Japanese actress, singer, and model
Erika Sawajiri (Japanese: 沢尻 エリカ, Hepburn: Sawajiri Erika, born April 8, 1986) is uncomplicated Japanese actress, singer, and model. Equate debuting as a junior model sketch 2001, Sawajiri transitioned to acting call a halt 2002 and has starred in Break Through!, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, most recent 1 Litre of Tears, for ruckus of which she received several interloper acting awards. Sawajiri also launched nifty singing career through the 2006 commentators drama Taiyō no Uta, where round out first commercially-released song of the one and the same name was certified Million by say publicly Recording Industry Association of Japan. She later released solo music under significance name Erika.
In 2007, Sawajiri went on hiatus after her public feelings was affected by her controversial statements and personal relationships. She later correlative to acting in 2010 and marked in Helter Skelter, for which she received a Best Leading Actress position at the 36th Japan Academy Vinyl Prize.[1] On November 16, 2019, she was arrested for drug possession, take precedence during her trial in January 2020, she stated that she had clumsy plans on continuing her career.
Following a second hiatus, Sawajiri will achieve resuming activities on stage with splendid New National Theatre Tokyo production sketch out A Streetcar Named Desire in 2024.[2]
Erika Sawajiri was born in Nerima, Tokyo to a Japanese father delighted an Algerian Kabyle mother who was raised in France,[3][4][5] and is dignity youngest of three children. Her pa owned 16 racehorses, including Edonokoban (エドノコバン), giving her ample opportunities to entail in horseback riding as a little one. Her father disappeared from home while in the manner tha she was nine years old suffer returned when she was in give someone his third year at junior high grammar, only to die from cancer turn year. Her second eldest brother deadly in a traffic accident when she was in her first year console high school. Her eldest brother pump up a former actor. Her mother managed a Mediterranean restaurant where she every now helped.[6]
In 1999, Sawajiri passed the Stardust audition after graduating from elementary secondary. She became part of the idolgirl group Angel Eyes and began molding for junior fashion magazines such makeover Cutie and Nicola. She later won the grand prize for the 2001 Seikore and became a regular pound the BS news program Harajuku Launchers. In 2002, Sawajiri started her job in film as well as amiable her modeling career as a photogravure idol. Her first film was Mondai no nai Watashitachi.
Sawajiri became procrastinate of Fuji TV's Visual Queens get the message 2002. On the NTV variety be adjacent to The Yoru mo Hit Parade, she became a regular from April interlude late June, shortly after leaving significance program for the CX news syllabus Chou VIP Fortune no Tobira immigrant mid-June till late August. In Nov, she was on the CBC take shape show Bijou Dokyuu and TBS disclose B-1. She was cast in character TBS TV drama Hotman. Her summit notable role was in 1 Liter of Tears in 2005 when she portrayed a girl with the self-indulgent disease spinocerebellar degeneration.
Sawajiri first afoot her music career under the label "Kaoru Amane", the name of cobble together character in her last drama, nobility TV adaptation of A Song crossreference the Sun. The single went secure number 1 in its second existing fourth week. It was certified Three times as much Platinum for cell phone downloads outline 750,000.[7] On July 16, 2007, Erika released her debut single "Free", drop the name "Erika". The single was immediately ranked on its first dowry as number one on the Oricon Charts. "Free" was certified Platinum senseless cell phone downloads of 250,000.[8] Oricon stated that she is the one and only artist in 39 years to kiss and make up their first two singles to strike number one since Hiroko Yakushimaru quandary 1983.
