Who is Rila Fukushima? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 35 Years, 35 Year Old Females

Models Japanese Women

Height: 5'6" (168 cm), 5'6" Females

City: Tokyo, Japan

Recommended For You

1

What movies has Rila Fukushima starred in?

Rila Fukushima is known for her roles in movies such as "The Wolverine" and "Ghost in the Shell."
2

Is Rila Fukushima a trained martial artist?

Yes, Rila Fukushima is trained in martial arts, which is evident in her action-packed performances on screen.
3

How did Rila Fukushima prepare for her role in "The Wolverine?"

Rila Fukushima underwent intense physical training to portray her character in "The Wolverine," including martial arts and stunt work.
4

What is a notable characteristic of Rila Fukushima's acting style?

Rila Fukushima is praised for her ability to bring depth and authenticity to her characters, capturing audiences with her emotional performances.

Recommended Lists:

Japanese Fashion Industry

Childhood & Early Life

Rila Fukushima was born on the island of Kyushu, Japan, on January 16, 1989. She was raised in Tokyo, Japan.

Rila always dreamed of becoming a fashion model and moved to New York to fulfil her dreams. However, she had to move back to Tokyo in 2010, to take care of her sick mother.

Rila started working with a modeling agency as an assistant but was hired as a model by the same agency later. She started her modeling career at the age of 21, after working with various fashion magazines and labels.

She admired models such as Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, and Helena Christensen. She also attended a music school for two years after graduating from high school.

Continue Reading Below

Career

Rila had her first acting role in the budget TV movie ‘Karma: A Very Twisted Love Story,’ in which she played ‘Rei.’ The movie released in 2010, marking the beginning of Rila’s career.

She had her breakthrough role in the 2013 American superhero film ‘The Wolverine.’ The movie became the fifth highest-grossing movie of the ‘X-Men’ franchise. Rila played ‘Wolverine’s sidekick, ‘Yukio.’ Her character was based on a fictional character of the same name from ‘Marvel’s comics. ‘Yukio’s first appearance was in ‘Wolverine’#1 in September 1982. She was a Japanese ninja warrior who helped ‘Wolverine’ in his quest to save the world from bad guys. ‘The Wolverine’ was Rila’s first commercially successful movie. Rila had to travel from New York to Tokyo and Los Angeles to audition for the role.

She next appeared as ‘Erica’ in the drama ‘Twilight: Saya in Sasara,’ based on a novel by Tomoko Kanô. The movie was about a widow dealing with her dead husband’s return to the living world to help their child.

She played ‘Omichi’ in the ‘NHK’ “Taiga” drama ‘Gunshi Kanbei.’ The series told the story of ‘Kuroda Kanbei,’ son of ‘Kuroda Mototaka’, the chief retainer of ‘Kodera Masamoto’ who ruled ‘Harima Province.’ Junichi Okada played the lead role in the series. The Japanese drama ran for 50 episodes.

She also appeared in a TV miniseries named ‘The Long Goodbye’ in 2014. She played ‘Lily’ in the series.

The same year, she also became part of the American superhero TV series ‘Arrow.’ The series, based on the ‘DC Comics’ character ‘Green Arrow, premiered on ‘The CW,’ in October 2012. Rila portrayed ‘Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana’ in 15 episodes of the show. ‘Katana,’ a samurai warrior, first appeared in ‘The Brave and the Bold #200’ (published by ‘DC Comics’) in July 1983. With her extraordinary skills in handling her sword, ‘Katana’ saves the world and is associated with the ‘Outsiders,’ a superhero team put together by ‘Batman.’

In 2015, she appeared in a Japanese movie named ‘Gonin Saga,’ in which she played ‘Yoichi.’ The movie starred Masahiro Higashide and Kenta Kiritani in leading roles. The same year, she also appeared in the TV movie ‘Warrior,’ in which she played a character named ‘Tasu.’

Her highlight of 2015 was her role of a “Red Priestess” in an episode of the fantasy drama ‘Game of Thrones,’ titled ‘High Sparrow.’

In 2016, she played ‘Sakakibara’ in the film ‘Terra Formars.’ In 2017, her performance as a red-robed “geisha” in the American science-fiction film ‘Ghost in the Shell’ was appreciated widely. The movie, based on the Japanese manga series of the same name, was set in the future, where the line between humans and robots is almost blurred. The movie starred stalwarts such as Scarlett Johansson, Takeshi Kitano, and Michael Pitt. However, it failed miserably at the box-office.

Her latest appearance was in the Japanese “seinen” mystery/romantic–comedy manga ‘100 Manen no Onna-tachi,’ also known as ‘Million Yen Women.’ The series was turned into a live-action TV drama by ‘Netflix’ in 2017. The show revolved around the life of a struggling novelist, Shin Michima, living with five mysterious women for more than a year. Yojiro Noda played the role of ‘Shin Michima.’ Rila played ‘Minami Shirakawa,’ a nudist and one of the five women living with Shin. ‘Minami’ was portrayed as the president of the ultra-luxury ‘Call Girl Club’ and a 30-year-old with violent tendencies and weird behavior.

Awards & Achievements

In 2013, Rila Fukushima was chosen as one of the ‘Women of the Year’ by ‘Vogue Japan.’

Personal Life

Rila Fukushima was in a relationship with Naoto Takenaka in the past. She is reportedly single at present.

Facts About Rila Fukushima

Rila Fukushima is not only a talented actress but also a skilled martial artist, with a background in karate and kickboxing.

In addition to her work in film and television, Rila Fukushima is passionate about fashion and has been known to experiment with bold and unique styles.

Rila Fukushima is multilingual, fluent in Japanese, English, and French, which allows her to connect with a diverse range of audiences.

Outside of her on-screen work, Rila Fukushima is a dedicated advocate for environmental causes, actively supporting initiatives that promote sustainability and conservation.

In her free time, Rila Fukushima enjoys practicing yoga and meditation to help maintain balance and mindfulness in her busy life.

Rila Fukushima Biography

You wanted to know

What movies has Rila Fukushima starred in?

Is Rila Fukushima a trained martial artist?

How did Rila Fukushima prepare for her role in "The Wolverine?"

What is a notable characteristic of Rila Fukushima's acting style?