21 August 2004 : Oscar(R) Nominee Ken Watanabe has
Been Signed and a Top International Cast Including Zhang Ziyi,
Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh, Youki Kudoh and Koji Yakusho are in
Final Negotiations to Star in the Highly-Anticipated 'Memoirs
of a Geisha' From Columbia Pictures / Dreamworks Films / Spyglass
Entertainment
CULVER
CITY, Calif., Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/-- Oscar® nominee Ken
Watanabe ("The Last Samurai") has been signed and
will be joined by a spectacular ensemble of international actors
led by Zhang Ziyi ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"),
Gong Li ("Raise The Red Lantern"), Michelle Yeoh ("Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon"), Youki Kudoh ("Snow Falling
on Cedars") and Koji Yakusho ("Shall We Dance?")
who are in final negotiations to star in Columbia Pictures /
DreamWorks Films / Spyglass Entertainment's feature film adaptation
of "Memoirs of A Geisha" for Academy Award®-nominated
director Rob Marshall, it was announced today by Matt Tolmach
and Doug Belgrad, Co-Presidents of Production for Columbia Pictures,
and producers Doug Wick, Lucy Fisher and Steven Spielberg.
Based on Arthur Golden's exotic and enthralling best-selling
novel, "Memoirs of a Geisha" will begin production
this September in Los Angeles and Japan. Written by Ron Bass,
Akiva Goldsman and Robin Swicord, the film is produced by Wick,
Fisher and Spielberg.
The primary cast was assembled after an exhaustive search,
which began with several months in Japan and continued throughout
Asia to find the perfect actor for each role.
"We could not be more excited about the extraordinary
cast that we have in place for 'Memoirs of a Geisha,'"
said Marshall. "We are adapting a beloved piece of literature
that has become a worldwide sensation, which made it important
to me to assemble a cast with a prestigious international
profile. I cannot wait to begin production this fall."
"We are thrilled to be using this beautiful piece of
literature as an opportunity to bring together some of the
greatest actors in the world, and certainly the most distinguished
team of Asian actors ever assembled for an American movie."
said Wick and Fisher.
"From the time I first read Arthur Golden's novel, I
wanted to see this as a film," Spielberg said. "It's
a uniquely compelling story rich with characters who take
you into a world you have never experienced before, and there
is no one better than Rob Marshall to bring all the poetry
and artistry of Arthur Golden's novel to movie theaters all
over the world."
Heading the cast is Ken Watanabe, who received an Academy
Award® nomination for "The Last Samurai" and
is a top box office attraction in his native Japan. Watanabe
will portray 'The Chairman,' the high-powered executive with
whom the young geisha, Sayuri, falls in love. Watanabe who
stars in the upcoming "Batman Begins," is also familiar
to American audiences from the popular Japanese comedy "Tampopo."
Chinese-born actress Zhang Ziyi will portray Sayuri, the
beautiful young orphan from a remote fishing village whose
life changes forever when she is sent to the city to learn
the ways of the geisha. Zhang Ziyi made an indelible impression
on audiences around the world with her portrayal of the rebellious
'Jen Yu' in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Her
credits also include "Rush Hour 2," "Purple
Butterfly" and the upcoming films "Hero," "2046"
and "House of Flying Daggers."
"Memoirs of a Geisha" reunites Zhang Ziyi with
her "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" co-star and
sparring partner Michelle Yeoh, who will portray Mameha, the
elegant and experienced geisha who becomes Sayuri's mentor.
The Malaysian-born action star brought the fearless 'Shu Lien'
character to life in Ang Lee's award-winning film, and was
also featured in the James Bond film "Tomorrow Never
Dies."
Another Chinese-born actress, Gong Li, will portray Sayuri's
stunning and treacherous rival Hatsumomo. Gong Li achieved
international celebrity in "Ju Dou," "Red Sorghum,"
"Raise the Red Lantern" and "Shanghai Triad,"
and other acclaimed films including "The Emperor and
the Assassin," "Temptress Moon" and "Farewell
My Concubine." Gong Li recently co-starred along side
Zhang Ziyi in director Kar Wai Wong's soon-to-be-released
"2046."
Rounding out the principal cast is Japanese actor Koji Yakusho
("Shall We Dance?") as Nobu, the brilliant but tragic
businessman who seeks to become Sayuri's patron and another
Japanese star Youki Kudoh ("Snow Falling on Cedars")
as Pumpkin, Sayuri's closest friend since childhood who also
struggles on the path to becoming a geisha.
"Memoirs of a Geisha" is also utilizing the talents
of Liza Dalby, world-renowned geisha expert and author of
many definitive works on the culture of the geisha, including
"Geisha" and "Kimono," as consultant in
the making of this film.
