Rie Miyazawa
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
actress and former model
.
and raised by her mother. Since her debut at age 11 in an advertisement for Kit Kat
, she has many films, television shows, commercials, stage appearances and photo books to her credit. She starred in the children's comedy Bokura no Nanokakan Senso (Seven Days' War) and Tokyo Elevator Girl. Miyazawa made her singer debut on 15 September 1989.
She gained notoriety in 1991 with the publication of a nude photo book, Santa Fe
, and even more publicity in 1992 by her engagement to sumo
star Takanohana
. The engagement was called off in 1993. Following the split, Miyazawa seemed to be on a downward spiral to self-destruction. In September 1994 she cut her wrists with a broken glass in what she described as an "accident". The tabloids focused on Miyazawa's drinking session, fights with her mother, and her escape to a nearby hotel as signs of a failed suicide attempt
. Miyazawa, however, seemed to pull herself back from the brink, putting in a commendable performance in Kon Ichikawa
's movie Chushingura
that year. But the following February she pulled out of the drama Kura and in November backed out of the musical Kyote. Pictures of her looking decidedly gaunt began to circulate and there was speculation about whether she had developed an eating disorder
.
In early 1996 Miyazawa fled to Los Angeles
to begin her recovery from anorexia
. But by May she was back on TV reporting from the Cannes Film Festival
and later that year she appeared in two TV dramas: Hanayome Kaizoebito and Kyosokyoku. Kyosokyoku turned out to be a great success and it seemed as if Miyazawa's magic touch was back. In 1997 she made Mikeneko Homes (tasogare) Hoteru and also appeared on stage.
In 2001, Miyazawa won the Best Actress Award at the Moscow International Film Festival
by portraying a Chinese Kunqu
performer in the Hong Kong movie Peony Pavilion, directed by Yonfan
.
Then in 2002, she starred alongside Hiroyuki Sanada
in Tasogare Seibei (The Twilight Samurai
), the year's hit movie that took a raft of awards at home, including ones for the lead actors, and was even nominated for an Academy Award
as Best Foreign Language Film
. It was the first samurai movie
by director Yoji Yamada
, better known for his Tora-san
series. In 2003 she played the role of Oshino in the NHK TV series Musashi.
2004's Tony Takitani
—a rare adaptation of a short story by bestselling author Haruki Murakami
—received critical acclaim, with Miyazawa playing two roles alongside Issei Ogata
. The film, which was entered at the Sundance Film Festival
, has been described as a "a perfectly controlled minimalist film masterpiece."
In 2005, she starred as Tsubaki in Ashurajou no Hitomi (あしゅらじょう の ひとみ), which is a movie adaptation of a 16th century play.
On February 13, 2009, she announced to the public that she was six months pregnant and would soon marry the father of the child who is reported to be an ex-pro surfer from Hawaii.
On May 20, 2009 in Tokyo she gave birth to a baby girl.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
actress and former model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
.
Life and career
Rie Miyazawa was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and raised by her mother. Since her debut at age 11 in an advertisement for Kit Kat
Kit Kat
Kit Kat is a chocolate-coated wafer confection that was created by Rowntree's of York, England, and is now produced worldwide by Nestlé, which acquired Rowntree in 1988, except in the United States where it is made under licence by The Hershey Company. Each bar consists of fingers composed of three...
, she has many films, television shows, commercials, stage appearances and photo books to her credit. She starred in the children's comedy Bokura no Nanokakan Senso (Seven Days' War) and Tokyo Elevator Girl. Miyazawa made her singer debut on 15 September 1989.
She gained notoriety in 1991 with the publication of a nude photo book, Santa Fe
Santa Fe (nude photo book)
Santa Fe is a Japanese nude photo book published in 1991. It was modelled by Rie Miyazawa, and photographed by Kishin Shinoyama. Taken at the peak of Miyazawa's career, it sold 1.5 million copies...
, and even more publicity in 1992 by her engagement to sumo
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
star Takanohana
Takanohana Koji
is a former sumo wrestler from Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. He was the 65th man in history to reach sumo's highest rank of yokozuna, and he won 22 tournament championships between 1992 and 2001, the fifth highest total ever...
. The engagement was called off in 1993. Following the split, Miyazawa seemed to be on a downward spiral to self-destruction. In September 1994 she cut her wrists with a broken glass in what she described as an "accident". The tabloids focused on Miyazawa's drinking session, fights with her mother, and her escape to a nearby hotel as signs of a failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempt
Failed suicide attempts comprise a large portion of suicide attempts. Some are regarded as not true attempts at all, but rather parasuicide. The usual attempt may be a wish to affect another person by the behaviour. Consequently, it occurs in a social context and may represent a request for help....
. Miyazawa, however, seemed to pull herself back from the brink, putting in a commendable performance in Kon Ichikawa
Kon Ichikawa
was a Japanese film director.-Early life and career:Ichikawa was born in Ise, Mie Prefecture. In the 1930s Ichikawa attended a technical school in Osaka. Upon graduation, in 1933, he found a job with a local rental film studio, J.O. Studio, in their animation department...
