Hiroyuki Sanada is a Japanese actor known for his long-running career that began in childhood and expanded from Japanese cinema into major Hollywood productions and global television, including roles in The Last Samurai, Lost, Westworld, and Army of the Dead.

Hiroyuki Shimosawa was born on October 12, 1960, in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. While playing with the son of actor Kokichi Takada—who lived in the same apartment building—he was discovered by a showman. After modeling for a children’s magazine, he joined the Himawari Theatre Group at the age of five. He later graduated from Nihon University in Tokyo.

At around the age of five or six, he began his film career by appearing in Rokyoku komori-uta and its sequels, playing the son of actor Sonny Chiba. Determined to become an action-film star, he trained from the age of 11 at Sonny Chiba’s Japan Action Club, developing strong martial-arts skills across multiple disciplines.

After appearing in Shogun's Samurai in 1978, he changed his surname from Shimosawa to Sanada. From 1980 to 1991, he also pursued a parallel music career in Japan, releasing a series of albums and singles as a singer.

Sanada married Satomi Tezuka in 1990; the couple divorced in 1997. He has two sons. In 1999 and 2000, he performed in William Shakespeare’s play King Lear.

After extensive work in Japanese productions, he expanded internationally in 2003 with Edward Zwick’s American film The Last Samurai, appearing alongside Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. In 2007, he appeared in the action film Rush Hour 3, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.

In 2010, he appeared in the sixth and final season of Lost, created by J.J. Abrams, in a season featuring an ensemble cast including Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Josh Holloway, Michael Emerson, Dominic Monaghan, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Elizabeth Mitchell, Ian Somerhalder, Maggie Grace, Naveen Andrews, Jorge Garcia, Terry O'Quinn, Emilie De Ravin, and Michelle Rodriguez.

In 2013, he appeared with Hugh Jackman in The Wolverine and with Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin. From 2018 to 2020, he played Musashi in the HBO series Westworld, starring Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Jeffrey Wright, Thandie Newton, and Tessa Thompson. In 2021, he appeared in Zack Snyder’s zombie film Army of the Dead.

Awards:

2024 – 76th Emmy Awards – Best Actor Award (with Shôgun)
1995 – Hochi Film Awards – Best Actor Award (with East Meets West)
1988 – Hochi Film Awards – Best Actor Award (with Kaito Ruby)

