime Onchi
    6.06 Okay++
  • 29
    29
    Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald Japanese
    1997November 1997 by Koki Mitani
    Minor role as Raita Onuki
    Minor role as Raita Onuki
    6.67 Good
  • 30
    30
    The Sea and Poison Japanese
    1986October 1986 by Kei Kumai
    Starring as Toda
    Starring as Toda
    6.17 Good--
  • 31
    31
    Year One in the North Japanese
    2005January 2005 by Isao Yukisada
    Lead role as Komatsubara Hideaki
    Lead role as Komatsubara Hideaki
    5.87 Okay+
  • 32
    32
    Masamune Shogun Japanese
    1987
    Lead role as 伊達政宗
    Lead role as 伊達政宗
    Needs more reviews
  • 33
    33
    MacArthur's Children Japanese
    1984June 1984 by Masahiro Shinoda
    Starring as Tetsuo Nakai
    Starring as Tetsuo Nakai
    5.83 Okay+
  • 34
    34
    Space Travelers Japanese
    2000April 2000 by Katsuyuki Motohiro
    Supporting as Sakamaki ("Crusher")
    Supporting as Sakamaki ("Crusher")
    5.92 Okay++
  • 35
    35
    Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home Japanese
    2012February 2012 by Tomoyuki Takimoto
    Lead role as Junichiro Kawaguchi
    Lead role as Junichiro Kawaguchi
    Needs more reviews
  • 36
    36
    Bonds Japanese
    1998June 1998 by Kichitaro Negishi
    Starring as Detective Sako Akio
    Starring as Detective Sako Akio
    Needs more reviews
  • 37
    37
    Samurai Vengeance Japanese
    2026February 2026 by Takashi Minamoto
    Starring as Kinji Shinoda
    Starring as Kinji Shinoda
    Needs more reviews
  • 38
    38
    Commando Invasion
    1987January 1987 by Jun Gallardo
    Starring
    Starring
    Needs more reviews
  • 39
    39
    The Final Piece Japanese
    2025October 2025 by Naoto Kumazawa
    Starring as Shigeyoshi Toumyo
    Starring as Shigeyoshi Toumyo
    Needs more reviews
  • 40
    40
    T.R.Y. Japanese
    2003January 2003 by Kazuki Ōmori
    Starring as Masanobu Azuma
    Starring as Masanobu Azuma
    Needs more reviews
  • 41
    41
    Unbound Japanese
    2025
    Minor role as Tamema Okitsugu
    Minor role as Tamema Okitsugu
    Needs more reviews
  • 42
    42
    Love of a Thousand Years - Story of Genji Japanese
    2001December 2001 by Tonkô Horikawa
    Minor role
    Minor role
    Needs more reviews
  • 43
    43
    All Lives Japanese
    2024May 2024 by Ryuichi Hiroki
    Starring
    Starring
    Needs more reviews
  • 44
    44
    Dawn of a New Day: The Man Behind VHS Japanese
    2002June 2002 by Kiyoshi Sasabe
    Starring as Okubo
    Starring as Okubo
    Needs more reviews
  • 45
    45
    Kekkon Annai Mystery Japanese
    1985June 1985 by Yoshikuni Matsunaga
    Starring
    Starring
    Needs more reviews
  • 46
    46
    The Secret Lives of Kyoto Folk Japanese
    Airing since 2015 by Takashi Minamoto
    Supporting as 東雲朔太郎
    Supporting as 東雲朔太郎
    Needs more reviews
  • 47
    47
    Baian the Assassin Japanese
    1991
    Lead role as Fujieda Baian
    Lead role as Fujieda Baian
    Needs more reviews
  • 48
    48
    Mibu Gishiden: Shinsengumi de Ichiban Tsuyokatta Otoko Japanese
    2002
    Lead role
    Lead role
    Needs more reviews
  • 49
    49
    Toubousha Japanese
    2020
    Lead role
    Lead role
    Needs more reviews
  • 50
    50
    True Love: Making The Creator
    2023November 2023 by Glen Milner
    Supporting as Self
    Supporting as Self
    Needs more reviews
  • 51
    51
    TRUE COLORS Japanese
    2025
    Minor role as Taichirou Tsujimura
    Minor role as Taichirou Tsujimura
    Needs more reviews
  • 52
    52
    Drowning Fish Japanese
    2001February 2001 by Yukihiko Tsutsumi
    Supporting as Miyota
    Supporting as Miyota
    Needs more reviews
  • 53
    53
    Evolution Within Extinction
    2014September 2014 by Charles de Lauzirika
    Minor role as Self
    Minor role as Self
    Needs more reviews
  • 54
    54
    Hanekonma Japanese
    1986
    Starring as Genzo Onodera
    Starring as Genzo Onodera
    Needs more reviews
  • 55
    55
    Hojo Tokimune Japanese
    2001
    Starring as Hojo Tokiyori
    Starring as Hojo Tokiyori
    Needs more reviews
  • 56
    56
    Vessel of Sand Japanese
    2004
    Minor role as Shuichiro Imanishi
    Minor role as Shuichiro Imanishi
    Needs more reviews
Co-starring with:
Koji Yakusho 3 titles
Sally Hawkins 3 titles
John David Washington 2 titles
Zhang Ziyi 2 titles
Ansel Elgort 1 title
Julianne Moore 1 title
Matthew McConaughey 1 title
Shun Sugata 2 titles
Kazuki Kitamura 1 title