Matthew Fox - Emperor Interview HD

Matthew Fox, Emperor - One of the many films that premiered at last September's Toronto International Film Festival was Peter Webber's (Girl with a Pearl Earring) historical drama Emperor. The film takes place during the days following the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II and stars Tommy Lee Jones as General Douglas MacArthur, the de facto ruler of Japan as Supreme Commander of the occupying forces. Matthew Fox plays a leading Japanese expert on MacArthur's staff who's tasked with deciding whether or not Emperor Hirohito should be tried as a war criminal. Fox's mission becomes more complicated as he searches for a school teacher (Eriko Hatsune) who first drew him to Japan years before the war.

Tribute.ca spoke with Matthew via satellite from New York about the responsibility he felt to the material, working alongside Tommy Lee Jones, whether he'd ever do a TV series again and his next film World War Z with Brad Pitt.

Emperor movie synopsis:

The days following the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II are plagued by great tension and uncertainty. As American occupation forces take over the country, General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones), the Supreme Commander, acts as the de facto ruler of Japan. Under his rule, General Bonner Fellers (Matthew Fox), a Japanese expert, is given the responsibility to reach a decision of historical importance: should Emperor Hirohito be tried and hanged as a war criminal?

While Feller struggles with the monumental task ahead of him, he is also beset by his love affair with Aya (Eriko Hatsune), a Japanese exchange student he met years ago in the U.S. It is on Feller's quest to find Aya that he discovers how his decision can change the course of history.

Inspired by true events.

Starring: Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones, Eriko Hatsune

In theatres: March 22, 2013

Emperor movie info: http://www.tribute.ca/movies/emperor/...
Matthew Fox bio and filmography: http://www.tribute.ca/people/matthew-...

Interview by Bonnie Laufer Krebs - © 2013 Tribute Entertainment Media Group