Keiko Kitagawa, winner of the Best Actress award at the Hochi Film Awards, with Nozomi Morita (right), her co-star in the movie Night Flower A surprising role in Bakebake In the current morning drama Bakebake (NHK), Kitagawa plays a beggar. In her starring film Night Flower, released on November 28, she took on the role of an illegal drug dealer, exploring a completely new side of her acting. On December 15, at the Hochi Film Awards ceremony, she won the Best Actress award following her EL Best Actress recognition at the ELLE CINEMA AWARDS 2025, positioning her as a major contender in this season’s film awards race. What has happened to her, considering that she hadn’t previously been closely associated with awards? Bakebake is set in Matsue, Shimane, during the Meiji era. Through the eyes of Toki (Akari Takaishi, 23), modeled after the wife of author Lafcadio Hearn, the drama depicts a tumultuous story of a couple living through the transition from Edo to Meiji. Kitagawa plays Toki’s mother, Otae-sama. Despite coming from a high-ranking family, her husband Den (Shinichi Tsutsumi, 61) fails in his textile business. Otae-sama, a beautiful and dignified young woman, experiences a dramatic fall from grace, even becoming a beggar—an unusual development for an NHK morning drama that shocked viewers on social media. Kitagawa shared her perspective on the role. Appearing on NHK’s Asaichi premium talk on December 12, she said: “If Otae were alone, she probably would have died by now, on her own. But she still has her son, Sannojō (Rihito Itagaki, 23), with her. The responsibility of raising Sannojō to be a strong, independent person drives me as a parent. I approached this scene with the feeling that Otae had already died once.” To film the begging scenes, Kitagawa disheveled her hair and dirtied her face and kimono. “But if it were too realistic, it would have been too shocking for morning viewers. So, after consulting with the production staff, we aimed for the edge of realism,” said a director from the production company. This is Kitagawa’s first appearance in an NHK morning drama, and she left a strong impression. Kitagawa was scouted while in high school in her hometown of Kobe, and debuted as a model in 2003 after winning Miss SEVENTEEN. That same year, she began her acting career in the drama Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon (TBS). Her early acting career, however, was difficult; she faced repeated rejections at auditions. Her breakthrough came in 2006 when renowned director Yoshimitsu Morita noticed her, and she passed the audition for the film Mamiya Brothers, marking her first movie appearance. From 2008 to 2010, she appeared in three consecutive Fuji TV “Getsu 9” (Monday 9 p.m.) dramas—Taiyō to Umi no Kyōshitsu, Buzzer Beat: Gakeppuchi no Hero, and Moon Lovers: Tsuki no Koibito—establishing a solid position as an actress. “She gained popularity, but mostly played flawless ‘career woman’ roles—cool, capable at work, but poor at romance. While these were fitting roles for her cool-beauty image, she seriously wondered how to expand her range. Kitagawa was the textbook example of a dedicated professional. Perhaps at the time, her determination to live through her work was just too strong,” said a production company producer. A surprising turning point awaited the thoughtful Kitagawa.