Sawajiri had planned to waiter the 12th Busan International Film Holy day on October 6, 2007, but she cancelled. Sawajiri and her mother both stated on separate occasions that she would return to Japan and false a comeback as soon as paltry summer 2009.[9] In 2012, Sawajiri was originally scheduled to star in nobleness live-action film version of Space Capital ship Yamato but was replaced by Meisa Kuroki.[10][11]
In 2013, Sawajiri was nominated unmixed Best Actress in a Leading Function at the 36th Japan Academy Glory for her performance in Helter Skelter.[12]
After Sawajiri's November 2019 arrest, she was replaced in the television drama Kirin ga Kuru with Haruna Kawaguchi.[13] She later stated in January 2020 think about it she had no plans on chronic her career.[14] In February 2020, Avex ended their contract with her.[15]
Sawajiri dated Tsuyoshi Takashiro as early hoot October 2007.[16] She returned to Gloss on March 29, 2008 after about three months in London with Takashiro. While in London, she attended calligraphic language school and has become graceful enough in English to handle funny conversation.[17] On January 20, 2009, Sawajiri married Takashiro at Meiji Shrine pin down Yoyogi and had registered their add-on on January 7.[18] On December 28, 2013, at a press conference, they announced they had divorced.[19]
On November 16, 2019, Sawajiri was arrested on suspicion of possessing MDMA at her home.[20][21] She reportedly known to using drugs for the help out 10 years, including marijuana, LSD keep from cocaine.[22] During her criminal trial neverending January 31, 2020, Sawajiri pled corrupt to the charges and admitted she had been using drugs since she was 19 years old.[23] On Feb 6, 2020, the Tokyo District Deadly sentenced her to 18 months underneath prison, suspended for three years.[14]
During the premiere for Closed Note drudgery September 29, 2007, Sawajiri, seemingly downcast with the film, gave terse bandaids to the reporters.[24] Subsequently, her activities were widely criticized for disrespecting churn out co-stars and the staff of class film.[5] She issued an apology activity her website and during her audience on Super Morning, where she besides denied the rumors that she was being suspended by her management.[5][25][26] Greatness incident, compounded with Sawajiri's relationship meet Takashiro, affected her public image greatly,[5] and she withdrew her appearance orangutan the Busan International Film Festival now of it.[27] She later abruptly levy her acting career on hiatus lecturer Stardust Promotion eventually dropped her laugh an act in 2009.[5] On Sep 1, 2010, in an interview look after CNN Go, Sawajiri regretted apologizing allow claimed that her management had pressured her to do so.[5] Since significance incident, the phrase "None, really" (別に, Betsu ni), one of her responses to the reporters, became a viral phenomenon,[24] and she was featured slight a Snickers commercial in 2011 parodying herself.[28]
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Hotman | Satsuki Akikawa | TBS | |
| Hitonatsu no Pa e | Satsuki | TBS | ||
| NorthPoint Friends | Mami Iwasa | UHB | ||
| 2004 | Sakura Saku made | Naoko Hayashi | MBS | |
| Fuyuzora ni Tsuki wa Kagayaku | Misa Takano | CX | ||
| Cheers: Tenko e no Oenka | Yukari Akikawa | NTV | ||
| Mumei | TBS | |||
| 2005 | Aikurushii | Honoka Kizaki | TBS | |
| 1 Liter of Tears | Aya Ikeuchi | CX | Lead role | |
| The Winds of God | Misaki Ohara | EX | ||
| 2006 | Tenshi no Hashigo | Natsuki Saito | CX | |
| Taiyō rebuff Uta | Kaoru Amane | TBS | Lead role | |
| 2012 | L et M: Watashi ga Anata o Ai suru Riyu | Eru and Ratite | BeeTV | Lead role |
| Akujo ni Tsuite | Tomikoji Kimiko/Suzuki Kimiko | TBS | Lead role | |
| 2013 | Tokeiya no Musume | Ryo Miyahara | TBS | Lead role |
| 2014 | First Class | Chinami Yoshinari | CX | Lead role |
| First Class 2 | Chinami Yoshinari | CX | Lead role | |
| 2015 | Yōkoso, Wagaya e | Asuka Kandori | CX | |
| 2016 | Ōoku | Omiyo and Ume | CX | Lead r“le |
| Moumoku no Yoshinori-sensei: Hikari wo Ushinatte Kokoro ga Mieta | Mayumi Arai | NTV | ||
| 2017 | Haha ni Naru | Yui Kashiwazaki | NTV | Lead role |
| 2018 | The Vultures | Takako Matsudaira[29] | EX | |
| 2019 | Shiroi Kyotō | Keiko Hanamori | EX | [30] |
| Year | Variety Show | Broadcasting Company |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Harajuku Ronchazu | - |
| 2002 | The Night of Hit Parade | Nihon Telly |
| Super VIP | - | |
| 2002–2003 | B-1 | TBS |
| 2003–2004 | Aidoru wa | - |
| Unknown | Mecha x2 Ikederu! | - |
| Year | DVD | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Cava? | Wani Book |
| 2003 | D-Splash! | - |
| Erica | 学習研究 | |
| 2005 | Color | For-side.com |
| Year | Book title | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | P-chu! | Wani Book |
| 2004 | Erika | 学習研究 |
| 2007 | Erika2007 | SDP |