According to QQ, although actor Takeshi Kaneshiro has virtually stepped away from the entertainment industry, his fame and charm continue to captivate the public. Many younger actors only need to resemble him slightly to immediately gain attention from audiences. Recently, actor Ci Sha from A Splendid Match has frequently been compared to Takeshi Kaneshiro for his similar visuals, which instantly elevated public perception of his appearance and made him seem more suited for the big screen.
Takeshi Kaneshiro is widely regarded as one of the greatest visual icons in Chinese-language cinema. Even actor Chen Kun, who is famously confident in his own looks, once admitted, “The most handsome man in the entertainment industry is Takeshi Kaneshiro.” Female celebrities, meanwhile, have found it nearly impossible to resist the “god of beauty.”
Among them, Song Hye Kyo has openly expressed her admiration for the senior actor on multiple occasions. She shared that she likes Takeshi Kaneshiro because of his overwhelming masculinity. Even though language barriers often prevented her from fully understanding him, his body language alone was enough to mesmerize her. Song Hye Kyo also described him as someone who was born with the aura of a superstar.
In 2014, Song Hye Kyo starred alongside Takeshi Kaneshiro in The Crossing. Once again, she openly expressed her affection for him despite the language difference. Beyond showering him with praise, she even admitted that the actor represented her “ideal type” and dream boyfriend.
Taiwanese actress Joe Chen has also repeatedly praised Takeshi Kaneshiro during interviews. She confidently stated, “Takeshi Kaneshiro is the most handsome man in the world,” and even blushed in embarrassment after being teased for expressing her feelings too passionately.
Born in 1973, Takeshi Kaneshiro is of Japanese and Taiwanese descent. He rose to fame in the 1990s thanks to his scholarly and exceptionally handsome appearance. Alongside Jimmy Lin, Nicky Wu, and Alec Su, he was known as one of Taiwan’s “Little Heavenly Kings,” standing alongside Hong Kong’s legendary Four Heavenly Kings. His notable works include Perhaps Love, Chungking Express, House of Flying Daggers, School Days, Fallen Angels, Dragon, and Red Cliff.
At the peak of his career, Takeshi Kaneshiro was considered the ultimate symbol of masculinity in Chinese entertainment and the dream man of millions of women. Numerous actresses publicly expressed their admiration for him, including Michelle Reis, Jessica Hsuan, Kelly Chen, Gigi Leung, Qin Lan, Gillian Chung, Charlene Choi, Shu Qi, Li Xiaoran, Jolin Tsai, Ruby Lin, Zhang Ziyi, Zhou Xun, Selina Jen, Coco Lee, Hebe Tien, Barbie Hsu, Dee Hsu, and many more.
Actress Carina Lau once famously declared, “Every girl in Hong Kong dreams of marrying Takeshi Kaneshiro.” Meanwhile, actor Richie Jen jokingly admitted, “Takeshi Kaneshiro, honestly, I never want to hang out with you because nobody pays attention to me when you’re around!”
Even Edison Chen, once considered one of the most attractive young stars in the industry, admitted defeat when compared to Takeshi Kaneshiro. “Takeshi Kaneshiro is the only man more handsome than me,” he joked. Alec Su also commented, “Takeshi Kaneshiro’s biggest flaw is that he’s too handsome.”
Even Daniel Wu, another actor celebrated for his visuals, once shared, “I wanted to tell him that I really like him, but it felt ridiculous for one man to say that to another man.”
Michelle Reis, often called the most beautiful beauty queen, once confessed, “To me, Takeshi Kaneshiro is the most handsome man. Back when we filmed Fallen Angels, he was already incredibly beautiful. We practiced kissing scenes all night, but the director cut them out!”
Taiwanese supermodel Lin Chi Ling also praised him, saying, “For me, his beauty doesn’t even feel real. It’s too perfect.” Korean actress Jang Nara similarly revealed her admiration for his eyes: “When I watched Chungking Express starring him and Faye Wong, I admired him so much. His eyes are incredibly captivating.”
Other beauties such as Kelly Chen, Zhang Ziyi, and Ruby Lin have also openly admitted: “He’s the only male actor who has ever made my heart flutter while filming,” and “I love Takeshi Kaneshiro. He’s my ideal type.”
During his peak years, Takeshi Kaneshiro was one of the most sought-after stars in Asia and commanded some of the highest salaries in the entertainment industry. However, fame and fortune were not enough to keep him attached to acting. According to QQ, even enormous offers from producers today are reportedly not enough to persuade him to return to showbiz.
“I’m satisfied and happy with my simple, ordinary life now. I just want to be a normal actor. I’m not comfortable being a superstar. Constant attention makes me feel suffocated and restricted,” Takeshi Kaneshiro once said.
The actor admitted that he never had ambitions to compete for fame or status. Instead, he prefers living slowly and experiencing life like an ordinary person.
Director Peter Chan once described Takeshi Kaneshiro as the “hardest star to cast.” Despite possessing sculpted visuals, exceptional acting talent, and a massive fanbase — earning him the title of “Asia’s most handsome man” — the actor has never shown much enthusiasm for increasing his fame through acting projects.
Most of the time, Takeshi Kaneshiro reportedly stays at home sleeping, reading books, watching films, or playing video games. He refuses to participate in variety shows and does not even use social media to maintain his popularity.
On a program, Peter Chan revealed more about the actor’s unusual personality: “He has hundreds of reasons to reject a film offer.”
“He doesn’t really love acting that much. He loves freedom. Takeshi Kaneshiro only agrees to act when he feels safe,” the director explained, adding that he even had to travel to Japan personally to meet the actor.
Sources: K14
You must be logged in to post a comment.