Actor Kaneshiro Takeshi lives a reclusive life, focuses on farming
Taiwanese actor Kaneshiro Takeshi, renowned for his roles in Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai’s movies “Chungking Express” and “Fallen Angels,” now leads a reclusive, pastoral life, staying away from the public eye.
An article published by UDN on Thursday featured Taiwanese singer Bobby Chen, a close friend of Kaneshiro, who shared that Kaneshiro now dedicates himself to farming, spending most of his time immersed in manual labor.
“Takeshi has returned to the things he originally loved—farming, tending to flowers, and enjoying nature,” Chen said.
The singer expressed his admiration for Kaneshiro’s chosen lifestyle. He noted that the actor is reserved, avoids social interactions, and focuses solely on activities that bring him happiness.
Recalling their early years, Chen mentioned meeting Kaneshiro at the start of the latter’s career, when the actor briefly worked as his assistant and received guidance in music production. As a result, Kaneshiro considers Chen his mentor.
Over the past seven years, Kaneshiro has made very few public appearances, making any news about him a topic of great interest. The revelation about his reclusive life quickly became one of the top trending topics on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Meanwhile, Zaobao reported that the film “Sons of the Neon Night,” in which Kaneshiro plays the lead, is scheduled for release in early 2025. However, his management company stated that there has been no communication from the producers regarding Kaneshiro’s involvement in promoting the film.
Filming for “Sons of the Neon Night” concluded in 2017, and since then, Kaneshiro has not announced any new projects. According to UDN, he has kept his living arrangements private and seldom addresses questions about his personal life.
In an interview with the Taiwan edition of Elle Men, Kaneshiro described his lifestyle as slow-paced and simple, akin to that of an ordinary person. For him, simplicity means staying true to himself, doing what is within his reach, and fulfilling his responsibilities.
The actor enjoys a quiet daily routine of playing games, reading scripts, and watching movies. He rarely goes out, preferring to dine at a few familiar, reasonably priced restaurants. Kaneshiro has consistently turned down invitations to appear on television programs, explaining that while social media and variety shows are part of a celebrity’s job, he feels unsuited to this type of exposure. Instead, he prefers to connect with his audience through films and occasional commercials. He describes himself as having no ambition for fame or status.
According to Sohu, Kaneshiro’s reclusive lifestyle began after he sought refuge at a Buddhist temple in India in 1997. At the time, he had a pessimistic outlook and often anticipated the worst.
“After taking refuge, I gained a new perspective on life,” he shared. “I became more optimistic and learned to let things go naturally.”
Kaneshiro now no longer worries about fame or the pressures of his work. For him, success is about finding optimism rather than pursuing wealth or prestige.
Born to a Japanese father and a Taiwanese mother, Kaneshiro Takeshi, 51, entered the entertainment industry in 1992 as a pop singer, transitioning to acting the following year.
Throughout his career, he has collaborated with acclaimed directors across East Asia, including Wong Kar-wai, Peter Chan, Zhang Yimou, and John Woo, achieving both commercial success and critical acclaim.
Kaneshiro’s most recent project was the 2017 film “This Is Not What I Expected.”