's movie Chushingura
Forty-seven Ronin
The revenge of the , also known as the Forty-seven Samurai, the Akō vendetta, or the took place in Japan at the start of the 18th century...
that year. But the following February she pulled out of the drama Kura and in November backed out of the musical Kyote. Pictures of her looking decidedly gaunt began to circulate and there was speculation about whether she had developed an eating disorder
Eating disorder
Eating disorders refer to a group of conditions defined by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's physical and mental health. Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the most common specific...
.
In early 1996 Miyazawa fled to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to begin her recovery from anorexia
Anorexia nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...
. But by May she was back on TV reporting from the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
and later that year she appeared in two TV dramas: Hanayome Kaizoebito and Kyosokyoku. Kyosokyoku turned out to be a great success and it seemed as if Miyazawa's magic touch was back. In 1997 she made Mikeneko Homes (tasogare) Hoteru and also appeared on stage.
In 2001, Miyazawa won the Best Actress Award at the Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
by portraying a Chinese Kunqu
Kunqu
Kunqu , also known as Kunju , Kun opera or Kunqu Opera, is one of the oldest extant forms of Chinese opera. It evolved from the Kunshan melody, and dominated Chinese theatre from the 16th to the 18th centuries. The style originated in the Wu cultural area...
performer in the Hong Kong movie Peony Pavilion, directed by Yonfan
Yonfan
Yonfan is a Hong Kong film director and photographer.-Biography:...
.
Then in 2002, she starred alongside Hiroyuki Sanada
Hiroyuki Sanada
is a Japanese actor.-Life and career:Sanada was born in Tokyo. Originally aiming to be an action star, starting with shorinji kempo, he eventually took up Kyokushin kaikan Sanada began training at age 11 with actor and martial arts star Sonny Chiba's Japan Action Club where he developed good...
in Tasogare Seibei (The Twilight Samurai
The Twilight Samurai
The Twilight Samurai or is a 2002 Japanese film directed by Yoji Yamada. Set in mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration, it follows the life of Seibei Iguchi, a low-ranking samurai employed as a bureaucrat. Poor, but not destitute, he still manages to lead a content and...
), the year's hit movie that took a raft of awards at home, including ones for the lead actors, and was even nominated for an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
as Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
. It was the first samurai movie
Jidaigeki
is a genre of film, television, and theatre in Japan. The name means "period drama" and is usually the Edo period of Japanese history, from 1603 to 1868. Some, however, are set much earlier—Portrait of Hell, for example, is set during the late Heian period—and the early Meiji era is also a popular...
by director Yoji Yamada
Yoji Yamada
is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films and his Samurai Trilogy ....
, better known for his Tora-san
Otoko wa Tsurai yo
Otoko wa tsurai yo is a Japanese film series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as "Tora-san" , a kind-hearted vagabond who is always unlucky in love. The series itself is often referred to as "Tora-san" by its fans...
series. In 2003 she played the role of Oshino in the NHK TV series Musashi.
2004's Tony Takitani
Tony Takitani
Tony Takitani is a 2004 Japanese film directed by Jun Ichikawa, based on the short story by Haruki Murakami.-Inspiration:Haruki Murakami was intrigued by the name Tony Takitani when, at a garage sale on Maui, he found a yellow T-shirt that said, "Tony Takitani, House ."At the time, Takitani was...
—a rare adaptation of a short story by bestselling author Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami
is a Japanese writer and translator. His works of fiction and non-fiction have garnered him critical acclaim and numerous awards, including the Franz Kafka Prize and Jerusalem Prize among others.He is considered an important figure in postmodern literature...
—received critical acclaim, with Miyazawa playing two roles alongside Issei Ogata
Issei Ogata
, is a Japanese actor and comedian. He was interested in plays since childhood. After he graduated from Toyotama High School in Japan, he joined a theatrical company and appeared on the stage. Later, he jumped at the opportunity to be an entertainer when he took the gold medal at the audition...
. The film, which was entered at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, has been described as a "a perfectly controlled minimalist film masterpiece."
In 2005, she starred as Tsubaki in Ashurajou no Hitomi (あしゅらじょう の ひとみ), which is a movie adaptation of a 16th century play.
On February 13, 2009, she announced to the public that she was six months pregnant and would soon marry the father of the child who is reported to be an ex-pro surfer from Hawaii.
On May 20, 2009 in Tokyo she gave birth to a baby girl.
Filmography
- Seven Days' War (1988)
- Docchini surunoWho Do I Choose?is a Japanese film directed by Shūsuke Kaneko. For her role in this film, actress Rie Miyazawa was given the Nikkan Sports Film Award for Best New Talent...
