Biography
Issey Ogata (also credited as Issei Ogata or イッセー尾形) is a Japanese actor and comedian. Born on 22 February 1952 in Fukuoka, he developed an interest in theatre from childhood. After graduating from Toyotama High School, he joined a theatrical company and later won a gold medal at the "Birth of Comedians" audition, leading to television roles including appearances in Fuji TV's Evil Grandmother and NHK's RinRinto.
Ogata is known for his one-man stage performances, including the long-running Life Never Stops at GyanGyan Theater in Shibuya. His film credits include Mr. Ota in Edward Yang's Yi Yi (2000), the dual title roles in Jun Ichikawa's Tony Takitani (2004), Emperor Hirohito in Aleksandr Sokurov's The Sun (2005), and Inoue in Martin Scorsese's Silence (2016). He has also appeared in Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (2021) and provided voice work for The Imaginary (2023).
