is a Japanese actress. She was the first Japanese actress to be nominated for an Academy Award in 50 years, for her work in Babel (2006). Kikuchi's other notable films include Norwegian Wood (2010), which screened in competition at the 67th Venice Film Festival and Guillermo del Toro's science fiction action film Pacific Rim (2013). For her role in the drama film Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014), Kikuchi received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead. She played a supporting role in the HBO Max crime drama series Tokyo Vice.
Early life Kikuchi was born on January 6, 1981, in Hadano, Kanagawa, the youngest of three children. She was discovered by a talent agent inside the shopping mall Laforet Harajuku at the age of 15. Career Kikuchi made her debut in 1999, under her birth name, Yuriko Kikuchi, with the Kaneto Shindo film Will to Live. Soon after, in 2001, she starred in the celebrated Kazuyoshi Komuri film , which was featured at several international festivals, including the Rotterdam Film Festival. In 2004, Kikuchi appeared in the well-received Katsuhito Ishii film The Taste of Tea, which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival.
In 2006, Kikuchi was chosen by Japanese film producer Yoko Narahashi for the Alejandro González Iñárritu film Babel, where she played Chieko Wataya, a troubled, deaf teenage girl, for which she received international attention. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Kikuchi was the fourth person in Academy Award history to be nominated for a role in which she does not speak. She won several awards, such as the National Board of Review Award for Best Breakthrough Female Performance (tying with Jennifer Hudson) and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor. Since her appearance in the movie "Babel", she has been actively involved in numerous films outside of Japan. Under the name Rinbjö (リンビョウ), she also pursues musical activities.
She has appeared in two of Mamoru Oshii's films: The Sky Crawlers (2008) and Assault Girls (2009). Kikuchi starred in Rian Johnson's second film, The Brothers Bloom (2008), which was her first full English-language feature. Though she plays a main character, she only speaks three words; her character is said to only know three words of English.
In 2010, Kikuchi was cast as Naoko in Tran Anh Hung's adaptation of Haruki Murakami's novel Norwegian Wood. In March 2011, she was added to the cast of 47 Ronin, the first English-language adaptation of the Japanese Chushingura legend of samurai loyalty and revenge. Kikuchi described her villain character to the American version of Glamour as "a real bitch." In 2013, she appears in Pacific Rim, having improved her English by watching the American television series The Voice.Carlson, Erin, "We ♥ Rinko," Glamour, September 2013, p. 363.
In 2014, Kikuchi starred in Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter, directed by David Zellner. Kikuchi was cast in the Season 2 of the HBO science fiction series Westworld.
Kikuchi plays the role of Emi Maruyama, the supervisor of the lead character Jake Adelstein, in the 2022 HBO Max series Tokyo Vice. In August 2022, she portrayed a taxi driver in the music video for Mondo Grosso's "Crypt".
In 2024, she featured on the official poster of 37th Tokyo International Film Festival, created by fashion designer Koshino Junko. She was also appointed festival navigator, who "navigated" the audience at official events as the face of the festival.
Personal life From 2010 to 2011, Kikuchi was in a relationship with director Spike Jonze, with whom she briefly resided in New York.
Kikuchi married Japanese actor Shōta Sometani on December 31, 2014. In October 2016, Kikuchi gave birth to their first child. Their second child was born in late 2018.
