Tommy Lee Jones is the Boss of Them All Since 2006
It's no secret that Japan is notorious for enlisting America's luminous personalities to star in domestic advertisements.
From Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing in a series of bizarre energy drink commercials to James Brown letting flow the Funk for miso soup: Japan embraces its long-lasting relationship with U.S. popular culture by continually spreading it across its own. Yet, one example stands out, having made a foreign face indispensable in Japanese everyday life: Suntory Boss and Tommy Lee Jones.
Having enjoyed a long career in Hollywood, Jones built a parallel side hustle in the alternate cosmos of Japanese advertisements. Since 2006, the Oscar-winning actor remained the ambassador of Suntory's Boss brand of canned coffee -- a name ubiquitous as it's embellished on most of the country's widespread vending machines. Hence, it's no surprise to see Jones' recognizable, deadpan expression plastered across the cities and suburbs of Japan.
Yet, that's not the whole story. His character "Alien Jones," sent to earth to comprehend terrestrial life, has created an extensive string of memorable TV commercials. Camouflaged in various uniforms, appearing as a taxi driver, construction worker, or even a Sumo referee, Alien Jones acts as the silent "ally on the side of working people," depicting an outsider's perspective that captures Japan's beauty in the struggle.
Less a solution but rather a fellow having empathy for the stress people might feel throughout the day, Boss coffee is marketed in a way elegantly relatable.
Paychecks for foreign celebrities are said to be pretty high in Japan. While David Hopper once claimed he could retire if he did one Japanese commercial a year, Entertainment Weekly reported in 1996 that U.S. stars could make anywhere between $500,000 and $2 million for a two-day shoot. Yet, Jones is everything but a sell-out. Besides having chosen the country as one of the few to visit privately, the Harvard graduate is said to be very knowledgeable about various cultural issues. No wonder, as that was his initial mission.
