Tsutomu Yamazaki
Tsutomu Yamazaki (Japanese: 山崎努, born December 2, 1936) is a veteran Japanese film and television actor. Hailing from Chiba, Japan, Yamazaki has maintained a prolific career spanning multiple decades, collaborating with renowned directors and appearing in numerous critically acclaimed cinematic and television productions.
Acting Career
Yamazaki has established himself as a versatile and enduring figure in Japanese performing arts. Over a career lasting more than half a century, he has taken on diverse roles ranging from historical figures and dramatic leads to supporting characters in modern television series and feature films.
His notable film credits include appearances in Akira Kurosawa's Heaven and Hell (1963) as Ginjiro Takeuchi, Kagemusha (1980) as Nobukado Takeda, Juzo Itami's comedies such as Tampopo (1985) and A Taxing Woman (1987), as well as Yojiro Takita's Academy Award-winning film Departures (2008).
Selected Filmography
- Heaven and Hell (1963)
- Red Beard (1965)
- Kagemusha (1980)
- Tampopo (1985)
- A Taxing Woman (1987)
- Go (2001)
- Departures (2008)
- The Crimes That Bind (2018)
Awards and Recognition
Yamazaki has received critical acclaim and major industry recognition throughout his career. Among his accolades, he won the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in Go (2001) and again for Departures (2008). He also received the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actor for Go.