More fun rides to come - including a "researh"

And his international journey continues. He has been in many places lately, not only for "The Promise" but also for his previous film "The White Countess" by James Ivory and upcoming "Sunshine" by Danny Boyle, filmed last year in UK.

"I was at Berlin for 'The Promise' and Rome for 'The White Countess'. There is no time for me to adjust jet lags. After this event, I will prepare for the next movie, and there also will be the voice over for Danny Boyle. I stay here (in L.A.) most of the time, and sometimes go back to Japan for work."

As his next project, Sanada is scheduled to join up with James Ivory again in "The City of Your Final Destination" in Argentina. It sounds like he got along well with Ivory.

"The story is based in Argentina. There was a novelist who passed away in the past, and his odd extended family still live there. And then a writer who wants to do a research about the late novelist appears, so all the rackets start. It is about the quest of everyone's love and life, a calm drama very much like Ivory.

I was told about the project while I was still in Shanghai (for 'The White Countess' filming) last fall. Then I received the final script earlier this year, and got the official offer. I will play a very challenging role, so I told Ivory 'I will try my best', but he said 'what are you going to try? The lines will be much easier this time.' (Please see this past article for his struggle at "The White Countess".) I cannot say details yet, but it looks like the cast members will be amazing. It will be a small team, and each character is very strong, so I have to act in par with others.

My role will be the young gay partner of the novelist's brother. It is my first time to play a gay person. I will start doing some research here (in L.A.), as there are a lot of real life examples around, but I have to be careful not to go too deep. (laughs) The filming will start on September 10."

OK, so what about Japan? Any plans there?

"I like to keep going back and forth between Japan and outside. Now, just out of necessity, I spend more time outside, but I would like to feed back what I learned outside to Japan. I also believe it is important for the Japanese movie industry to keep up with the world, so I hope to exchange opinions with industry people in Japan.

I have been talking to different people, and looking for the good timing for the right project. Not only movies, but also TVs, and particularly live stage act. I just saw one recently, and when I see it, I want to do it myself, as it has been some time since I did it. I am looking for a stage act opportunity both in Japan and London.

Several different projects are cooking, including period dramas, and I also want to comical modern dramas, too. I wish I had more than one body!"

Having fun with the human character in "The Promise"

His charactor in "The Promise", General Guangming, is the most powerul, complex and sometimes comical man in the story. Sanada shows off his famed action ability, as well as his versatil acting skills.

"The other main character in this film has a super power to run very fast and fly. But my General is a human, although well trained. Sometimes the action coordinator choreographed my move like a super human, but I did not want to do that. Even with all the VFX and wire actions, I wanted to keep the human aspect. So I talked with staff and the director, and came up with different arrangements. I love actions, but the most important thing is the character, and the actions have to go together with the story.

In the original screenplay, General was not so much a comical character, but during the filming, Director Chen Kaige and I changed him into more powerful, more childish and much cooler guy, who is sometimes canning, sometimes weak, and sometimes comical. Other scenes in the film are rather serious, so he wanted to make my General more versatil one. I have been playing mostly serious roles in serious movies for the past 4-5 years, so I had a lot of fun playing this comical human. I played around a lot."

Doing everything himself - action, Chinese lines and international promotions

His challenge was not just the character building. He is known to do all the actions, even the most dangerous ones, by himself. (In one of his early year's ninja action films, he even jumped off from the top of a real castle into a moat with no stunts at all.) And this time, he also did all the Mandarin lines with his own voice..

"The toughest thing for me was to learn Chinese language. I never studied it before, and started the lesson two months before the filming. I was like a student during the filming, taking Chinese quiz every day. After 2-3 months, I got much better and started to enjoy conversation with Chinese crew and cast, and I understood the beauty of Chinese language.

Physically, acting in the heavy armor in the extreme heat in inner Mongolia was very hard, too. It weighed probably more than 25kg, and helmet was made with metal. I never experienced that much heat (66c at times) other than sauna. I had to change my underwear at each take. I drank lots of water, and then did action, and then drank again."

And even after the filming, he has not been absent from even a single promotional activity, starting from China and then to its vicinity, Korea, Japan, Europe and finally here in the U.S.

"The reaction in China was much beyond our expectation. The critics were mixed, but the number spoke itself. The box office broke the historical record of 100 years. I know there are different opinions about the film, but it is just great that such a lot of people supported it. Before, nobody noticed me in Beijing, but now people ask me for autographs, and even an immigration office lady in the airport mumbled to me, 'I saw your film'.

Taiwan experience was amazing, too. They had prepared very well to accommodate the film. Many press people liked it, so the questions were quite appropriate and to the point, and when I spoke about the importance of intra-Asian collaborations signified in this film, they understood very well. At the same time, major media took up the star factor side of it, too. They got the both sides of this movie over there in Taiwan.

This intra-Asian factor is the very reason I did this film, and I am excited that it finally comes to the U.S. In a way, U.S. is a part of that struggle, too, so I hope the film's spirit will be received as the common theme here."

And for that reason, he does not even mind some of his scenes are cut in the U.S. version.

"The US version is simpler than the original version, and it makes the audience use their imagination more. I think too little is better than too much. I felt that I pushed myself a little too much in the original version, although I myself enjoyed it. So I welcome the changes.

This film is made by all Asian cast. Korea, China, Hong Kong and Japan each has its problems, and that is why I believe this film is important for the future. And also, even though it is Asian film, the theme is universal. I hope you enjoy Chen Kaige's film, as well as my character."