Ryoko Yonekura Explained

Ryoko Yonekura
Native Name:米倉 涼子
Native Name Lang:ja
Birth Date:1 August 1975
Birth Place:Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1992–present
Agent:Desafio

is a Japanese actress and former fashion model best known for her role in the Japanese medical drama . She also performs the voice of Black Widow in the Japanese-language releases of the Avengers film series.

Career

Yonekura studied classical ballet for 15 years from the age of five. Represented by the Oscar Promotion agency, she won the sixth Japan Bishōjo Contest in 1992.[1] In 1993, she started her career as a model, working for fashion magazines such as CanCam. She announced her intention to start her acting career in 1999.[2] Her acting debut was in the TBS television drama , and has appeared in many dramas ever since.

Yonekura played the role of Roxie Hart in the Japanese-language production of Chicago in Tokyo 2008 and in 2010. She then learned the role in English and made her Broadway debut in 2012.[3]

In late March 2020, her agency at the time, Oscar Promotion, announced that she would leave the agency after her contract expired on March 31, 2020.[1] She founded her own personal agency, Desafio, in early April of the same year.[4]

Personal life

In December 2014, Yonekura announced that she had married a company owner two years her junior.[5] [6] In December 2016, Yonekura announced that she had divorced her husband. In a written statement, Yonekura commented, "After timely, repeated discussions, our divorce has been finalized. I am sorry to have caused trouble with my private matters." She continued, "I hope to move forward both as an actress and woman. I will do my best every day in order to challenge myself to various new things. Please continue to give me guidance and encouragement.".[7]

In October 2022, Yonekura announced she was withdrawing from performances of Chicago due to treatment for cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia.[8]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000Erika Saionji[9]
Tenki-yoho no KoibitoIkuko Sudo
Hatachi no KekkonRanko
Straight NewsYuka Ichino
2001Love RevolutionMariko Endou
Hikon KazokuHikaru Matoba[10]
2002Pretty GirlsAyumi Kurai
Artificial BeautyHonami SaotomeLead role
Chizuru OtsukiLead role[11]
2003OtsuTaiga drama
2004Okusama wa MajoArisa MatsuiLead role
Kurokawa no TechoMotoko HaraguchiLead role
2005Fumino HamadaLead role
Haru Takakura (young)Lead role
Haruko SugimuraLead role
2006Tamiko NarusawaLead role[12]
Michiko AsaiLead role
2007Warui YatsuraToyomi TerashimaLead role
2007Moe HayasakaLead role
2008–2009Reiko UsagiLead role; also known as The Negotiator[13]
2008Itsuki TakamuraLead role
Kyoko SenoLead role[14]
2010Matsuko MatsudairaLead role[15]
2011Hunter: Sono Onna-tachi, Shōkin KasegiRei IsakaLead role[16]
2012Atsui KūkiNobuko KonoLead role[17]
2012–2021Michiko DaimonLead role[18] [19]
201335-sai no KoukouseiAyako BabaLead role[20] [21]
2014Kaseifu wa MitaNobuko SawaguchiLead role[22]
Mighty AntIsako SawadaLead role[23]
Out BurnEiko YagamiLead role[24]
2015Kaseifu wa Mita 2Nobuko SawaguchiLead role[25]
2016Kagerou EzuNuiLead role[26]
2018Legal V Ex-lawyer Shoko TakanashiShoko TakanashiLead role[27]
2019Crayon Shin-chanMichiko Daimon (voice)Episode: "Doctor-X"[28] [29]
2022The JournalistAnna MatsudaLead role[30] [31]
2023Angel FlightNami IzawaLead role[32]

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001Cardboard House GirlAn SakuraiLead role
2002Saki YamadaLead role
2008Sakura no SonoShino Wakamatsu[33]
2010Koshonin the MovieReiko UsagiLead role[34]
2024Doctor-X: The MovieMichiko DaimonLead role[35]

