Post by SamIAm on Jul 6, 2005 11:27:27 GMT -5
Article : The ‘Tarzan’ who can speak five languages
Author : n/a
Date : 25 Jan. 2005
Source : Manila Times
URL : www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/jan/25/yehey/enter/20050125ent1.html
He is Prada’s spokesperson for Asia; has been a frequent nominee on searches for the most beautiful men in the world; is fluent in five languages, and to date one of Asia’s most-favored heartthrobs. He is Takeshi Kaneshiro, one of the lead stars in Wong Kar Wai’s critically acclaimed film Chung King Express.
His ability to speak various languages recently earned him a stint in Hollywood, where he would do the voice over of a Tarzan animation in Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese languages.
Unknown to many, however, the handsome multi-lingual actor grew up struggling to pursue his dreams. He was born in Taipei to a Japanese father and a Taiwanese mother, a mixed heritage that in those days was considered taboo by Taiwanese society. As such, Kaneshiro always found himself ridiculed by his classmates. This made him transfer to the Taipei American School.
During his high school years at said institution, the young Kaneshiro did stints for television commercials. In the mid 1990s, he brought his soulful eyes and sensitive good looks to Hong Kong, where he debuted as a singer in 1992 and instantly became a star of the Chinese-speaking region. He sang pieces that he himself wrote in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
His silver screen debut came in Johnnie To’s Executioners (1993), where he made such a deep impression that it became his only supporting role to date. Kaneshiro has since played the male lead in all of his subsequent films, which included Wong Kar Wai’s Chung King Express and Fallen Angels.
Despite being effortlessly good-looking, Kaneshiro avoids the usual pop fodder in favor of quirky character parts - a move that is unusual for Asian leading men. Coincidentally, a Japanese television producer spotted Kaneshiro and gave him a role in an unusual miniseries. The controversial show was a huge success in Japan and sparked Kaneshiro’s Japanese film career.
His portrait was even taken for a popular Sony Playstation video game entitled Onimusha: Warlords (2001).
Aside from his achievements in the filming career, Kaneshiro also maintains a professional singing career as a pop star, and finds success as an international print model for the designer label Prada as well as appears extensively in advertisements all over Asia.
Author : n/a
Date : 25 Jan. 2005
Source : Manila Times
URL : www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/jan/25/yehey/enter/20050125ent1.html
He is Prada’s spokesperson for Asia; has been a frequent nominee on searches for the most beautiful men in the world; is fluent in five languages, and to date one of Asia’s most-favored heartthrobs. He is Takeshi Kaneshiro, one of the lead stars in Wong Kar Wai’s critically acclaimed film Chung King Express.
His ability to speak various languages recently earned him a stint in Hollywood, where he would do the voice over of a Tarzan animation in Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese languages.
Unknown to many, however, the handsome multi-lingual actor grew up struggling to pursue his dreams. He was born in Taipei to a Japanese father and a Taiwanese mother, a mixed heritage that in those days was considered taboo by Taiwanese society. As such, Kaneshiro always found himself ridiculed by his classmates. This made him transfer to the Taipei American School.
During his high school years at said institution, the young Kaneshiro did stints for television commercials. In the mid 1990s, he brought his soulful eyes and sensitive good looks to Hong Kong, where he debuted as a singer in 1992 and instantly became a star of the Chinese-speaking region. He sang pieces that he himself wrote in both Mandarin and Cantonese.
His silver screen debut came in Johnnie To’s Executioners (1993), where he made such a deep impression that it became his only supporting role to date. Kaneshiro has since played the male lead in all of his subsequent films, which included Wong Kar Wai’s Chung King Express and Fallen Angels.
Despite being effortlessly good-looking, Kaneshiro avoids the usual pop fodder in favor of quirky character parts - a move that is unusual for Asian leading men. Coincidentally, a Japanese television producer spotted Kaneshiro and gave him a role in an unusual miniseries. The controversial show was a huge success in Japan and sparked Kaneshiro’s Japanese film career.
His portrait was even taken for a popular Sony Playstation video game entitled Onimusha: Warlords (2001).
Aside from his achievements in the filming career, Kaneshiro also maintains a professional singing career as a pop star, and finds success as an international print model for the designer label Prada as well as appears extensively in advertisements all over Asia.
