Name: Rinko Kikuchi
Birth Name: Yukiko Kikuchi
Birthdate: Jan. 6, 1981
Birthplace: Kanagawa, Japan
1-MINUTE RESUME FOR RINKO KIKUCHI
Before her groundbreaking role as a troubled deaf mute in the 2006's
Babel, Kikuchi was fairly recognizable in her native Japan for commercials and small parts in movies.
Babel
director Alejandro González Iñárritu originally wanted a real deaf
actress to play the character of Chieko, but Kikuchi's professional
ability at sign language was a huge plus.
5 Things:
1. She was still learning English during the making of Babel.
2. She can sword-fight, ride a horse, drive a motorcycle and speak in sign language.
3. Before she landed her role in Babel, she spent a significant amount of time at a school for deaf mute girls to study for the part.
4. Variety labeled her one of 10 young actors to watch.
5. She won the Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough and the National
Board of Review's for Best Breakthrough Female (tying with Jennifer
Hudson).
Quote:
On her famous nude scenes in
Babel,
"As far as being nude, I think being nude is like a sacred state of
human nature, and I consider it very, very beautiful to be nude. I
actually thought it was going to be a beautiful scene, so there was no
reluctance or anything like that on my end."
—
Comingsoon.net, Jan. 12, 2007
Awards:
2007: Academy Award nomination: Best Supporting Actress, Babel; Golden Globe nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Babel
FILMS
Babel - (2006) - Actor