Japanese dub

YearTitleRole
2012The AvengersNatasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[36]
2013DianaDiana (Naomi Watts)[37] [38]
2014Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[39]
2015Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[40]
2016Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[41]
2018Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[42]
2019Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[43]
2021Black WidowNatasha Romanoff / Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson)[44]
2022Bullet TrainMaria Beetle (Sandra Bullock)[45]

Notes and References

  1. News: 米倉涼子、27年在籍した事務所を円満退社し独立「自分らしく頑張っていきます」 . April 26, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . March 24, 2020 . ja.
  2. News: 『サワコの朝』最終回 米倉涼子が気弱な素顔をさらけ出す「私、失敗“したくない”ので」 . April 26, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . March 26, 2021 . ja.
  3. Web site: Japanese superstar Ryoko Yonekura will return to Broadway this summer. . July 4, 2017.
  4. News: 米倉涼子、個人事務所の実情語る 変化実感も前向きな姿勢に「かっこよすぎます」と反響 . April 26, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . July 15, 2020 . ja.
  5. Web site: Actress Ryoko Yonekura announces marriage. December 27, 2014. Japan Today. GPlusMedia Co., Ltd.. https://archive.today/20141229022953/http://www.japantoday.com/category/entertainment/view/actress-ryoko-yonekura-announces-marriage. December 29, 2014. dead.
  6. News: 米倉涼子、2歳年下の会社経営者と結婚 |最新ニュース|eltha(エルザ) . April 25, 2023 . . December 26, 2014 . ja.
  7. Web site: 2016-12-30 . 米倉涼子が離婚を発表「時間をかけて協議」 . Yonekura Ryoko announces divorce . https://web.archive.org/web/20200804234524/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2083924/full/ . 2020-08-04 . 2024-05-17 . ORICON NEWS.
  8. Web site: October 4, 2022 . Yonekura Ryoko makes first public appearance since resigning from “CHICAGO” due to Cerebro Spinal Fluid Hypovolemia . October 4, 2022 . Neo-Tokyo 2099.
  9. News: テレ朝『木ドラ』、米倉涼子&田村正和が主演リレー!田村は32年ぶり同局連ドラ主演 . April 25, 2023 . . August 3, 2010 . ja.
  10. Web site: 非婚家族 . . August 25, 2023 . ja.
  11. Web site: 인물 소나기 비 갠 오후 만나면 좋은 친구 MBC . . August 25, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230825223650/https://program.imbc.com/Cast/passingrain . August 25, 2023 . ko . live.
  12. News: 米倉涼子が情念と欲望で人の道を踏み外す女性に共感 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . January 26, 2006 . ja.
  13. News: 米倉涼子主演のドラマ『交渉人スペシャル THE NEGOTIATOR』がエキストラ出演者大募集中 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . January 27, 2009 . ja.
  14. News: 米倉涼子、悪女キャラ定着?「私が妻なら慰謝料請求する」 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . September 3, 2008 . ja.
  15. News: 米倉涼子、“2000万円衣装”身につけホストクラブ潜入 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . September 20, 2010 . ja.
  16. News: 米倉涼子、“正義”の賞金稼ぎ役に挑む . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . September 2, 2011 . ja.
  17. News: 米倉涼子主演で『家政婦は見た!』の原作、再ドラマ化 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . March 28, 2012 . ja.
  18. News: 米倉涼子が一匹狼のスゴ腕外科医に挑戦 「セクシーでちょっとアダルトに」 . April 22, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . August 21, 2012 . ja.
  19. News: 米倉涼子主演『ドクターX』、10月に2年ぶり新シリーズ 100年に1度のパンデミックで東帝大が激変 . April 22, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . May 19, 2021 . ja.
