Interview 071907HS

After that last scene is over, I was told not to come to the studio. Danny wanted other members to realize the feeling of his loss, so I was strictly told not to come to say hello to them and was sent right back to L.A. To create the charisma of non-existence was one of Kaneda's roles, so Danny wanted actors to feel it, so the moviegoers can feel it too on the screen. I thought it was very honest way of doing it, although I was feeling a bit lonely, flying back all by myself. Because of it, I did not know how other members fought in the latter half of the story until I saw the final film."

Long standing friendship, and international survival Sanada-style

By the way, Sanada actually could not physically make it to the press conference of "SUNSHINE" this time, due to the rush schedule of filming "RUSH HOUR 3" with Jackie Chan. Duel between Jackie and Hiro is a dream-come-true for us fans of Hong Kong action movies in 80's.

"It is funny, as we did not even work together at that time. I had so much fun with him this time. I have known him for 20 years personally, and we sometimes bump into each other in different parts of the world. We happened to stay in the same hotel and chat over a drink by the pool, or met at the party. Last year, also, we chatted in Shanghai Film Festival, like 'long time no see,' 'I saw your film,' and "I saw yours, too.' Then in RH3, my role is a childhood friend with Jackie, who has grown up together like brothers in the same orphanage, but becomes an enemy later, so there is an emotional tie between them. In reality, too, we have known each other so long and never worked together before, and still I have to fight against him with such emotions, so it was a very interesting experience."

"RUSH HOUR 3" delay also caused another schedule conflict for Sanada, with James Ivory's "City of Your Final Destination", which was filmed in Argentina and has Anthony Hopkins as the leading actor.

"We started shooting 'RH3' last October in Paris, then I flew to Argentina for 'CYFD', then back to L.A. for "RH3", back again to Argentina for New Years, and finally back again in L.A. I went to Japan also. I piled up so many mileages, but cannot use for any vacation. I will go to Berlin again for 'Speed Racer'. I hope to be back to L.A. for 'RH3' opening, which is scheduled on August 10."

Is he hoping to indulge into Japanese food in L.A. while he is back to his current home base?

"No, not really. I can do without Japanese food. Otherwise, I cannot adjust to different parts of the world. To be able to eat anything is the basic of survival, in my case. On the other hand, Jackie Chan needs Chinese food, so every day his assistant cooks Chinese lunch in a trailer and lets us join up with him. We were in Paris for 4 days, but had Chinese for 3 days, and the last day we had Italian. I could not eat French food at all. That was too bad! Korean people also take pride in their food culture, as Jang Dong-Kun (who worked with Sanada in 'The Promise') did, so many cannot live without their own kinds of food. Well, but I am OK."

Japanese villain in a Japanese-origin story

Sanada says he recently is going back and forth between L.A. and Berlin for filming of "Speed Racer" by Wachowski Brothers. "Speed Racer" is based on Japanese classic animation in 1960's (original Japanese title "Mach Go! Go! Go!").

"I am playing a Japanese owner of race teams, an ambitious businessman. There is a main villain, and my role is in a position to support this guy, or to sway to either side for the sake of money.

It is great that this Japanese anime classic gets remade and introduced to the world, now that animation has been established as a leading form of Japanese pop culture. I hear the original anime is popular only in Japan and the U.S., but it has a universal theme and I believe it will be accepted in other countries.

The essence of the original is all there, but the visuals will be quite new and different. Wachowski Brothers are trying to load it with various new things that you have never seen. Although it is a live action, it probably will be even more anime-like than the real anime, with colorful and futuristic circuits. So in that sense, it will be more a reborn rather than a remake. I hope it will make people interested in the original anime in new territories as well, so even if a Japanese man is a bad guy in this Japanese-originated story, I believe still the benefit exceeds the negative.

A Japanese villain is a bit delicate position for Japanese people, but if I say I don't do this role, after all it will be played by non-Japanese actor in a stereotype way like in the past. I have a desire to change such stereotype, so I dared to accept the role and want to express it in a proper way. In that sense, my position is the same as in "The White Countess" (where he played a Japanese spy who causes the fall of Shanghai).

First of all, I have always wanted to work with Wachowski Brothers, and in addition, I was so excited to see the real race car, as I grew up watching this anime. I went back to my younger days and had to ask for the permission to touch its steering wheel."

Captain Kaneda's Eastern Spirituality and Adoration of the Sun

Back to the topics of "SUNSHINE", his role captain Kaneda was originally not set as Japanese or Asian. So how did it change and how did Sanada get the role?

"Yes, original script was written with a Caucasian captain, but his act has something like Eastern spirituality and Director Danny Boyle decided it is more convincing if he is Japanese. When he started to look for a Japanese actor, Director Wong Kar Wai recommended me in 'The Twilight Samurai', even though I have never worked with him. So I got a call from him.

The cast members who play the space ship crew held three-week rehearsal before filming, in a college dorm near the studio. We did various things there, such as flight simulation training to fly Jumbo Jet, experience of zero-G, scuba diving for make the right eye contact in a floating situation, heard scientific lectures by space or environmental specialist, and then after dinner, we all watched a movie a day for a reference.

The purpose of this extended camp was to create an atmosphere that the crews have been together for 16 months, by actually working, eating and sleeping in the same place. Director Boyle wanted to put us into the real physical hardship, including the act in space suite - it was really hot and heavy, and he picks up the reality that comes out from us. He wanted us to live as usual, without knowing where the cameras were set. It was almost like a reality show, in a way.

I am accustomed to such environment, but some younger members were not, so I was in a position to talk to them about its meaning. I was actually the oldest and played a captain-like role in real life.

The cast were quite international, but everyone has established his/her own originality and is used to working internationally, so there was no problem. Particularly with Michelle Yeoh, I have worked with her some 20 years ago. Cilian Murphy is a great professional but also is down to earth and honest guy."

In the movie, Kaneda and other characters are fascinated by the sun, and his last scene seems to have some implication about his fascination to the sun.

"There was no specific mention about it in the script or by the director, so it is OK to translate in any way, but I personally felt that Kaneda sees the sun as a symbol of god. I thought that Kaneda not only feels the responsibility of captain's duty, but also his personal worship to the sun or his adoration to get close to it. He made a wrong decision due to this strong feeling, and while he takes his responsibility of this mistake, he also was feeling a kind of ecstasy in getting close to the sun, and it was his final expression.