Filmography and Television Work:
2022 – Shôgun (Yoshii Toranaga) (TV Series)
2022 – John Wick: Chapter 4 (Shimazu) (Feature Film)
2022 – Bullet Train (The Elder) (Feature Film)
2021 – Army of the Dead (Bly Tanaka) (Feature Film)
2021 – Mortal Kombat (Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion) (Feature Film)
2018–2020 – Westworld (Musashi) (TV Series)
2020 – Minamata (Mitsuo Yamazaki) (Feature Film)
2019 – Avengers: Endgame (Akihiko) (Feature Film)
2018 – Casus Oyunu (Kawabata) (Feature Film)
2017 – Life (Sho Murakami) (Feature Film)
2016 – The Last Ship (Takehaya) (TV Series)
2015 – Minions (Sumo Villain – Voice) (Feature Film)
2015 – Mr. Holmes (Tamiki Umezaki) (Feature Film)
2014–2015 – Helix (Dr. Hiroshi Hatake) (TV Series)
2013 – 47 Ronin (Shishi) (Feature Film)
2013 – Geçmişin İzleri (Takeshi Nagase) (Feature Film)
2013 – The Wolverine (Shingen) (Feature Film)
2011–2012 – İntikam (Satoshi Takeda) (TV Series)
2010 – Lost (Dogen) (TV Series)
2008 – Speed Racer (Mr. Musha) (Feature Film)
2007 – Rush Hour 3 (Kenji) (Feature Film)
2005 – The Promise (General Guangming) (Feature Film)
2005 – The White Countess (Matsuda) (Feature Film)
2005 – Bôkoku no îjisu (Hisashi Sengoku) (Feature Film)
2005 – What’s New, Scooby-Doo? (WUU) (TV Series)
2002 – The Twilight Samurai (Seibei Iguchi) (Feature Film)
2001 – Hikon kazoku (Yousuke Matoba) (TV Series)
2001 – Sukedachi-ya Sukeroku (Sukeroku Sukedachiya) (Feature Film)
2001 – Onmyôji (Douson) (Feature Film)
2001 – Minna hayır yani (Bartender) (Feature Film)
2000 – Hatsukoi (Shinichirô Fujiki) (Feature Film)
1999 – Mayonaka yapılan (Koji) (Feature Film)
1999 – Ringu 2 (Ryuji Takayama) (Feature Film)
1998 – Chikuwa için Tadon (Asami) (Feature Film)
1998 – Tabuloido (Toshihito Manabe) (TV Series)
1998 – D-Zaka no satsujin jiken (Seiichiro Fukiya) (Feature Film)
1998 – Rasen (Ryuji Takayama) (Feature Film)
1998 – Ringu (Ryuji Takayama) (Feature Film)
1997 – Kon'na koi no hanashi (Shuichiro Harashima) (TV Film)
1997 – Shin Hanshichi torimono chô (Hanshichi) (TV Series)
1995 – Abe ichizoku (Matashichirou) (TV Film)
1995 – Kinkyu yobidashi --Emâjen shî kôru (Hideyuki Harada) (Feature Film)
1995 – Sharaku (Tonbo) (Feature Film)
1994 – Chûshingura gaiden: Yotsuya kaidan (Takuminokami Asano) (Feature Film)
1994 – Boku ga kanojo ni, shakkin o shita riyu (TV Series)
1994 – Kahraman Röportaj (Jinta Todoroki) (Feature Film)
1994 – Kowagaru hitobitosu (Feature Film)
1993 – Nemuranai machi -- Shinjuku aynı (Detective) (Feature Film)
1993 – Kôkô kyôshi (Takao Hamura) (TV Series)
1993 – Bokura wa minna ikiteiru (Keiichi Takahashi) (Feature Film)
1992 – Yamai wa kikara: Byô in e ikô 2 (Ichiro Katakura) (Feature Film)
1992 – Keisho sakazuki (Masakazu Yoshinari) (Feature Film)
1992 – Oda Nobunaga (TV Film)
1991 – Zoku Kamata kôshin kyoku: Ginchan ga iku (TV Film)
1991 – Taiheiki (Takauji Ashikaga) (TV Series)
1990 – Shingo juuban shoubu (Aoi Shingo) (TV Film)
1990 – Tugumi (Kyoichi Takahashi) (Feature Film)
1990 – Byôin e ikô (Kohei Shintani) (Feature Film)
1990 – Rimeinzu: Utsukushiki yuusha-tachi (Haiyaku Eiji) (Feature Film)
1989 – Docchini suruno (Yamamoto) (Feature Film)
1988 – Kaito Ruby (Toru Hayashi) (Feature Film)
1988 – New York Koi Monogatari (Masahiro) (TV Series)
1987 – Hissatsu 4: Urami (Harashimasu Ukyo) (Feature Film)
1987 – Dokugan-ryu Masamune (Matsudaira Tadateru (Ieyasu’s 6th son)) (TV Series)
1986 – Wong ga jin ve (Peter Yamamoto, Interpol Agent) (Feature Film)
1986 – Kyabarê (Tanokura) (Feature Film)
1986 – Inujini sesi mono (Shigesa) (Feature Film)
1986 – Kataku no hito (Chuya Nakahara) (Feature Film)
1985 – Kage no Gundan: Bakumatsu tavuğu (Katsu Kaishu) (TV Series)
1985 – Kamui no ken (Jirô – Voice) (Feature Film)
1984 – Mâjan hourouki (Bouya Tetsu) (Feature Film)
1984 – Kotaro makari (Tatsuya Yoshioka) (Feature Film)
1984 – Chôdenshi Baioman (Captain Ayate) (TV Series)
1984 – Irodori-gawa (Joji Tanaka) (Feature Film)
1983 – Shogun's ninja (Feature Film)
1983 – Satomi hakken-den (Inue Shinbei Masashi) (Feature Film)
1983 – Iga-no Kabamaru (Shizune) (Feature Film)
1982 – Kage no gundan III (TV Series)
1982 – Iga nin pôchô Jotaro (Fuefuki) (Feature Film)
1982 – Yagyu Jûbei Abaretabi (Matabei) (TV Series)
1982 – Kamata kôshin kyoku (Feature Film)
1982 – Dôtonborigawa (Kunihiko Yasuoka) (Feature Film)
1981 – Moeru Yuşa (Joe) (Feature Film)
1981 – Bôkensha kamikaze (Akira Hoşino) (Feature Film)
1981 – Makai ten shô (Kirimaru Iga) (Feature Film)
1980 – Yagyu Abaretabi (Matabei) (TV Series)
1980 – Tonda kappuru (Isozaki) (Feature Film)
1979 – Renegade ninjas (Feature Film)
1979 – Uchu kara no messeji: Ginga taisen (Ayato) (TV Series)
1979 – Sengoku jieitai (Takeda Katsuyori) (Feature Film)
1979 – Sanada Yukimura no bouryaku (Miyoshi Isa / Yoon Sam-yeong) (Feature Film)
1978 – Yagyu ichizoku no in bô (TV Series)
1978 – Yagyû ichizoku no inbô (Hayate (Negoro Clan Warrior)) (Feature Film)
1978 – Shogun's Samurai (Hayate) (Feature Film)
1977 – Shinkansen kouankan (TV Series)
1977 – Jyakkâ Dengekitai (Katsuya Nakayama) (TV Series)
1974 – Chokugeki! Jigoku-ken (Toga as a Child) (Feature Film)
1970 – Shôwa zankyô-den: Shinde moraimasu (Feature Film)
1969 – Mito Kômon (Kanta) (TV Series)
1969 – Abashiri Prison: Drifter at the Edge of the World (Shoichi) (Feature Film)
1968 – Ahirugaoka 77 (TV Series)
1967 – Zoku rokyoku komori uta (Endo Kenichi) (Feature Film)
1967 – Shusse komori-uta (Endo Kenichi) (Feature Film)
1965 – Rokyoku komori-uta (Endo Kenichi) (Feature Film)

Source: Biyografiler.com