Haruhiko Yamanouchi

Haruhiko Yamanouchi
山内 春彦
Born (1946-04-20) 20 April 1946 (age 78)
Other namesHal Yamanouchi
Al Huang
Alma materTokyo University of Foreign Studies
Occupations
  • Actor
  • voice actor
  • dancer
  • choreographer
  • stunt performer
  • writer
Years active1976–present
ChildrenTaiyo Yamanouchi

Haruhiko Yamanouchi (山内 春彦, Yamanouchi Haruhiko, born 20 April 1946), also known as Hal Yamanouchi (ハル・ヤマノウチ, Haru Yamanouchi), is a Japanese-Italian actor, voice actor, dancer, choreographer, stunt performer, writer and former mime.[1] Born in Tokyo, he has resided in Italy since 1975 and holds Italian citizenship.[2][3]

Beginning his career as a mime, he has performed in and choreographed for numerous stage productions. Since 1976, he has acted in over 100 films and television series, including several 1980s genre films directed by the likes of Sergio Martino, Ruggero Deodato and Enzo G. Castellari. He is best known to international audiences for his villainous supporting roles in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and The Wolverine. He has also translated and dubbed Japanese-language films into Italian.

Early life and education

Yamanouchi was born in Tokyo. His grandfather, Akio Yamauchi, was a children's book writer. He grew up in Niigata Prefecture and graduated from Niigata High School and went on to study liberal arts at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. After graduation in 1971, he moved to London where he attended drama and dancing lessons. He was among the disciples of mime artist Lindsay Kemp.

Career

Theatre

While in London, he joined Stomu Yamashta's Red Buddha Theatre company, performing at the Roundhouse and the Piccadilly Theatre. He moved to Italy in 1975 and he began his career as an actor in experimental stage productions, appearing at pantomime festivals like the Festival Internazionale di mimo e pantomima in Florence and Settembre al Borgo in Campania.[3][2] He was a regular guest on RAI programming, where he would demonstrate his various acts. He first gained recognition for his stage acting in a production of William Shakespeare's The Tempest where he played the role of Ariel in over 300 stagings and earned him a Premio Internazionale Guido d'Arezzo.[4]

As a choreographer, Yamanouchi specializes in opera, collaborating with directors like Mauro Bolognini, Andrea Camilleri, Giancarlo Cobelli, Glauco Mauri, Mario Missiroli, Giuliano Montaldo and Luca Ronconi. He choreographed a production of Turandot held at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium.

Film and television

Yamanouchi is made his screen acting debut with an uncredited role in the 1975 Fantozzi, directed by Luciano Salce. He appeared in numerous erotic comedies and B-movies throughout the 1980s, including Crime at the Chinese Restaurant (1981), 2020 Texas Gladiators (1982), The Sword of the Barbarians (1982), 2019, After the Fall of New York (1983), Endgame (1983), Warriors of the Year 2072 (1984), Under the Chinese Restaurant (1987), Phantom of Death (1988).[2] He was occasionally credited under the pseudonym Al Huang.

More high-profile roles taken by Yamanouchi include starring in Adriano Celentano's musical Joan Lui (1985) and in Gabriele Salvatores's science-fiction film Nirvana (1997).[2] He also appeared in several American productions, such as Stuart Gordon's Robot Jox (1990), Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Paul McGuigan's Push (2009) and Peter Weir's The Way Back (2010).[2] He most notably portrayed the older Ichirō Yashida / Silver Samurai in The Wolverine (2013) (sharing the main antagonist's role with Ken Yamamura), starring opposite Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto and Hiroyuki Sanada and also dubbed over his own dialogue and Ken Yamamura's in the Italian-language version of the film.[2][3]

As a voice actor, Yamanouchi has translated and dubbed numerous Japanese-language films and television series into Italian and occasionally vice versa. He typically provides the Italian voice of Asian characters in international productions and is the main Italian voice actor of Ken Watanabe,[2][3] and in his animated roles, he voiced Floyd Eaglesan in the Italian dubbed version of Despicable Me 2 (2013) and Bernie Lumen in the Italian dubbed version of Elemental (2023).[5][6]

Teaching

Yamanouchi co-founded MDA Produzioni Danza, a dance and performing arts school in the Castelnuovo di Porto neighbourhood of Rome. He has also taught at the Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and the Teatro Carlo Felice. He has also conducted numerous internships for mimes, dancers and actors for various associations, foundations and theater schools, on the themes of improvisation, spontaneous movements and acting with the kinesthetic approach.

Personal life

From his relationship with TG3 journalist Teresa Piazza, he has a son, Taiyo Yamanouchi, who is an actor and hip hop artist who performs under the stage name 'Hyst'. He has also served as a secondary father figure to Jesto, Taiyo's half-brother from Piazza's relationship with Stefano Rosso.

Yamanouchi has resided in Rome since emigrating to Italy in 1975. He became a naturalized citizen in 1992. He is fluent in Japanese, Italian and English and has performed in all three languages. He has penned a number of essays on Italian and Japanese culture for Italian literary magazines and has contributed to UNESCO's International Theatre Institute.[7][8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role(s) Notes
1975 Fantozzi Asian Cook Uncredited
1976 Basta che non si sappia in giro Japanese Sailor Uncredited
1977 Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals Manolo
1979 Gardenia Courier
Saturday, Sunday and Friday Japanese passenger
1980 I'm Photogenic Simoni's butler
The Last Hunter Vietcong
1981 Crime at the Chinese Restaurant Corpse
1982 2020 Texas Gladiators Red Wolfe
The Sword of the Barbarians Li Wo Twan
1983 2019, After the Fall of New York Rat Eater King
Hearts and Armour Samurai
Sing Sing Chu Lai
Endgame Ninja
1984 Warriors of the Year 2072 Akira
1985 Anche lei fumava il sigaro Bongo
Nell'acqua
Joan Lui Jarak
1986 Lone Runner Nimbus
7 chili in 7 giorni Chinese waiter
1987 Under the Chinese Restaurant Chinese chef
1988 Phantom of Death Swordmaster
Cream Train Carmal
1989 Sinbad of the Seven Seas Cantu
1990 Robot Jox Tubie #1
Blue Dolphin Banzai Samurai
1992 A Bear Called Arthur Ohnishi
Genghis Khan Unfinished[9]
1993 Craving Desire
1995 The Fishmen and Their Queen Priest
1996 We Free Kings
1997 Il tocco - La sfida
Nirvana Okasama Starr
Banzai Policeman
1999 All the Moron's Men Yakuza boss
The Fish in Love Korea consul
2001 Tutta la conoscenza del mondo
2004 Movimenti Japanese writer
Last Food Takano
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Chief Pirate
2007 Tutte le donne della mia vita Sakè
2008 The Rage Asian character
This Night Is Still Ours Laowang
2009 Push Pop Father
2010 The Way Back Official
Gorbaciof Lila's father
Late Summer Kenji
2011 All at Sea Confù
2012 Sins Expiation Hal
The Day of the Siege: September Eleven 1683 Murad Giray
2013 Niente può fermarci Mr. Lee
The Wolverine Ichirō Yashida / Silver Samurai Also dubbed in Italian
Something Good Laboratory chemist
The Girl from Nagasaki Gardner
Colpi di fortuna Arrambator
2014 A Boss in the Living Room Meditation master
2015 Ebola
2016 Zoolander 2 Wise village man
The Confessions Emperor of Japan
Al posto tuo Dr. Shimura
2017 Grain Leon
The Slider Goro Nagano
Addio fottuti musi verdi Yang
2018 Vanishing Balances: Mafia vs Yakuza Yutaka Zenshin
San Valentino Stories Monaco Buddhist
2019 Hard Night Falling
2020 Romantic Guide to Lost Places
Defectum
2021 They Talk Professor Hasegawa
Medium Hung
2023 Luka
Land of Women
Diabolik: Who Are You? Chen-Fu
2024 Iron Fighter Alpha

Television

Year Title Role(s) Notes
1985 Christopher Columbus Guacanabo 4 episodes
1986 Atelier Kosci Kissaraghi 1 episode ("Computer Fashion")
I figli dell'ispettore Japanese terrorist TV film
1987 Treasure Island in Outer Space Shadow 5 episodes
Tutti in palestra Kung fu master TV mini-series
1988 Una casa a Roma TV film
1989 The House of Lost Souls Buddhist monk TV film
1991 I ragazzi del muretto 1 episode ("Il ritorno di Massimo")
1992 Un inviato molto speciale Butler 1 episode ("Se lo dice Giuditta")
1994 Italian Restaurant
1998 Il mastino Pao Cheng Fu 1 episode ("Shangai")
The White Elephant Lo Yan TV film
1999 Shadows TV film
2001 L'impero Chinese mafia boss TV mini-series
Don Matteo Guillermo Rivarola 1 episode ("Il morso del serpente")
2006 La moglie cinese Lao Xiao TV mini-series
L'ispettore Coliandro Lu Yang 1 episode ("Vendetta cinese")
2011 Dove la trovi una come me? Mister Woo TV film
2011–2014 Inspector Rex Shop owner / Hiroshi Watanabe 2 episodes
2014 Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist Senzô 4 episodes
2015 Il bosco Miong 4 episodes
Strike Back
2016 Zio Gianni Anzin 2 episodes
2018 Squadra mobile
2023 The Swarm Akito Nakamura 8 episodes

Voice work

Year| Title Role(s) Notes
2015 Mokusatsu Doctor Short film[10]
Fukushima: A Nuclear Story Italian and English voice-over[11] Documentary

Dubbing

Films (Animation, Italian dub)

Year Title Role(s) Ref
2013 Despicable Me 2 Floyd Eaglesan [12]
2023 Elemental Bernie Lumen [13]

Films (Live action, Italian dub)

Year Title Role(s) Original actor Ref
2003 The Last Samurai Lord Moritsugu Katsumoto Ken Watanabe [14]
2005 Batman Begins Ra's al Ghul decoy [15]
2007 Silk Hara Jubei Koji Yakusho
2008 Speed Racer Mr. Musha Hiroyuki Sanada
The Ramen Girl Maezumi Toshiyuki Nishida
2009 The Hedgehog Kakuro Ozu Togo Igawa
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra The Hard Master Gerald Okamura
2010 Inception Saito Ken Watanabe [16]
True Grit Mr. Lee Peter Leung
2012 Paulette Chang Bing Yin
2013 The Wolverine Young Yashida Ken Yamamura
2014 Godzilla Dr. Ishirō Serizawa Ken Watanabe [17]
Dumb and Dumber To Harry’s adoptive father Michael Yama
2015 Pixels Tōru Iwatani Denis Akiyama
2016 Silence Ichizo Yoshi Oida
Arrival General Shang Tzi Ma
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage Mochitsura Hashimoto Yutaka Takeuchi
2017 Death Note Watari Paul Nakauchi
2018 Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Mr. Tatyama Togo Igawa
Second Act Philip Jiang Phil Nee
2019 Pokémon Detective Pikachu Hideo Yoshida Ken Watanabe [18]
Godzilla: King of the Monsters Dr. Ishirō Serizawa [19]
Midway Isoroku Yamamoto Etsushi Toyokawa
2022 Bullet Train The Elder Hiroyuki Sanada
2023 The Creator Harun Ken Watanabe [20]

Television (Live action, Italian dub)

Year Title Role(s) Notes Original actor Ref
2016–2018 The Man in the High Castle Nobusuke Tagomi Main cast (seasons 1–3) Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Video games (Italian dub)

Year Title Role(s) Ref
2020 Cyberpunk 2077 Goro Takemura

References

  1. ^ "Haruhiko Yamanouchi's voice acting and dubbing contributions". Il mondo dei doppiatori, antoniogenna.net (in Italian). Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Lancia, Enrico; Melelli, Fabio (2006). Dizionario del cinema italiano. Attori stranieri del nostro cinema (in Italian). Rome: Gramese Editore. p. 213. ISBN 9788884404251.
  3. ^ a b c d Papaleo, Marco Lucio (1 August 2013). "Intervista Wolverine: Hal Yamanouchi" (in Italian). everyeye.it. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  4. ^ FREEmenti, Luca Bordonaro (22 September 2010). "Teatro del Banchero". www.teatrodelbanchero.it (in Italian). Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Le 10 cose di "Cattivissimo me 2" che ancora non sapevate" (in Italian). fanpage.it. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Elemental, chi sono i doppiatori italiani del film Disney-Pixar". Sky TG24 (in Italian). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Theatre Yearbook 2018 ― Theatre in Japan". Issuu. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  8. ^ "COMPAGNIA SIMONA BUCCI / HAL YAMANOUCHI". Fabbrica Europa. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  9. ^ Re-edited and released in 2010 as Genghis Khan: The Story of a Lifetime.
  10. ^ "Mokusatsu (2015), di Nour Gharbi". Il mondo dei doppiatori, antoniogenna.net (in Italian).
  11. ^ "Fukushima: A Nuclear Story (2015), di Matteo Gagliardi" (in Italian).
  12. ^ "Despicable Me 2 Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  13. ^ "Elemental Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  14. ^ "The Last Samurai Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Batman Begins Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Inception Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Godzilla Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Pokémon Detective Pikachu Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Godzilla: King of the Monsters Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.
  20. ^ "The Creator Italian voice cast". Antoniogenna.net. Retrieved 31 August 2024.