Filmography
Film Year Title RoleNotes 1999 Will to Live 2000 By Player Akai Shibafu 2001 Paradise Hole in the Sky Taeko Drug Mai 2002Mike Yokohama: A Forest with No Name Number 51 Hachigatsu no Maboroshi 2003 Age 17 : 17-sai Hitomi 2004Tori The Taste of Tea Yuriko Kikuchi 69 Survive Style 5+ The Reason 2005 Tagatameni: Portrait of the Wind 2006 Funky Forest: The First Contact Kikuchi Arch Angels Nobuko Sakurai Babel Chieko Wataya Umi de no hanashi Kaori 2007 Deathfix: Die and Let Live Sayoko Genius Party Voice Tokyo Serendipity Junda Atsuko 2008The Brothers Bloom Bang Bang The Sky Crawlers Suito Kusanagi Voice Kiru – KILL 2009 Map of the Sounds of Tokyo Ryu Strawberry Seminar Sideways Mina Parker Assault Girls Lucifer 42 One Dream Rush 2010 Shanghai Sumiko Uncredited Norwegian Wood Naoko 2011 At River's Edge Tazu Love Strikes! Naoko Hayashida The Warped Forest 2013 Pacific Rim Mako Mori 47 Ronin Witch 2014 Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Kumiko Last Summer Naomi 2015 Nobody Wants the Night Allaka Dear Deer Cameo 2016 Terra Formars Asuka Moriki 2017 Highheels: A Fairy Tale Born of Obsession Short film 2018 Pacific Rim Uprising Mako Mori 2019 We Are Little Zombies Yūko 2022 What to Do with the Dead Kaiju? Colonel Sen Masago 2023 In Love and Deep WaterAina Horikawa YokoYoko 2024 Who's Gone Terada 2025 Ya Boy Kongming! The MovieAyvil Suzuki 2026 Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! Haru
Television Year Title RoleNotes1999Bakayaro! Special 2Kawaii dakeja Dame kashira 2001 Churasan Asadorakokiku 2002 The Private Detective Mike Hama 2003Uchu ni Ichiban Chikai basho Ai to Shihonshugi 2004The Reason 2009–2010Liar Game 2 Ryo Katsuragi2010Moteki Naoko Hayashida2014Gu-Gu Datte Neko de Aru Chikako2015To Give a Dream Mikiko AbeMiniseries 2018Westworld Akane2019A Butterfly Effect: The Murder Analysis Team Machiko Aiba2021–2023Invasion Hinata2022PICUSamejima TatsukiThe 13 Lords of the Shogun NoeTaiga drama 2022–2024Tokyo Vice Emi Maruyama2 seasons 2023–2024Boogie Woogie Ritsuko Ibarada Asadora2024The Tiger and Her Wings Ritsuko Ibarada Asadora2025The Hot SpotMasako UmemotoPray Speak What Has Happened The woman at the information desk 2027 Dangerous Matsuko Tanizaki
Awards and nominations +Awards and nominations received by Rinko Kikuchi Organizations Year Category Work Result Academy Awards 2007 Best Supporting Actress Babel Alliance of Women Film Journalists 2006 Best Breakthrough Performance For A Young Actress Asian Film Awards 2011 Best Actress Norwegian Wood 2024 Best Actress Yoko Austin Film Critics Association 2007 Best Supporting Actress Babel Chicago Film Critics Association 2006 Best Supporting Actress Most Promising Performer Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films 2010 Best Supporting Actress The Brothers Bloom 2016 Best Actress Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Columbus Film Critics Association 2007 Best Supporting Actress Babel Critics' Choice Movie Awards 2007 Best Acting Ensemble Best Supporting Actress Gold Derby Awards 2007 Best Supporting Actress Best Ensemble Cast 2018 Drama Guest Actress Westworld Golden Globe Awards 2007 Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Babel Gotham Awards 2006 Best Ensemble Cast Babel Breakthrough Actor Independent Spirit Awards 2014 Best Female Lead Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Mainichi Film Awards 2024 Best Actress Yoko National Board of Review 2007 Best Breakthrough Performance - Female Babel Multiple sources:
Online Film & Television Association 2007 Best Brekathrough Performance: Female Best Supporting Actress 2018 Best Guest Actress In A Drama Series Westworld Online Film Critics Society 2007 Best Supporting Actress Babel Breakthrough Performer Palm Springs International Film Festival 2007 Best Ensemble Cast San Diego Film Critics Society 2006 Best Ensemble Satellite Award 2006 Best Supporting Actress Screen Actors Guild Awards 2007 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Shanghai International Film Festival 2023 Best Actress Yoko Tama Film Awards 2023 Best Actress Toronto Film Critics Association 2006 Best Supporting Actress Babel Utah Film Critics Association 2006 Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, Female
See also Asian Americans in arts and entertainment List of Academy Award winners and nominees from Japan List of Academy Award winners and nominees of Asian descent List of actors with Academy Award nominations
Notes
References
Further reading
External links
Official Website