Takeshi Kitano

Biography

Takeshi Kitano is a Japanese comedian, actor, and filmmaker born on January 18, 1947. He rose to prominence in the 1970s as part of the comedy duo Two Beat and later became one of Japan's biggest comedians. His breakthrough as a director came with Violent Cop in 1989, followed by international acclaim for Sonatine and Hana-bi's Golden Lion win in 1997. He has since continued to work as a filmmaker and actor, including notable roles in Battle Royale and the Outrage crime trilogy.