Ken Watanabe Talks GodzillaPosted by Wilson Morales
May 15, 2014
Coming out this week is ‘Godzilla,’ a spectacular adventure, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, that pits the world’s most famous monster against malevolent creatures who, bolstered by humanity’s scientific arrogance, threaten our very existence.
Cast members include Aaron Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, Victor Rasuk, and Richard T. Jones.
For Watanabe, the Japanese actor is probably more aware of the history having watched the original film, along with the subsequent films. Among his film credits are Memoirs of a Geisha, Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima, Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and Inception, and The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In speaking with Blackfilm.com, Watanabe talks about his character in Godzilla and doing an indie film for Gus Van Sant.
How would you describe the back-story for your character?
Ken Watanabe: His father was a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing in 1945. He went to study nuclear energy in the hopes of doing something meaningful for mankind. Then he found Muto in the process and discovered the existence of Godzilla. Then he couldn’t believe the power of nature and fear, which man can not control. When I saw the film, I got excited when Godzilla let out his roar. To me, it almost feels that Godzilla is calling us to help humanity.
What was the attraction to doing the film?
KW: When I got offered the role, I was thinking about the last movie Hollywood did o Godzilla, and I was worried about that. I asked Gareth about it and he knew why Godzilla was born in Japan after WWII. We had the experience of two bombs with Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Godzilla was born out of fear.
During the shoot, was there a period where the cast got together?
KW: For the most part, Sally (Hawkins) was with me throughout the film. For her, it’s her first big studio film. She’s done a lot of independent films. The two of us worked with Gareth in creating the characters. There wasn’t a lot of time to connect with the rest of the cast.
Speaking of independent films, you will be doing one with Matthew McConaughey for Gus Van Sant’s Sea of Trees. Is that your first indie film?
KW: Well, in Japan, I have done some independent films so to me, it’s all the same. I wouldn’t call it my first.
Is there a certain role that you haven’t done yet?
KW: Well, the Gus Van Sant film is something different. In a way he’s shedding my skin, which is a new feeling.
