**Tsutomu Yamazaki (山﨑 努)** is an internationally renowned Japanese actor, acclaimed for his extraordinary versatility in a film career spanning over six decades.

He rose to prominence through his intense collaborations with Akira Kurosawa, shining in masterpieces such as *Tengoku to Jigoku* (High and Low, 1963), where he played a cunning kidnapper, and *Kagemusha* (1980).

His ability to range from drama to comedy is evident in leading roles in Juzo Itami's satirical films, such as the cult classic *Tampopo* (1985) and *Marusa no Onna* (A Taxing Woman, 1987), revealing a remarkable comic talent.

In recent years, he has received praise for performances in award-winning films, including the Oscar-winning *Okuribito* (Departures, 2008) and Hirokazu Kore-eda's *Umi yori mo Mada Fukaku* (After the Storm, 2016).

Yamazaki is renowned for her ability to switch between cunning villains, authoritative figures, and tragicomic characters, establishing herself as a true chameleon of Japanese cinema.