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He’s already been dubbed the Asian Johnny Depp. Now the Taiwanese-Japanese actor’s profile in the West is about to be raised with Zhang Yimou’s House of Flying Daggers, which continues the director’s shift from neorealist rural portraits (Red Sorghum) and acclaimed period dramas (Raise the Red Lantern) to the recent martial-arts epic Hero .That film was a bouquet of elaborate aquamarine costumes, emerald-misted forests and golden-russet foliage. Daggers is another feast of blood, passion, lighter-than-air martial arts, silk brocade and leading players as eye-catching as the film’s vistas.

Kaneshiro and the Hong Kong star Andy Lau play Tang Dynasty government officers, Jin and Leo, whose loyalties come into question when their pursuit of a beautiful rebel spy, Mei (the rising Chinese actress Ziyi Zhang, who now prefers this Westernised order of her name) turns into a love triangle.

“I knew I could play the love story, but I was daunted by the fight scenes,” admits Kaneshiro, a polite but guarded presence. “A month before shooting in China and the Ukraine we began basic training in knives and swords without being told what the story was about. I found that strange and was afraid I was going to make mistakes, but Zhang Yimou is like a storyteller — he acts everything out so I knew exactly what he wanted.”

Like Tiger Woods, whose fresh talent and unique race-mix has caused quite a stir in the world of sports, Takeshi has had an equally enigmatic and concentric effect in the world of Asian entertainment. Oh, by the way, this man is so fine. Born to a Taiwanese mother and Japanese father, Takeshi is definitely a delicious, exotic mix. Add on some depth to Takeshi's handsome-boy portfolio with the ability to sing and act. Did I fail to mention that this former Prada poster boy speaks Taiwanese (like a native), Mandarin (fluently), Japanese (as if he were a traveling scholar), Cantonese (with a darling accent), and English (with ease)? This might offer some explanation why critics have heralded the Eastern import, if not for his acting ability, but his keen intellect. His intelligence extends beyond his mere acting and singing ability. He's smart about what projects he takes. Takeshi is grateful for the luxury of being "picky" with his projects. "Basically my main concern is whether or not the role is challenging. Making a Chinese movie or a Japanese movie is the same to me. I just want to make some good movies and hope that audiences appreciate them."

When Johnny To signed on to direct the wistfully romantic Turn Left Turn Right, the Hong Kong filmmaker knew exactly whom he wanted to play the male lead. In the illustrated novel by Jimmy Liao, from which the new movie is adapted, the protagonist is so estranged from society that he's depicted floating above the city, like a melancholy blimp. When you want someone who practically oozes that kind of ethereal alienation, whom are you going to call?

Answer: Takeshi Kaneshiro, the half-Taiwanese, half-Japanese movie star who, thanks to his protean good looks and versatile acting skills, has become the Asian film industry's Johnny Depp—a quirky, unpredictable leading man capable of seducing audiences no matter how dark or oddball the role. Kaneshiro is "mysterious," says To. "He doesn't belong to Hong Kong, Taiwan or anywhere." Indeed, in his eclectic 10-year career, Kaneshiro—who speaks five languages and has made films in four countries—has trained his chameleon-like talents on a remarkable array of characters. In Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai's Fallen Angels, he played a mute who rode the carcass of a pig like a cowboy. He made love to an HIV-infected teen in the blockbuster Japanese TV miniseries God Please Give Me More Time. In Returner, he played an orphaned assassin-for-hire, and he was a bowling-addicted stockbroker in another Japanese TV series, Golden Bowl. "I don't let myself follow in anyone else's footsteps," says Kaneshiro, 29. "Let other people do what has been done before. All I want is to do something special."