Rinko Kikuchi Scene-stealing actress Rinko Kikuchi was born Yuriko Kikuchi in January of 1981 in Kanagawa, Japan. At age fourteen, Kikuchi began her career as a model and star in television commercials, while also studying traditional Japanese dance and archery. Kikuchi felt pushed into modeling as a teen, once commenting: "So I became a model, but I quickly thought, ‘What a boring job this is!’ I realized that if I continued such a shitty job I would lose whatever is precious about me. I quit not much later. After that, people tried to convince me to become a singer, but I refused. I left that agency I was with and after several twists and turns I found the agent that accepted my wish to just be a film actress." The exposure as a model led to small roles for Kikuchi in various television dramas and feature films in which she was sometimes billed under her birth name, Yuriko. Her first movie role came in the 1999 film Will to Live, which was mainly released in Japan and Europe. This was followed by a starring role in Sora no ana (Hole in the Sky) in 2001. The film was part of several international film festivals, including the Rotterdam Film Festival.
In 2004, Kikuchi appeared in another critically acclaimed film, Cha no Aji, which was featured at the Cannes Film Festival. However, it would be her role two years later in the 2006 film Babel, alongside Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Gael García Bernal that propelled Kikuchi into the international spotlight. Playing deaf teenager, Chieko Wataya, Kikuchi’s performance was met with rave reviews and nominated for numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Kikuchi also took home several awards for her performance in the film, including the National Board of Review Award for Best Breakthrough Female Performance, for which she tied with Jennifer Hudson for Dreamgirls (2006); as well as the Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough. Also in 2006, Kikuchi appeared in the film Arch Angels, released in Japan and the Netherlands. When twenty-four-year-old Kikuchi came in to audition for the role in Babel, Kikuchi was initially overlooked because she was not deaf, and the auditioning hundreds of other actresses continued over the next nine months. Meanwhile, the tenacious actress took up sign language lessons, and eventually landed the role for her determination and captivating scene presence. A skilled sword fighter, motorcycle driver, and horseback rider, Kikuchi is just as known for her dyed-blond hair and funky fashion style as her edgy performances. Kikuchi is currently receiving more script offers from the U.S. than her native Japan, and hopes to eventually work with the actors Sean Penn and Daniel Day Lewis.
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