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Hiroyuki Sanada, MBE (真田 広之, Sanada Hiroyuki, born Hiroyuki Shimosawa (下澤 廣之, Shimosawa Hiroyuki) on October 12, 1960) is a Japanese actor. Sanada was born in Tokyo. Originally aiming to be an action star, starting with Shorinji Kempo, he eventually took up Kyokushin kaikan. Sanada began training at age 11 with actor and martial arts star Sonny Chiba's Japan Action Club where he developed good all-round martial arts ability, and soon became Chiba's protégé. Sanada's martial arts film career led him in contact with Michelle Yeoh, whom he later starred with in Danny Boyle's... MORE

Hiroyuki Sanada, MBE (真田 広之, Sanada Hiroyuki, born Hiroyuki Shimosawa (下澤 廣之, Shimosawa Hiroyuki) on October 12, 1960) is a Japanese actor. Sanada was born in Tokyo. Originally aiming to be an action star, starting with Shorinji Kempo, he eventually took up Kyokushin kaikan. Sanada began training at age 11 with actor and martial arts star Sonny Chiba's Japan Action Club where he developed good all-round martial arts ability, and soon became Chiba's protégé. Sanada's martial arts film career led him in contact with Michelle Yeoh, whom he later starred with in Danny Boyle's Sunshine. He also has a long-standing friendship with Jackie Chan, although he did not star in a film with him before Rush Hour 3 in 2007. Sanada has often been credited, in his younger days, as either Henry, Harry or Duke Sanada. Sanada has established himself as a character actor who is adept at playing a variety of roles. Sanada was first noticed as a serious actor in the movie Mahjong Hourouki directed by Makoto Wada. Wada and Sanada's relationship may be similar to that of John Huston and Humphrey Bogart. Since Mahjong Hourouki, Sanada has acted in every one of Wada's movies, works filled with humor and a LESS