Hiroyuki Sanada on Nude Scenes, Lost, and The City of Your Final Destination

It has to be flattering to you that there's a demand for you to act in English-language projects. The producers of Lost created your role specifically for you.

Yeah. You know, I was so nervous doing that. I know that on TV, you have no time for preparation. I would get the script five days before shooting, and there was no time to take a lesson or something. [Laughs] I was so scared, but it was training, too. You had no time to prepare, you just had to get a feel and perform from your first impression of the script.

Plus, you don't really know your backstory at first.

Yeah! Every week, I'd be reading a script, like, "Oh my God! I realize who I am! My past is like this." Also, they told me when I met the producers, before I decided to join them, "You are speaking only in Japanese. Don't worry about the English."

Little did you know...

And then I started shooting, and the first episode was only in Japanese and there was one English line. Then they started to give me more English in other episodes, and I was, "Oh my God, oh my God." Finally, it was all in English. I was surprised, but I can enjoy that. This is me, for now. I cannot pretend. After that, I will never fear any film role in English in the future.

Lost was a groundbreaking American show in its regular use of Asian actors and Asian languages. Had it been on your radar before you were cast?

I had watched a lot of episodes before, but after I signed to join them, I watched the whole seasons, from one to five.

Wow.

I spent one month. I watched every episode, all of them! I was like, "Oh God. I will be in this." I had big pressure after I signed.

Is there any chance we might see your character again before the series ends? Perhaps you'll show up in a flash-sideways?

I cannot say anything, but who knows?

That sounds potentially promising to me, Hiro.

A lot of people want to know. It's huge, people watching and asking me a lot. I always have to say, "I'm sorry." [Laughs]

Pages: 1 2