Chiaki Kuriyama Biography

Chiaki Kuriyama, born Kuriyama Chiaki (栗山　千明), October 10, 1984 in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture), is a Japanese actress.

Biography

From age 11 Chiaki Kuriyama saw work as a child model and minor television and film roles, including Toire no Hanako-san (1995).

Kuriyama first achieved widespread recognition in Japan for her starring roles in the horror movies Shikoku (1999) and Ju-on (2000). Later in 2000, Chiaki appeared in the action picture Battle Royale; although this movie featured an ensemble cast and allowed Kuriyama relatively little screen time, many viewers felt that her scenes were particularly memorable.

After notable appearances in Japanese TV series including Rokubanme no Sayoko, Chiaki Kuriyama made her Hollywood debut in director Quentin Tarantino's 2003 Kill Bill, Volume I. In Kill Bill, Kuriyama played the part of 'Gogo Yubari'—a cartoonish, manriki wielding, teenage schoolgirl yakuza bodyguard of 'O-Ren Ishii'. Despite the movie's primarily English script, Kuriyama's dialogue was all in Japanese.

Despite her diminutive size — fan sources indicate that she stands 1.62 m (5 ft 4 in) tall and weighs 40 kg (88 lb) ([1]) — Chiaki Kuriyama creates a distinctive onscreen presence through her ability to appear alternately, or in some cases simultaneously, winsome and menacing. Thus, her career, especially her Battle Royale and Kill Bill roles, can be seen as a variation on the violent yet feminine action-hero-cum-s---symbol type popularized in the West by examples such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Tomb Raider.

Chiaki Kuriyama's upcoming appearances include major roles in Azumi 2: Death or Love, a samurai drama, and Yōkai Daisensō, a monster movie from Takashi Miike, along with a cameo in the Steven Seagal vehicle Into the Sun. She is also reportedly learning to speak English.

Quotes

• "I've been playing these schoolgirl roles in all my movies. Every time I went to the set, it felt like I was going to school."
• "I loved playing Gogo [her role in Kill Bill], because the character's so extreme. And she's pretty close to my real character. Especially the fact that she liked her sword with a lot of accessories." (this quote is apparently in reference to accessorizing items such as cellphones) Singapore Press' New Paper (Oct. 29, 2003)
• "Japan is very much a TV-centered entertainment industry. So when you talk about big stars in Japan, generally they are people who are on television. I work mostly in movies."

Film and TV List

• Scrap Heaven (2005)
• Yôkai daisensô (2005)
• aka Hobgoblins & the Great Wall (literal English title)
• aka The Big Spook War (USA)
• Into the Sun (2005) as Ayako
• Azumi 2: Death or Love (2005) as Kozue
• Kagen no tsuki (2004) as Mizuki
• aka Last Quarter
• Itsuka 'A' torein ni notte (2003) as Noguchi, Yuki
• aka Take the 'A' Train, Someday (International: English title)
• Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) as Gogo Yubari
• "R-17" (2001) TV Series
• Batoru rowaiaru (2000) as Takako Chigusa - Girl #13
• aka Battle Royale (International: English title)
• Tajuu jinkaku tantei saiko - Amamiya Kazuhiko no kikan (2000) (mini) TV Series
• aka MPD Psycho
• aka Multiple Personality Detective Psycho - Kazuhiko Amamiya Returns (Japan: English title)
• Ju-on (2000) (V) as Mizuho Tamura
• aka Curse Grudge (USA)
• aka Ju-on: The Curse (informal English title)
• Kamen gakuen (2000) as Reika Dojima
• Shikoku (1999) as Sayori Hiura
• Gonin (1995) as Ogiwara's daughter
• aka The Five (USA)
• Toire no Hanako-san (1995)
• aka School Mystery (USA)

Endorsements

• Shiseido Maquillage (fashion make-up)
• Ecko Unlimited (clothes brand)
• JA Bank Mie (Japanese Company)
• Panasonic P901iS Cellphone
• Aloe Yogurt (Japanese dairy products)
• Clorets (mint chewing gum)