Shioli Kutsuna: From Kaseifu no Mita to Hollywood Stardom

Now she has the dignity of a Hollywood actress!

Actress Shioli Kutsuna (32) has been making waves with a post on her Instagram.

On February 5, Kutsuna updated her Instagram, revealing her long hair, which extends down to her waist, dyed a platinum blonde close to white. Her eyebrows are also lightly tinted gold. The image, where she gazes vacantly into the camera, has received praise in the comments section, with messages such as, “Too cool, I’m mesmerized,” and, “Wow, so beautiful.”

In fact, this is the advertising visual for the campaign “IT’S NEW WEEK 2025 SS” by Lumine and Newoman. The visual is inspired by an elf from fantasy films and anime. Now based in the U.S., Kutsuna’s image may also be influenced by the concept of a “Hollywood actress.”

“In 2006, she won the Special Jury Prize at the 11th All-Japan National Beautiful Girl Contest, organized by Oscar Promotion, marking her debut in the entertainment industry. She was promoted alongside Ayame Goriki (32) and Emi Takei (31) as part of the ‘Oscar Three Daughters.’ She gained widespread recognition in 2008 with the ‘Pocky Dance’ in Ezaki Glico’s Pocky commercial. She later became a popular actress with roles such as Senhime in NHK’s Taiga drama Go: Hime-tachi no Sengoku and the drama Kaseifu no Mita (NTV).

Her Hollywood debut was prompted by director Wayne Wang, who recommended her after she appeared in the 2016 film While the Women Are Sleeping. In 2018, she gave a compelling performance as a Yakuza’s sister in the Netflix Hollywood Yakuza film The Outsider. That same year, she made a strong impression as a key member in the American comic book movie Deadpool 2,” said a source from the entertainment industry.

FRIDAY has been following Kutsuna since she won the special prize at the National Beautiful Girl Contest. They have covered various moments, including a commemorative photo shoot with Aya Ueto (39) at a commercial event, her romance with actor Shota Matsuda (39), and a shabu-shabu dinner with Taiga Nakano (32). Among these, the most memorable is the intense expression she displayed during the filming of Kaseifu no Mita. Let’s revisit the article published on December 13, 2011.

 

Kutsuna’s expression stiffens at Matsushima’s tense performance

In early December 2011, filming for the popular drama Kaseifu no Mita took place at an amusement park inside a zoo in Chiba Prefecture.

“The drama paid homage to the popular series Kaseifu wa Mita! starring Etsuko Ichihara (TV Asahi), and while the title itself left a strong impression, the biggest talking point was Nanako Matsushima’s (51) portrayal of the protagonist, housekeeper Akari Mita, a cold and emotionless character who never smiles. The show became a massive hit, reaching a peak viewership rating of 40%,” said a TV magazine writer.

That day, Matsushima arrived on set wearing a cap pulled low over her face. She never smiled, fully immersed in her role. The atmosphere on set was tense, and Kutsuna, her co-star, also appeared visibly nervous even while waiting for her scenes.

“Kutsuna played the role of Yui Asuda, the eldest daughter who struggles to hold her family together while harboring resentment toward her father, whom she blames for driving her mother to suicide. During the amusement park scene, she shared an intense moment with Taishi Nakagawa (26), who played her younger brother, making them seem like real siblings,” said a drama production staff member.

Regarding her experience working with Matsushima, Kutsuna shared her thoughts in an interview with MANTANWEB (published on January 2, 2012):

“During the first half of filming, rather than seeing her as Matsushima-san, she really felt like Mita-san. She was quite mysterious. She even told us, ‘Since the character is very unusual, I’m avoiding talking to my co-stars,’ so her Mita presence was really strong.”

She also reflected, saying:

“We were able to deliver a result that reached many people. It was an incredibly stimulating project.”

In 2023, Kutsuna gained attention in Japan for her role in the Netflix original drama Sanctuary, which revolved around the world of sumo wrestling. Fans continue to look forward to her future success in Hollywood.