2008 EoTY: Actors

on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 6:00PM

In watching many Asian film, I have learned the names of many of their actors that have become my favorites and household names. The “best actor of the year” list that I have composed were based on some of the most prestigious and/or popular film award festivals in each country listed for the male categories, although there are dozens of Asian film festivals out there. I have also added a few comments of my own about the actors.

KOREA: Kim Yoon-seok from The Chaser

He was born on January 21, 1967. His filmography includes: The Happy Life, Tazza, Like A Virgin, Running Wild, and the Thank You My Life t.v. series.

JAPAN: Yoshioka Hidetaka from Always: Zoku Sanchome no Yuhi

He was born on August 12, 1970 in Saitama, Japan. He played Tora-San’s nephew in the Tora-san film series. He played in the movies: The Sea is Watching (Umi wa Miteita), The Hidden Blade (Kakushi Ken Oni no Tsume) and in the t.v. series Kita no Kuni Kara and Dr. Koto Shinryojo. He is also a singer.

I have watched the film The Sea is Watching earlier this year. I saw the movie The Hidden Blade last week which I enjoyed immensely. In my opinion it was a story about the romance between two forbidden lovers. It really touched my heart.

TAIWAN: Zhang Hanyu from The Assembly

He was born in Beijing, China on December 19, 1964. He has played in the movies Wind, Proof of Identity, The Equation of Love and Death, At the Expense of Xi Sheng, Look for a Star, A World Without Thieves, and Cell Phone.

CHINA: Jet Li from The Warlords

Jet Li was born as Li Lianjie in Beijing, China. He is known for his roles in Once Upon a Time In China series, Fong Sai-Yuk films, Fearless, Black Mask, Hero and Shaolin Temple series. He has also starred in the western movies: Lethal Weapon 4, Romeo Must Die The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Kiss of the Dragon, The One, Cradle 2 the Grave, and War. Jet Li is a practitioner of the martial arts wushu which he began with the Beijing Wushu Team, “an athletic group organized to perform martial arts forms during the All China Games.”

Jet Li is also one of my favorite actors of all time, because he is so passionate on the screen. Watching him perform his martial arts is a beauty to the eye.

INDIA: Soumitra Chatterjee from Podokkhep

He was born in Kolkata, India in 1935. Soumitra graduated with honours in Bengali literature from the Scottish Church College of the University of Calcutta. Soumitra’s film debut came in 1959 with Satyajit Ray’s movie Apur Sansar. He has also been active in Bengali theatre as an actor, playwright and director. He is a well-known poetry reciter and has acted on TV and in indigenous folk drama (jatra). He has received the ‘Officier des Arts et Metiers’, the highest award for arts given by the French government, and a lifetime achievement award from Italy. He received the prestigious Padma Bhushan award from the President of India in 2004. Soumitra Chatterjee

THAILAND: Akara Amarttayakul from Muay Thai Chaiya

He was born in Bangkok, Thailand and he attended school in the United States at the age of 11 until he graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. He went back to his native Thailand where he starred in the movies: Mae Bia(Snake lady), Saving Private Tootsie , and Jom kha mung wei in which he played a policeman who tracks down a criminal using black magic. The film won several awards in Thailand.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: B.D. Wong from Law and Order

B.D. Wong is a native of San Francisco, California. He has been a regular on the show Law and Order: SVU as Dr. George Huang, the voice of General Shang on the Disney Movie Mulan, he was also a regular on the HBO series Oz as Father Ray Mukada, and he has a starring role as Song Liling in the Broadway play Madame Butterfly.

B.D. Wong’s filmography list goes on for days as he is such a remarkable, talented actor. B.D. Wong has always been one of my favorite actors of all time. I have always been thrilled to see him casted in so many different movies and films in diverse roles. I look forward to seeing many more American actors and actresses of Asian descent casted in such diverse roles.

This blog posting is part of the 5 day 2008 End of the Year event happening Dec. 15-19.

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