Youki Kudoh
At age 20, she became the youngest person ever to receive her country's Best Actress Award for her starring role in War and Youth, the last film directed by renowned director Tadeshi Imai. This role also earned her Best Actress awards from the Japan Film Critics, Hochi Film Festival and the 34th Blue Ribbon Award.
The American phase of Kudoh's career was set in motion by Jim Jarmusch, who cast her in Mystery Train as half of a rockabilly-loving couple on a pilgrimage to Memphis. This early performance gained Kudoh a Best Actress nomination at that year's Independent Spirit Awards.
A singer as well as bilingual actress, Kudoh is something of an icon for young women in her native Japan. Her career began when she was only 12, having been spotted in the streets of Tokyo by an agent. Though show business was hardly unfamiliar (her mother is a famous singer), Kudoh subsequently debuted in a quirky comedy The Crazy Family, which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and became a cult hit in Japan. She sang several songs in the film, some of which launched her singing career. She has recorded seven albums and become an alternative music pop star in Japan.
At the same time she continued acting, appearing in many Japanese films, including The Blue Mountain Ranges, Labyrinth of Flower Garden, Real Life Girls, Congratulatory Address and Typhoon Club.
Her television appearances include the Sci-Fi Channel series Chronicle and Showtime's Masters of Horror.
Youki Kudoh Facts
Occupation | Actress, Musician |
Birthday | January 17, 1971 (53) |
Sign | Capricorn |
Birthplace | Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan |
Height | 5' 2" (1m57) How tall is Youki Kudoh compared to you? |
Selected Filmography
Rush Hour 3 | ||
Snow Falling on Cedars | ||
Heaven's Burning | ||
The Limits of Control | ||
Mystery Train | ||
Imprint | ||
Blood: The Last Vampire | ||
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