  20. Web site: No Dropping Out -Back to School at 35- . . April 22, 2023 . en.
  21. News: 米倉涼子“同級生”を絶賛「かなり嫌い 怖くて泣いてました」 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能 . April 22, 2023 . . April 7, 2013 . ja.
  22. News: 米倉涼子主演、新生『家政婦は見た!』は悪女「二面性を楽しんで」 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . January 21, 2014 . ja.
  23. News: 米倉涼子、テレ東初出演で“悪女” 松本清張ドラマ主演に「この上ない喜び」 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . April 8, 2014 . ja.
  24. News: 米倉涼子、交渉人から“マル暴刑事”に 『アウトバーン』ドラマ化 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . April 24, 2014 . ja.
  25. News: 米倉涼子、ドラマ撮影現場でいきいき 『家政婦は見た!』第2弾、冬放送 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . August 4, 2015 . ja.
  26. News: 米倉涼子、松本清張原作の歴史サスペンスに主演 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . February 19, 2016 . ja.
  27. News: 米倉涼子、髪バッサリ20センチ 元弁護士役の新作ドラマで「ドクターX」から脱却 . April 22, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . August 29, 2018 . ja.
  28. Web site: Mateo . Alex . Crayon Shin-chan Anime, Doctor-X Live-Action Series Get Collaboration Short Anime . . August 25, 2023 . en . October 31, 2019.
  29. News: 米倉涼子、アニメアフレコ初挑戦 しんちゃんとのコラボも「失敗しないので」 . April 22, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . October 30, 2019 . ja.
  30. News: Kageyama . Yuri . Netflix woos Japan with new original series about a reporter . April 22, 2023 . . September 17, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030190832/https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-shinzo-abe-shootings-health-japan-8bf94e1324f779bf3a1eadd4535926b8 . October 30, 2020 . en . live.
  31. News: 米倉涼子、Netflix版『新聞記者』で主演「精一杯挑みます!」 藤井道人監督が映画から続投 . April 22, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . September 15, 2020 . ja.
  32. News: Tsujimoto . Yoshitaka . Ryoko Yonekura Keeps Chin up in Corpse-Filled Drama . April 22, 2023 . . April 7, 2023 . en.
  33. News: 米倉、菊川、上戸「櫻の園」で初共演! - スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能 . April 25, 2023 . スポニチ Sponichi Annex . May 22, 2008 . ja.
  34. News: 黒幕は誰!? 映画『交渉人』に反町、成宮、柳葉ら主役級俳優が多数出演 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . November 27, 2009 . ja.
  35. Web site: 「ドクターX」映画化決定 主演・米倉涼子が熱望「私たちの12年の想いがこもった作品」. June 19, 2024. eiga.com.
  36. News: 米倉涼子 “ハリウッド・デビュー”「楽しめた」 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能 . April 25, 2023 . スポニチ Sponichi Annex . April 13, 2012 . ja.
  37. News: 米倉涼子、ダイアナ妃に共感「見張られている環境はストレス」 . August 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . August 23, 2013 . ja.
  38. Web site: ダイアナ. July 23, 2019. Star Channel.
  39. News: 【動画】米倉涼子、セクシードレスで魅了 日本版アベンジャーズ集結 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . April 16, 2014 . ja.
  40. News: 米倉涼子、ハリウッドでアベンジャーズと再会 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . April 15, 2015 . ja.
  41. News: 「シビル・ウォー/キャプテン・アメリカ」プロデューサー来日、チーム分け詳細発表 . April 26, 2023 . Natalie . March 22, 2016 . ja.
  42. News: 「アベンジャーズ」集結式、ももクロ百田夏菜子が「私には米倉涼子さんがついてる」(写真21枚) . April 25, 2023 . . March 14, 2018 . ja.
  43. News: 米倉涼子と加藤浩次が「アベンジャーズ」新章を予想「みんなで農場で暮らす」 . April 25, 2023 . Natalie . April 11, 2019 . ja.
  44. Web site: 声優の大塚明夫さん、田中敦子さんらが映画『ブラック・ウィドウ』の日本語吹き替え版に出演決定! ブラック・ウィドウ役は女優の米倉涼子さんが続投!. February 15, 2021. Animate Times.
  45. News: 米倉涼子、ブラッド・ピット主演映画『ブレット・トレイン』吹替版に参戦 . April 25, 2023 . ORICON NEWS . August 16, 2022 . ja.