Kevin Mcgue
Many Japanese actors dream of working in Hollywood, but few get the chance—and fewer still work with acclaimed directors.
Ryo Kase is one, having appeared in Clint Eastwood’s Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) and in
Gus Van Sant’s latest film, Restless. The 37-year-old actor plays the ghost of a kamikaze pilot who befriends a gloomy young man (
Henry Hopper) and watches over his relationship with a terminally-ill woman (
Mia Wasikowska). Introducing the film at the recent Tokyo International Film Festival, Kase recalled the fun of shooting in Van Sant’s hometown of Portland. “The director told me to hang out with Henry, since we are friends in the film.” Hopper took the advice to heart, using the fire escape of the hotel where they were staying to literally drop into Kase’s room for late-night chats. “He definitely has his father’s blood in him,” referring to legendary film rebel
Dennis Hopper. Not everything was fun and games though as the actor was called on by the property master to translate a wartime letter into Japanese. Having grown up in Washington state, English was not a problem, but Kase was worried about writing Japanese authentic to the period, and consulted a war veteran and a 100-year-old retired professor before penning the letter in his own hand.
Restless opens December 23 at Toho Cinemas Chanter and Cinema Rise. www.eien-bokutachi.jp
Email:
Print:
Rate this
Loading ...
Share: