TOM CRUISE (Captain Nathan Algren / Producer) made his film debut in 1981 with the critically acclaimed film Taps and has subsequently experienced a distinguished and distinctive career. He last starred as "pre-cog" specialist John Anderton in Steven Spielberg's futuristic thriller Minority Report, the latest of his many intriguing, ground-breaking and diverse films. He has collaborated with some of the film industry's most respected directors and actors, including Barry Levinson and co-star Dustin Hoffman in the Academy Award-winning Rain Man; Martin Scorsese in The colour of Money, opposite Paul Newman; Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July; Cameron Crowe's Jerry Maguire and Vanilla Sky; Ron Howard's Far and Away; Sydney Pollack's The Firm; and Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire, to name just a few.

In 1983, Cruise won widespread acclaim for his bravura performance in Risky Business, which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination. He went on to create one of the most memorable characters of all time, flying ace Maverick, in the highest-grossing film of 1986, Top Gun. In 1989, Cruise received his first Oscar nomination and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Oliver Stone's searing tale of Viet Nam veteran Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July. More accolades and a Golden Globe nomination followed in 1992 with Rob Reiner's A Few Good Men, also starring Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore. In 1996 he received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in Jerry Maguire. In 1999, Cruise dazzled audiences and critics alike with his work in P.T. Anderson's ensemble drama Magnolia. His powerful performance earned him his third Academy nomination and his third Golden Globe Award, this time for Best Supporting Actor. That same year he starred in what would be Stanley Kubrick's final film, the psychological thriller, Eyes Wide Shut.

Cruise is currently filming Collateral, directed by Michael Mann.

A testament to his critical and popular success, Cruise has received numerous awards, tributes and nominations, including The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, the BAFTA Awards, The Chicago Film Critics Association, The Golden Satellite Awards, The National Board of Review, The People's Choice Awards, The Screen Actors Guild Awards and The Kids Choice Awards. In 1987, the ShoWest Convention acknowledged Cruise as the Boxoffice Star of the Year and, in 1990, the American Cinema presented him with its Distinguished Achievement Award. He earned Harvard's Hasting Pudding Man of the Year Award in 1994 and the prestigious American Cinematheque Award in 1996. In 1998, the Artists Rights Foundation recognized Cruise with the John Huston Award, an honour bestowed upon those known for safeguarding the integrity of the artistic process.

Cruise is also a successful producer. In 1993, he teamed with Paula Wagner to form Cruise/Wagner Productions, which quickly grew to become one of the industry's leading production companies, known for its commitment to supporting new talent. The first film released under the Cruise/Wagner banner was the 1996 worldwide blockbuster Mission: Impossible. That same year, Cruise/Wagner collaborated with Cameron Crowe on the award-winning Jerry Maguire. In 1997, the Producers Guild of America celebrated Cruise/Wagner with the Nova Award for the Most Promising Producers in Theatrical Motion Pictures. The following year, Cruise/Wagner produced the critically acclaimed film about runner Steve Prefontaine, Without Limits, written by Robert Towne, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Chinatown.

In Cruise/Wagner's 2000 hit sequel Mission: Impossible 2, Cruise reprised his roles both as Agent Ethan Hunt and as a producer. Mission: Impossible 2 gave Cruise/Wagner one of the most successful film franchises in history, grossing over one billion dollars. The company also produced the successful thriller The Others, which marked Cruise's first collaboration, as executive producer, with director Alejandro Amenabar. Amenabar came to Cruise's attention after Cruise saw Amenabar's Spanish romantic thriller, Abre Los Ojos. Cruise/Wagner optioned the project and it eventually became the basis of Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky, for which Cruise also starred and produced. He recently served as executive producer on the Billy Ray feature drama Shattered Glass, which screened at the Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals and premiered at the Hollywood Film Festival.

Cruise/Wagner is currently in pre-production on the third Mission Impossible installment, to be directed by Joe Carnahan, in addition to Cameron Crowe's upcoming drama Elizabethtown.

TIMOTHY SPALL (Simon Graham) recently appeared in Douglas McGrath's film retelling of the Charles Dickens classic Nicholas Nickleby. Frequently featured in Mike Leigh's films, Spall made his sixth appearance in the director's most recent offering, All or Nothing. Other collaborations with Mike Leigh include the play Smelling Like A Rat; the BBC film Home Sweet Home; Secrets and Lies, for which he received a BAFTA Award nomination and a London Film Critics nomination; and the critically acclaimed story of Gilbert %26 Sullivan, Topsy Turvy.

He will next star in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azbakan, currently in production and set for a 2004 release.

Spall's extensive film credits include Kenneth Branagh's musical adaptation of Love's Labours Lost and Branagh's Hamlet; Franc Roddam's Quadrophenia, Clint Eastwood's White Hunter, Black Heart, Bernardo Bertolucci's The Sheltering Sky, Roland Joffe's Vatel, Stephen Herek's Rock Star, Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky (Spall's first association with Tom Cruise), and Brian Gibson's tale of a 1970s band reunion, Still Crazy, which also starred his Last Samurai colleague Billy Connolly. He also lent his voice to the animated feature Chicken Run.

For his role as Mr. Venus in the highly acclaimed BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Our Mutual Friend, Spall received a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Actor. His UK television credits include the role of Barry in the popular series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Outside Edge. Recent TV credits include Stephen Poliakoff's Shooting the Past, Danny Boyle's Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise, for which he received a BAFTA Award nomination, and the revival of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

Spall has performed extensively on stage for The Royal Shakespeare Company, in productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor, Nicholas Nickleby and Knight and the Burning Pestle. Royal National Theatre productions include St. Joan, Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme and Robert LePage's production of A Midsummer's Night Dream.

KEN WATANABE (Katsumoto) began his career on stage, with the Tokyo-based theater troupe, Madoka. While working with Madoka, he was selected to portray the role of hero in the play Shimodani Mannen-cho Monogatari, directed by Yukio Ninagawa. His performance attracted critical and popular notice.

In 1982, Watanabe made his television debut in Michinaru Hanran (Unknown Rebellion). In 1987, he displayed a regal bearing and powerful presence in NHK's successful Samurai drama series, Dokuganryu Masamune, and went on to earn acclaim in such historical dramas as the TV shows Oda Nobunaga, Chushingura, and the movie Bakumatsu Junjyo Den.

Additionally, Watanabe's consummate skills have contributed to such projects as Ikebukuro West Gate Park, Anata ga Hoshii (I Want You) for television and the movies Space Travelers, Oboreru Sakana (Drowning Fish) and The Sun Rises Again.

In February 2003, Watanabe was seen in Shin Jinginaki Tatakai/Bosatsu (Fight Without Loyalty/Murder) an updated version of the popular Yakuza movie series.

He will also appear in the upcoming film T.R.Y.

BILLY CONNOLLY (Zebulon Gant) recently appeared opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, Robin Wright Penn and Renée Zellweger in the acclaimed drama White Oleander. Perhaps best known for his comedic work, he has also established himself as a compelling dramatic actor, most notably opposite Dame Judi Dench in the highly-acclaimed Mrs. Brown. The Scottish-born actor recently starred in the independent film Who is Cletis Tout? and is currently on screen in Richard Donner's time travel adventure Timeline.

A stand-up comedian who has performed internationally, Connolly's film credits include Troy Duffy's The Boondock Saints, Stephen Metcalfe's Beautiful Joe, Barry Levinson's An Everlasting Piece, and Stanley Tucci's The Impostors, as well as Absolution with Richard Burton, Bullshot and Water with Michael Caine, Crossing the Line with Liam Neeson, and the acclaimed BBC production Down Among the Big Boys. He also appeared in the Muppet movie version of Treasure Island and starred in the BBC drama The Life and Crimes of Deacon Brodie. Connolly's voice is featured in the animated film Pocohantas.

American audiences recognize Connolly from hit TV series Head of the Class, which led to his own series, Billy. He also appeared on the sitcom Pearl, with Rhea Perlman. Other credits include comedy specials for HBO and the BBC and his famed World Tour programs, such as Billy Connolly's World Tour of Australia, Billy Connolly's World Tour of Ireland, Wales and England and Billy Connolly's World Tour of Scotland, a six-part series documenting his travels in his beloved homeland. He also starred in The Bigger Picture, a series on Scottish art. On stage, Connolly performed in the BBC's production of Androcles and the Lion, the Scottish Opera productions of Die Fleidermaus, and his own play, The Red Runner, which enjoyed packed houses throughout its run at the Edinburgh Festival.

He began his career as a musician, touring with Gerry Rafferty and the folk band The Humblebums, where his humorous introductions and comedic ramblings became an audience favorite. He played his first solo concert in 1971, which led to The Great Northern Welly Boot Show, a mix of music and talk that won considerable acclaim. He went on to release a double album and a #1 hit single, "D.I.V.O.R.C.E." Since then, he has released numerous hit comedy records and published several comedic books. In July 2001, Connolly received an honourary doctorate from the University of Glasgow.

TONY GOLDWYN (Col. Bagley) is a highly-regarded director as well as an actor. Upon completing The Last Samurai, he began his third directorial effort, The Betty Ann Waters Story. This project marks a reunion with screenwriter Pamela Grey, who wrote Goldwyn's critically lauded directorial debut A Walk on the Moon, starring Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin. Goldwyn went on to direct Someone Like You, starring Ashley Judd, Hugh Jackman and Greg Kinnear.

His recent acting appearances include the title role in Joshua with F. Murray Abraham and Giancarlo Giannini; An American Rhapsody, opposite Nastassja Kinski; and Abandon, the directorial debut of Oscar-winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan. Other film credits include Bounce, The 6th Day, the voice of the title character in the animated feature Tarzan, Kiss the Girls and the motion picture version of Jon Robin Baitz's award-winning play The Substance of Fire. He will next be seen in the drama Kill Switch.

Goldwyn made his feature debut in Luis Mandoki's Gaby: A True Story, and went on to earn international attention for his villainous turn in Ghost. He played another memorable villain in Alan J. Pakula's The Pelican Brief, starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. His television work includes the acclaimed HBO mini-series From Earth to the Moon, in which he portrayed Neil Armstrong; Song of the Lark, for PBS American Masters Series; the Hallmark telefilm The Boys Next Door, with Nathan Lane and Mare Winningham; HBO's Truman and the NBC mini-series A Woman of Independent Means, opposite Sally Field.

Goldwyn's stage credits include the Broadway revival of Philip Barry's Holiday, at the Circle in the Square Theater; Craig Lucas' The Dying Gaul at the Vineyard Theater in New York; and Teresa Rebeck's hit comedy Spike Heels, opposite Kevin Bacon at the Second Stage. He won an Obie for his performance in the off-Broadway hit The Sum of Us. He spent several seasons at the Williamstown Theater Festival, where his credits include William Inge's Picnic, co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Blythe Danner; Carthaginians by Irish playwright Frank McGuiness, and the title role in Tom Jones. He made his New York debut in 1985 in Digby at the Manhattan Theater Club.

HIROYUKI SANADA (Ujio) made his movie debut at the age of five. At 13, he began studying acting, Karate, horseback riding and Japanese traditional dance. After graduating from Nihon University College of Art, he appeared in the historic action film Shogun's Ninja, performing his own stunts, a feat that earned him acclaim. In 1984, his groundbreaking work in Mahjong Vagrant Life (Mahjong Horoki) boosted him to stardom.

Since then, he has been in many movies and plays and appeared in over 50 films including We are not Alone (Bokura ha minna ikiteiru), Sharaku (submitted to the Cannes Film Festival in 1995), the original Ring series, Round Midnight and Sukeroku.

Sanada played the leading role in various theatrical works including Romeo and Juliet, Big River (with Ron Richardson), Little Shop of Horrors, Hamlet and The Orchestra Pit. In 1999, he became the first Japanese actor to join the British Royal Shakespeare Company, in which he played the Fool in King Lear, with Sir Nigel Hawthorne. For this performance, he received an auspicious honour, Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) from the Queen.

In 2002, Sanada played a pivotal part in The Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei), which brought him many major Japanese movie awards including the Japanese Academy Award for Best Leading Actor and the film was submitted to the Berlin Film Festival this year.

KOYUKI (Taka), now one of Japan's major actresses, began her career as a model after responding to a contest in the magazine Non-No. Subsequently, she won an exclusive modeling contract with the magazine and became a professional model in 1997.

After extensive exposure in magazines and fashion shows, she began her acting career in the TV drama Koi ha Aserazu (Let's Be Patient at Finding Romance), earning widespread acclaim, and went on to roles in other television dramas, such as Beautiful Life, Antique - Seiyo Kotto Yogashiten (European Antique Cake Shop), Tentai Kansoku (Cosmic Observation) and Kimi wa Petto (You are My Pet).

Koyuki also appeared in the films Kairo (Circuit), Keizoku and Laundry. She plays an important role in the upcoming Masahiro Shinoda's movie Spy Zoluge.

SHICHINOSUKE NAKAMURA (the Emperor) one of the 21st Century's most promising young Kabuki Actors, is the second son of Kankuro Nakamura V and younger brother to Kantaro Nakamura II, both famed Kabuki performers.

He made his stage debut in Ori (Cage) as Kankichi in the 1986 festival scene. The following January, he attained a new name, Shichinosuke Nakamura II, and made his debut at Kabuki-za (Kabuki Theater in Tokyo), playing Momotaro in Kadonde Futari Momotaro. He has portrayed many roles on Kabuki stages in such productions as Odorizuru Setsugetsuka (Crane Dance), Renjishi (Lion Dance) and Yoshitsune Senbonzakura (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees), and has performed in numerous international theaters. In 1994, he performed in the modern play Sukapan. He has also appeared in the NHK TV drama series Shingen Takeda, playing Shingen's eldest son, Taro, and Genroku Ryoran, as Chikara Oishi.

Nakamura graduated from high school in March, 2002. The Last Samurai marks his film debut.

SHUN SUGATA (Nakao) was discovered by Hiroshige Shundo, the mastermind behind the popular Ninkyo movies, while working as an extra at the Toei Movie Company. It was then that he received the stage name Shun Sugata.

Sugata's performances vary from a stern Yakuza (Japanese gangster) to comical roles. He has recently completed Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Kill Bill, and his additional credits include Abunai Keiji (Dangerous Cop), Ningen Gokaku (Acceptance as a Human Being), Tomie replay, (Tomie Replayed), Gohatto (Taboo), Kairo (Circuit), Koroshiya (Murderer), Mumondai 2 (No Problem, 2), Aah, Kireta Keiji V (An Impatient Cop), Onihei Hanka Cho (Onihei Detective Stories) and OUT. He also performed with Japanese theater troops such as Jokyo Gekijyo and Tokyo Kandenchi.

SEIZO FUKUMOTO (The Silent Samurai) began his career at age 16, working at Toei Movie Company's Kyoto Film Studio. He gained experience by playing roles as an extra and a stunt man and made his movie debut in Kurama Tengu in 1959. Since then he has become one of the most pre-eminent Kirareyaku actors (a Samurai who is often cut by a hero and dies). His autobiography, appropriately, is entitled "Someone Somewhere Watches Me - Japan's Best Kirareyaku."

Fukumoto has appeared in such movies as Shin Jinginaki Tatakai-Kumicho no Kubi (Fight Without Loyalty-Gang Leader's Head), the updated version of the popular Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) movie series, Ryusei Ichizoku no Inbo (Conspiracy, Formed by the Ryusei Family), Iga Ninpo Cho (The Story of the Art of Iga Ninja), Gokudo no Tsumatachi (Gangster's Wives), Toy, and Red Shadow Akakage. He has also appeared in television dramas such as Echizen Ooka, Samurai Momotaro Heiji Zenigata, Abarenbo Shogun (Violent Shogun) and Sanbiki ga Kiru (Three Samurai Cut by a Sword).

MASATO HARADA (Omura) enjoyed movies since childhood and always dreamed of someday directing them. While studying in London in 1972, he wrote a review of The Last Picture Show, which ran in Kinema Jumpo Magazine, launching his career as a movie critic and leading to a period spent in Los Angeles as a reviewer.

Returning to Japan in 1979, he made his directorial debut with the semi-autobiographical picture Saraba Eiga no Tomoyo (Farewell to My Friend in the Movies - Indian Summer), also called Goodbye Flickmania. He went on to direct Kamikaze Taxi, which was selected as a semi-finalist for the Grand Prix prize in the Valencienne Movie Festival; Bounce Kogals, which became an award-winning, controversial hit that established him internationally and will be released in the U.S. by Media Blaster; Spellbound; Jubaku, a boxoffice hit in Japan that won many top film prizes in 2000; Rowing Through (The Amateurs), which was a collaboration between American, Canadian, and Japanese filmmakers; Inugami (God of the Dog), which screened at the Berlin Film Festival; and The Choice of Hercules, among others.

Harada has continued to produce, write and direct his movies and in the course of his varied career, enjoyed good personal and professional relationships with filmmakers Howard Hawks and Stanley Kubrick. His current collaborating producer is Masato Hara, who also produced films with Akira Kurosawa.

SHIN KOYAMADA's (Nobutada) love of American and Hong Kong action movies began when he was a small boy and grew into the dream of action stardom. Despite disapproval from family and friends, he was determined to see his dream realized at an early age and turned all his energy to physical training in gymnastics, track, long distance bicycle racing and swimming. By 16, he began to study Karate and, within two years, had earned a black belt and become qualified to teach as a master of Karate.

Following his recent arrival from Japan, Koyamada began studying English at 18 and went on to secure a student visa and enroll in the Theater of Arts Performing Arts Academy in 2000. By 2001 he had choreographed and performed martial arts forms and stage combat for a production of Coriolanus at the Knightsbridge Theater and was featured on an episode of the children's action show Power Rangers.

He trained in Kung Fu with the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association and others, eventually competing in six National Martial Arts Tournaments over five months and winning first place in all but one - and that was a second. Koyamada continues to train with several teachers, including some of the industry's top stunt coordinators.

Without an agent or manager, Koyamada followed the path of those who inspired him, icons like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, submitting himself for various projects via an internet casting site, and landed his debut feature film role in The Last Samurai. During production on the film, Koyamada added Kyudo (Japanese Archery) to his repertoire.