Erika Sawajiri
| Erika Sawajiri | |
|---|---|
| Native name | 沢尻 エリカ |
| Born |
April 8, 1986 Nerima, Tokyo, Japan |
| Other names | Erika Kaoru Amane Kacchan, Aachan |
| Occupation | |
| Years active | 2001-2007, 2010–present |
| Agent |
|
| Notable credit(s) |
Aya Ikeuchi in 1 Litre no Namida Hotarubi in Shinobi: Heart Under Blade |
| Spouse(s) | Tsuyoshi Takashiro (m. 2009; div. 2013) |
Erika Sawajiri (沢尻 エリカ Sawajiri Erika?, born April 8, 1986, in Nerima, Tokyo) is a Japanese actress, model and singer. She appeared in the non-fiction Japanese television drama 1 Litre of Tears, playing the role of a girl who suffered from the intractable disease spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD).
On September 10, 2010, it was announced that Sawajiri had signed with Avex label for talent management and music releases. She was previously managed by the Stardust Promotion talent agency until her contract was terminated in late 2009, and was affiliated with Sony Music Entertainment Japan for her early recording career, recording under the name Kaoru Amane and, later, simply Erika.
Erika was born in Nerima, Tokyo, to a Japanese father and an Algerian-born French mother of Berber extraction and is the youngest of three children. Her father owned sixteen racehorses, including Edonokoban (エドノコバン), giving Erika ample opportunities to engage in horseback riding as a child. Her father disappeared from home when Erika was 9 years old, returning 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 that she sometimes worked at. The family is extremely close knit, and often used Erika's photoshoots and other work as an opportunity to travel together as a family.
In 1999, Sawajiri passed the Stardust audition after graduating from elementary school. She became part of the idol unit 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.
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