(1989) - Basara - The Princess Goh (1992)
- Erotic Liaisons (1992)
- Kin chan no Cinema Jack II : Light of Firefly (1994)
- 47 Ronin (1994)
- Tenshu monogatari (1995)
- The Cabbie (2000)
- Peony Pavilion (2001)
- Free and Easy 12: Big Holiday Bonus Project (2001)
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002) - Voice
- Utsutsu (2002)
- The Twilight SamuraiThe Twilight SamuraiThe Twilight Samurai or is a 2002 Japanese film directed by Yoji Yamada. Set in mid-19th century Japan, a few years before the Meiji Restoration, it follows the life of Seibei Iguchi, a low-ranking samurai employed as a bureaucrat. Poor, but not destitute, he still manages to lead a content and...
(2002) - The Face of JizoThe Face of Jizois a Japanese play written by Hisashi Inoue.-Plays:* It was performed by Komatsuza as their 34th Play, from September 3 to September 18 in 1994, directed by Hitoshi Uyama, starring by Masayo Umezawa and Kei Suma. Then has been is performed frequently not only all over Japan but also overseas...
(2004) - Tony TakitaniTony TakitaniTony Takitani is a 2004 Japanese film directed by Jun Ichikawa, based on the short story by Haruki Murakami.-Inspiration:Haruki Murakami was intrigued by the name Tony Takitani when, at a garage sale on Maui, he found a yellow T-shirt that said, "Tony Takitani, House ."At the time, Takitani was...
(2004) - Ashurajou no Hitomi (2005)
- The Book of the DeadThe Book of the Dead (film)is a 2005 Japanese stop motion animation feature film directed by Kihachirō Kawamoto. It is his second feature film, the first being the Rennyo and His Mother and is based on the novel of the same name by Shinobu Orikuchi...
(2005) - Voice - HanaHana (film)Hana - the Tale of a Reluctant Samurai, known in Japan as , is a 2006 Japanese black comedy by director Hirokazu Koreeda.-Story:The story takes place in the year 1702. It concerns a young samurai, Sozaemon, who has come from Matsumoto to Edo to take his revenge against his father's killer and...
(2006) - The Invitation from Cinema Orion (2007)
- Yume no Manimani (2008)
- Haha Shan no Komoriuta (2009)
- Gelatin Silver LOVE (2009)
- Oceans (2009) - Japanese version narration
Stage
- Gypsy (1991)
- Kaijin Bessou (1994)
- Tenshu monogatari (1994, 1996)
- Furu-amerika ni Sode wa Nurasaji (1994)
- Tezuka's Ancestor Dr. Ryoan (1998)
- Rainbow Parakeet (2000)
- The Tale of GenjiThe Tale of Genjiis a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
(2000) - The Kiss of an Invisible Man (2004)
- Rope (2006–07)
- Dorakuru－God Fearing Dracul (2007)
- A Doll's HouseA Doll's HouseA Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
(2008) - Piper (2009)
- The Character (2010)
Awards
- A Doll's House
- Yomiuri Theater Award - Best Actress
- Rope
- The 41st Kinokuniya Stage Award - Individual Award
- Art Encouragement Prize for 2004 - from Agency for Cultural AffairsAgency for Cultural AffairsThe is a special body of the Japanese Ministry of Education . It was set up in 1968 to promote Japanese arts and culture. As of April 2007, it is led by the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Tamotsu Aoki....
- The Face of Jizō
- Blue Ribbon Award - Best Actress
- Kinema Junpo Awards - Best Actress
- Yamaji Fumiko Award - Best Actress
- The Kiss of an Invisible Man
- Yomiuri Theater Award - Best Actress
- Twilight Samurai
- Japan Academy Award - Best Actress
- Blue Ribbon Award - Best Supporting Actress
- Nikkan SportsNikkan Sportsis the first-launched Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1946.It has a circulation of 1,965,000, and is an affiliate newspaper of Asahi Shimbun.-Companies and regions:...
Movie Award - Best Actress - Kinema Junpo Awards - Best Actress
- Mainichi Film Concours - Best Supporting Actress
- Hochi Film Award - Best Actress
- Utsutsu
- Kinema Junpo Awards - Best Actress
- Blue Ribbon Award - Best Supporting Actress
- Peony Pavilion
- Moscow International Film FestivalMoscow International Film FestivalMoscow International Film Festival , is the film festival first held in Moscow in 1959. From its inception to 1995 it was held every second year in July, alternating with the Karlovy Vary festival. The festival has been held annually since 1995....
- Best Actress
- Moscow International Film Festival
- Seven Days' War
- Japan Academy Award - Best New Actor
- Nikkan SportsNikkan Sportsis the first-launched Japanese daily sports newspaper founded in 1946.It has a circulation of 1,965,000, and is an affiliate newspaper of Asahi Shimbun.-Companies and regions:...
Movie Award - Best New Talent
- Who Do I Choose?Who Do I Choose?is a Japanese film directed by Shūsuke Kaneko. For her role in this film, actress Rie Miyazawa was given the Nikkan Sports Film Award for Best New Talent...
- Nikkan Sports Film Award - Best New Talent