Several years ago, few people outside of Japan had heard of Ken Watanabe. But when he walks into a swank Beverly Hills restaurant for breakfast now, people know who he is. True, they may not recognize the tall, lanky film star in his black sunglasses and casual clothes, but mention The Last Samurai (2003) or the recently released Memoirs of a Geisha and heads immediately nod with approval.

Watanabe’s stunning portrayal of the dignified samurai leader Katsumoto in The Last Samurai earned him an Academy Award nomination and the respect of a worldwide audience. Although it was Watanabe’s first English-speaking role, the 47-year-old actor held his own opposite Tom Cruise, who played Nathan Algren, a disillusioned American soldier who is brought to Japan to train their armies. When Algren is captured by Katsumoto’s warriors, the American is drawn into the ways of the samurai. He develops a friendship with Katsumoto, one that cannot be severed, even in death.

Watanabe's portrayal of Katsumoto in The Last Samurai earned him an Academy Award nomination.

That friendship extended from film into real life. Cruise and Watanabe became good friends while working on Samurai, cracking jokes and even singing together on the set. Yet it was the quiet moments between the two characters that showed Watanabe’s true talent. His stunning portrayal of the serene leader aptly demonstrated Katsumoto’s inner strength.

“I liked everything about the role I played in The Last Samurai,” Watanabe says. “It was one of the first Hollywood movies that portrayed Japanese culture in a true light. They put a lot of effort into reflecting the spiritual values that are part of Japanese society.

The film reflects Bushido, a code of ethics that emphasizes being respectful of elders, keeping promises and being honest.” That code of ethics, Watanabe believes, can still be found in Japanese society today.

“Sure, values change as time goes by, depending on the generation, but the base of those values still exists,” he says, at times speaking in English and other times using the assistance of his translator. “I think this movie gave Japanese people the opportunity to realize what they have. This code of ethics may have been inactive, but it hasn’t been lost.”

Since breaking into Hollywood with Samurai, Watanabe has been hard at work on new films. He appeared as Ra Al Ghul, an immortal criminal genius, in Batman Begins (2005).