BAFTA- and Emmy-nominated Japanese actor Takehiro Hira, one of the unforgettable leads of FX’s hit historical epic Shogun and Searchlight’s Brendan Fraser-starring drama Rental Family, will receive The Hollywood Reporter’s Trailblazer Award at the upcoming 38th Tokyo International Film Festival.
The honor, presented by THR in partnership with the Motion Picture Association, will be given to Hira during a glitzy “American Film Night” celebration at the Roppongi Hills Club on Oct. 28, attended by top executives, filmmakers, and stars from both the U.S. and Japanese screen industries. Hira will be just the second Japanese talent ever to receive the distinction, following veteran actor Tadanobu Asano, who was honored at last year’s festival.
THR’s Trailblazer Award is given to artists whose careers and creative choices illuminate complex, boundary-crossing stories and help expand representation in global entertainment. Previous international recipients include Jean Smart, David Oyelowo, Eva Longoria, Matt Bomer and America Ferrera.
Hira earned widespread international acclaim last year for his layered performance as the ambitious warlord Ishido Kazunari in Shogun, opposite Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, receiving an Emmy nomination for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series.
The Tokyo-born actor next stars opposite Fraser in Searchlight’s Japan-set drama Rental Family, directed by Hikari. The film premiered to warm reviews in Toronto and will receive a gala screening at this year’s Tokyo festival. Hira also recently wrapped production on Lionsgate’s Karoshi, co-starring Cynthia Erivo, Teo Yoo and Isabelle May, and appeared last year in Guy Maddin’s Rumours — alongside Cate Blanchett and Alicia Vikander — which debuted in Cannes.
A familiar face across Japanese film and television, Hira has built a truly global career over the past two decades, moving fluidly between Hollywood, European, and Asian projects. His earlier breakthrough came with the Netflix/BBC series Giri/Haji (2020), in which he portrayed detective Kenzo Mori, earning a BAFTA TV Award nomination for best lead actor. He will soon reprise his role as Hiroshi Randa in Season 2 of Apple TV+’s popular action series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Other titles from Hira’s deep and varied resume include Japanese prestige films, such as Masato Harada’s Criminal on the Prosecutor’s Side, Takashi Miike’s Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai, and Yasuo Mikami’s Bushido, as well as big-budget Western titles like Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo, Robert Schwentke’s Snake Eyes, and Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World.
The Tokyo International Film Festival, Japan’s largest annual celebration of cinema, will kick off in the city’s upscale Ginza district next week, with the MPA and THR’s award party set to be one of the event’s marquee cross-industry occasions.
On Oct. 29, in partnership with TIFF, the MPA will host its annual policy program on enhancing Japan’s production ecosystem, with guest speakers including producers Schuyler Weis (Elvis), Eriko Miyagawa (Shogun), Obb Siricharoenji (Alien: Earth) and Junko Kusunoki (Tokyo Vice). The session will be moderated by THR’s Asia bureau chief Patrick Brzeski. On October 31, Schuyler Weiss will also present a masterclass at TIFFCOM.
