Biography
Who is Aya Ueto?
Early life in Tokyo
Aya Ueto was born in Nerima, Tokyo, on September 14, 1985. Her father comes from Suttsu in Hokkaido, while her mother is from Ishigaki Island in Okinawa. She grew up as the middle of three children, with an older brother named Shun and a younger brother named Makoto. Her parents divorced shortly after her debut in the entertainment industry.
Despite growing up in a relatively poor household, Aya studied piano, modern ballet, swimming, and gymnastics. She originally had no ambitions to become an entertainer and wanted to become a preschool teacher instead. After hearing about a friend's experience as an extra on a television drama, she decided she wanted to appear on television as well.
How Aya became famous
Unbeknownst to her, Aya's mother entered her into the seventh Japan Bishōjo Contest in 1997. At the age of twelve, Aya won the special jury prize at the event. Following her discovery, she joined the talent agency Oscar Promotion and began taking singing, dancing, and acting lessons.
In 1999, she formed the girl group Z-1 with three fellow contest participants. The group released music through Toshiba EMI before disbanding in 2002. Later that year, Aya signed with Pony Canyon as a solo artist and released her debut single titled Pureness, which performed well on the Oricon charts.
Acting career highlights
At the age of thirteen, Aya made her acting debut in the thriller film Satsujinsha: Killer of Paraiso. In 2001, she appeared in the sixth season of the television drama 3-nen B-gumi Kinpachi-sensei. Her portrayal of a high school student with gender dysphoria earned critical acclaim and propelled her to stardom.
She transitioned to the big screen as the lead in Ryuhei Kitamura's 2003 blockbuster film Azumi, which earned her a nomination for a Japan Academy Award for Best Actress. She later starred in its sequel, Azumi 2: Death or Love, as well as Thermae Romae and the live-action adaptation of Ace o Nerae!, for which she won a Television Drama Academy Award for Best Actress.
Personal life and height
Aya Ueto stands at a height of 162 centimeters. Throughout her demanding career, she balanced her work with her studies, occasionally facing extreme exhaustion from juggling filming schedules and schoolwork during her teenage years.
In her personal life, she is married to Hiroyuki Igarashi. She continues to be a recognizable face in Japanese media, appearing in numerous television advertisements, dramas, and film productions over the decades.
Birthday and age
Aya Ueto was born on September 14, 1985, which makes Aya 41 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Aya shares the date with 65 other famous people.
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