Cruise throws his weight around on 'Last Samurai'

The way of the samurai isn't easy — just ask Tom Cruise.

Cruise said his role in "The Last Samurai" was a difficult departure from the characters he's portrayed in the past.

In the film, directed by Edward Zwick, Cruise plays an American hired in the late 1800s to help Japanese warriors in Western war tactics.

"I trained for eight months prior to shooting the film," the 41-year-old actor told a Tokyo news conference packed by some 700 reporters and cameramen Thursday. "I put on 20 pounds for the character but also for the muscle to carry the swords and wear the armor."

Co-star Ken Watanabe, who has played numerous samurai roles for Japanese audiences, said Cruise was a quick learner.

"I feel like we have been through a battle together," he said.