​​KEN WATANABE PROTECTS TOM CRUISE Ken Watanabe, star of The | KNNdustrii

​​KEN WATANABE PROTECTS TOM CRUISE

Ken Watanabe, star of The Last Samurai, defends Tom Cruise's acclaimed picture after backlash. Released in 2003, the film featured Cruz as U.S. Army Captain Nathan Algren, sent to Japan in 1876 as a special military adviser to help the emperor put down a rebellion after the Meiji Restoration.
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Upon release, The Last Samurai was well received by audiences and critics, receiving 4 Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Watanabe. But in later years, the film was criticized for over-romanticizing Japanese culture,
ignorance of key aspects of the Meiji Restoration and a special commitment to the image of the "white savior", where the white hero plays a major role in the liberation of Japan.

In an interview with The Guardian, Watanabe defended The Last Samurai by objecting to the alleged use of a white savior. The performer, on the other hand,
sees the film as an advance in Hollywood's portrayal of Asian culture on screen and a step in the right direction after decades of opposing depictions. Read his words:

“We have the opportunity to portray Japan in a way that no one has ever portrayed before. So we decided we were doing something special.
Before The Last Samurai, there was a clear stereotype of Asian people with big glasses, broken teeth, and their own cameras. It was very stupid, but after The Last Samurai came out, Hollywood headed towards authenticity.