Kiichi Nakai

Kiichi Nakai (中井 貴一, Nakai Kiichi, born 18 September 1961) is a veteran Japanese actor, whose career in the entertainment industry spans several decades, having been active since 1981. He started his acting career while he was still in university and quickly rose to fame when he was awarded the Rookie of the Year at the prestigious Japan Academy Awards in the same year. His father, Keiji Sada, also a notable movie actor, passed away when Nakai was only two years old. Nakai's name was given by the acclaimed filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu. Over the years, his performances have been recognized by several award-giving bodies. In 1994, he won the Japan Academy Best Supporting Actor award for his performance in '47 Ronin', and in 2003, he received the Best Actor award for his role in 'When the Last Sword Is Drawn'. He also bagged the best supporting actor award at the 19th Hochi Film Award for '47 Ronin'. His work extended to international productions, as in 2003, he also played a Japanese delegate to a Chinese emperor of the Tang dynasty in Warriors of Heaven and Earth. Interestingly, while a few of his lines in the movie were in Japanese, most were in Mandarin. His older sister, Kie Nakai, is also a well-known figure in the acting industry.