Erika Sawajiri

is a Japanese actress, singer, and model. After debuting as a junior model in 2001, Sawajiri transitioned to acting in 2002 and has starred in Break Through!, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, and 1 Litre of Tears, for all of which she received several newcomer acting awards. Sawajiri also launched a singing career through the 2006 television drama Taiyō no Uta, where her first commercially-released song of the same name was certified Million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. She later released solo music under the name Erika.

In 2007, Sawajiri went on hiatus after her public image was affected by her controversial statements and personal relationships. She later returned to acting in 2010 and starred in Helter Skelter, for which she received a Best Leading Actress nomination at the 36th Japan Academy Film Prize.

After Sawajiri was incarcerated from her 2019 arrest for MDMA possession, she resumed her acting career in 2024 with a New National Theatre Tokyo production of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Early life

Erika Sawajiri was born in Nerima, Tokyo to a Japanese father and an Algerian Kabyle mother who was raised in France, and is the youngest of three children. Her father owned 16 racehorses, including , giving her ample opportunities to engage in horseback riding as a child. Her father disappeared from home when she was nine years old and returned when she was in her third year at junior high school, only to die from cancer that year. Her second eldest brother died in a traffic accident when she was in her first year at high school. Her eldest brother is a former actor. Her mother managed a Mediterranean restaurant where she occasionally helped.

Career

In 1999, Sawajiri passed the Stardust audition after graduating from elementary school. She became part of the idol girl group Angel Eyes and began modeling for junior fashion magazines such as Cutie and Nicola. She later won the grand prize for the 2001 Seikore and became a regular on the BS news program Harajuku Launchers. In 2002, Sawajiri started her career in film as well as extending her modeling career as a gravure idol. Her first film was Mondai no nai Watashitachi.

Sawajiri became one of Fuji TV's Visual Queens in 2002. On the NTV variety show The Yoru mo Hit Parade, she became a regular from April till late June, shortly after leaving the program for the CX news program Chou VIP Fortune no Tobira from mid-June till late August. In November, she was on the CBC variety show Bijou Dokyuu and TBS show B-1. She was cast in the TBS TV drama Hotman. Her most notable role was in 1 Litre of Tears in 2005 when she portrayed a girl with the degenerative disease spinocerebellar degeneration.

Sawajiri first started her music career under the name "Kaoru Amane", the name of her character in her last drama, the TV adaptation of A Song to the Sun. The single went into number 1 in its second and fourth week. It was certified Triple Platinum for cell phone downloads of 750,000. On July 16, 2007, Erika released her debut single "Free", under the name "Erika". The single was immediately ranked on its first day as number one on the Oricon Charts. "Free" was certified Platinum for cell phone downloads of 250,000. Oricon stated that she is the only artist in 39 years to get their first two singles to hit number one since Hiroko Yakushimaru in 1983.

Sawajiri had planned to attend the 12th Busan International Film Festival on October 6, 2007, but she cancelled. Sawajiri and her mother both stated on separate occasions that she would return to Japan and make a comeback as soon as late summer 2009. In 2012, Sawajiri was originally scheduled to star in the live-action film version of Space Battleship Yamato but was replaced by Meisa Kuroki.

In 2013, Sawajiri was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 36th Japan Academy Awards for her performance in Helter Skelter.

After Sawajiri's November 2019 arrest, she was replaced in the television drama Kirin ga Kuru with Haruna Kawaguchi. She later stated in January 2020 that she had no plans on continuing her career.

Personal life

Sawajiri dated Tsuyoshi Takashiro as early as October 2007. She returned to Japan on March 29, 2008 after nearly three months in London with Takashiro. While in London, she attended a language school and has become fluent enough in English to handle ordinary conversation. On January 20, 2009, Sawajiri married Takashiro at Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi and had registered their marriage on January 7. On December 28, 2013, at a press conference, they announced they had divorced.

Drug arrest and trial

On November 16, 2019, Sawajiri was arrested on suspicion of possessing MDMA at her home. She reportedly admitted to using drugs for the past 10 years, including marijuana, LSD and cocaine. During her criminal trial on January 31, 2020, Sawajiri pled guilty to the charges and admitted she had been using drugs since she was 19 years old. On February 6, 2020, the Tokyo District Court sentenced her to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years.

Public image

During the premiere for Closed Note on September 29, 2007, Sawajiri, seemingly unhappy with the film, gave terse answers to the reporters. The incident, compounded with Sawajiri's relationship with Takashiro, affected her public image greatly, She withdrew her appearance at the Busan International Film Festival because of it. She later abruptly put her acting career on hiatus and Stardust Promotion eventually dropped her as an act in 2009. and she was featured in a Snickers commercial in 2011 parodying herself.

Filmography

Films

Television

Year Title Role Note 2003 Hotman Satsuki Akikawa Hitonatsu no Papa e Satsuki NorthPoint Friends Mami Iwasa 2004 Sakura Saku made Naoko Hayashi Fuyuzora ni Tsuki wa Kagayaku Misa Takano Cheers: Tenko e no Oenka Yukari Akikawa Mumei 2005 Aikurushii Honoka Kizaki 1 Litre of Tears Aya Ikeuchi Lead role The Winds of God Misaki Ohara 2006 Tenshi no Hashigo Natsuki Saito Taiyō no Uta Kaoru Amane Lead role 2012 L et M: Watashi ga Anata o Ai suru Riyu Eru and Emu Lead role Akujo ni Tsuite Tomikoji Kimiko/Suzuki Kimiko Lead role 2013 Tokeiya no Musume Ryo Miyahara Lead role 2014 First Class Chinami Yoshinari Lead role First Class 2 Chinami Yoshinari Lead role 2015 Yōkoso, Wagaya e Asuka Kandori 2016 Ōoku Omiyo and Ume Lead roleMoumoku no Yoshinori-sensei: Hikari wo Ushinatte Kokoro ga Mieta Mayumi Arai 2017 Haha ni Naru Yui Kashiwazaki Lead role 2018 The Vultures Takako Matsudaira 2019 Shiroi Kyotō Keiko Hanamori

Music videos

Variety shows

DVDs

Publications

Discography

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumJPN "Free" 2007 1 119,817+ "Destination Nowhere" 7 43,209+ "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Soundtrack appearances

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumJPN "Taiyō no Uta" 2007 1 488,000+ "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Awards and accolades YearAwardCategoryWorkResult200518th Nikkan Sports Film AwardsBest Newcomer AwardBreak Through! 30th Hochi Film Awards 200627th Yokohama Film FestivalBest New TalentBreak Through!, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade 79th Kinema Junpo AwardBest Newcomer Award [Female]Break Through!, Ashurajō no Hitomi, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade 29th Japan Academy Film PrizeBreak Through! 15th Tokyo Sports Movie AwardBest Newcomer AwardBreak Through!, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade 2006 Elan d'or AwardsNewcomer of the Year1 Litre of Tears 43rd Golden Arrow AwardBest Newcomer Award 201336th Japan Academy Film PrizeBest Leading ActressHelter Skelter