IF THERE'S an epitome of cool, Ken Watanabe is it.

At 1.84m tall, the Japanese actor, who plays a sharp suiter in the latest Christopher Nolan sci-fi action thriller, Inception, cuts an imposing figure in his black suit - especially seated next to his petite co-star, Ellen Page.

Such is the 50-year-old's presence, it's hard not to notice that he's the only Asian star at the film's press conference, attended by about 30 journalists at Los Angeles' The Beverly Hilton Hotel.

And, even though he's the only actor with an interpreter seated next to him, he carries himself with effortless, manly charisma as he sits with Page, Nolan, co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt and composer Hans Zimmer. Charmingly, he is earnest too, making sure he makes eye contact with the media.

Perhaps that's why he became an international sensation after he made his United States movie debut in Edward Zwick's 2003 epic, The Last Samurai. He landed an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

He is at the forefront of a brigade of Asian names gaining a strong foothold in Hollywood (see sidebar below).

No wonder Nolan specially crafted a role for Watanabe in Inception.

The auteur, who also worked with him in 2005's Batman Begins, said: 'I wrote the part specifically for Ken because I wanted to work with him again. I enjoyed directing him on Batman Begins, but his role was smaller and we didn't have a lot of time together. This time I made sure he had a bigger part.'

He continued: 'Ken is an extremely charismatic performer, a true movie star. He is a consummate actor who knows how to get the most out of every scene. It's just a pleasure to watch him work.'

Watanabe's character, Saito, is a business magnate who promises to help fugitive Dom Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) clear his name - if the latter can pull off one last job for him.

When my paper asked Watanabe how he felt about Nolan writing a role for him, he listened intently and spoke softly with his interpreter before replying in halting English that he was 'really proud to work with Chris'.

'When Chris called and asked me to join him, it was easy to say yes. It was a wonderful opportunity to work with a director I loved working with,' he said, adding that 'my heart and my head told me I definitely had to do this movie'.

'One really unique point of the movie is that the character enters other people's dreams,' he said slowly and deliberately, his hands clasped in front of him.

'I try to emphasise different aspects of my character in each level of the dream. How you see me can be different from how I really am.

In your dream, you're seeing a projection, and I try to evoke different feelings,' he said thoughtfully.

Fans would no doubt pay to watch him do this on screen. After all, in person, Watanabe is endlessly watchable too.

OTHER ASIANS MAKING INROADS

GONG LI, 44

Chinese-born film actress

Western forays: Memoirs Of A Geisha (2005) and Hannibal Rising (2007)

Accolades: Won New York Film Critics Circle Award, Hundred Flowers Award, Berlinale Camera, Cannes Festival Trophy, National Board of Review and Volpi Cup

Upcoming: Shanghai (opened July 1), a dramamystery- thriller film which also stars Ken Watanabe

JAY CHOU, 31

Taiwanese superstar and film actor

Movie forays: Initial D, Curse Of The Golden Flower, The Treasure Hunter

Accolades: Best Newcomer Actor at Golden Horse Awards and nominated for Best Supporting Actor at Hong Kong Film Awards

Upcoming: Making his US debut in The Green Hornet, a superhero action film directed by Michael Gondry, slated to open next year.

KENDRICK KANG-JOH JEONG, 40

Born in Michigan, son of Korean immigrants. Also known as Ken Jeong or Dr Ken, he is also a comedian and a physician who obtained his medical degree in 1995.

Known for: His scene-stealing role as gangster Leslie Fong in The Hangover (2009)

Upcoming: An undisclosed role in Transformers 3 (2011) and another role in comedy film Zookeeper (2011)

JOHN CHO, 38

Seoul-born Korean- American actor-musician who begun his career as a model. Used to teach English at a college preparatory school.

Known for: His roles in the American Pie films (1999-2003) and the iconic Harold And Kumar films (2004-present); and StarTrek (2009). Between 2009 and 2010, Cho starred in TV series FlashForward.

Upcoming: A Very Harold And Kumar Christmas (2011)

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