Yuya Yagira

Yūya Yagira
柳楽 優弥
Yagira at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2022
Born (1990-03-26) March 26, 1990
Tokyo, Japan
OccupationActor
Years active2003–present
AgentStardust Promotion
Spouse
Ellie Toyota
​
​
(m. 2010)​
Children1

Yuya Yagira (柳楽 優弥, Yagira Yūya; born March 26, 1990) is a Japanese actor. In 2004, he became the youngest winner of the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor[1] for his portrayal of 12-year-old Akira in the highly acclaimed Nobody Knows.[2]

Career

Yagira was 12 years old and not a professional actor, when filming began for Nobody Knows in 2002.[3] He then immediately went on to television projects and other films. He co-starred with Eriko Sato in Akane Yamada's All to the Sea which was released in 2010[4] and co-starred with Kie Kitano in Taro Hyugaji's Under the Nagasaki Sky, released in 2013.[5]

In 2021, Yagira played young Takeshi Kitano in the biopic Asakusa Kid.

Personal life

Yagira was hospitalized on August 29, 2008 for a drug overdose, with early reports calling it a suicide attempt.[6][7] Yagira later denied that he had been trying to kill himself, noting that he was the one who called an ambulance after he began feeling ill from taking the pills.  According to his blog:

"The incident followed an argument with my family. In a fit of anger I took a larger than usual dosage of my prescription tranquilizers.
As a result I felt ill and asked for an ambulance to be called."[6]

— Japan Zone 1 September 2008

Marriage

In December 2, 2009, Yagira announced on his blog that he was engaged to television personality Ellie Toyota.[8] On January 15, 2010, Yagira and Toyota held their wedding ceremony at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine. They had registered their marriage on January 14.[9] They have one daughter together, born October 13, 2010.[10]

The two met when Toyota was a senior at Horikoshi High School, and Yagira, who was instantly smitten after meeting her, asked a classmate for her contact information, which is how the two began dating.[11] Yagira also revealed that he had proposed to her when he was seventeen.[12] He was not aware at that time that people could not legally marry until they were eighteen, and so Toyota rejected his proposal.[12] Yagira later proposed again two years later when he was nineteen, to which this time Toyota accepted.[13]

Brand endorsements

In 2018, Yagira became the brand ambassador for Japanese men's grooming brand GATSBY.[14] He starred in the TV Commercial "GATSBY Cop", together with popular Japanese actor Mackenyu Arata.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2004 Nobody Knows Fukushima Akira Lead role [15]
2016 Destruction Babies Ashihara Taira Lead role [16]
2021 Asakusa Kid Takeshi Kitano Lead role [17]
2022 The Fish Tale Hiyo [18]
2023 We're Millennials. Got a Problem? International Michigami Maribu [19]
2024 A Conviction of Marriage Natsume Arata Lead role [20]
2026 Ryuji Ryuji Lead role [21]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2010 Tokyo 23: Survival City Arai Noboru [22]
2011 Lady: The Last Criminal Profile Tatsumi Satoshi Episodes 4 and 5 [23]
2014 Aoi Honō Moyuru Honoo Lead role [24]
Nobunaga Concerto Oda Nubuyuki Episode 1 [25]
2015 Masshiro Nakano Kotaro [26]
Mare Ikehata Daisuke Asadora [27]
2017 Naotora: The Lady Warlord Ryun Maru Taiga drama [28]
2020 A Day-Off of Kasumi Arimura Takeda Kevin Episode 4 [29]
2021 Nigatsu no Shosha: Zettai Gokaku no Kyoshitsu Kuroki Kurodo [30]
2022–25 Gannibal Agawa Daigo Lead role; 2 seasons [31]
2024 Light of My Lion Komori Hiroto Lead role [32]
2026 Sins of Kujo Taiza Kujo Lead role [33]

Accolades

Awards and nominations Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award Year Category Work(s) Result Ref.
Cannes Film Festival 2004 Best Actor Nobody Knows Won [34]
Kinema Junpo Award 2004 Best New Actor Nobody Knows Won
2017 Best Actor Destruction Babies Won
Yokohama Film Festival 2005 Best New Actor Nobody Knows Won [35]
2017 Best Actor Destruction Babies Won [36]
Elan d'or Awards 2022 Newcomer of the Year Himself Won [37]
Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards 2023 Best Lead Actor Gannibal Nominated [38]
Asian Excellence Award Gannibal Won [39]

References

  1. ^ "Japanese teenager wins best actor award at Cannes". The Japan Times. 24 May 2004.
  2. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (5 November 2004). "Nobody Knows - Reviews - guardian.co.uk". The Guardian.
  3. ^ King, Susan (9 February 2005). "Hidden neglect brought to light". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-06-02.
  4. ^ Schilling, Mark (22 January 2010). "Subete wa Umi ni Naru". The Japan Times.
  5. ^ Young, Deborah (23 June 2013). "Under the Nagasaki Sky (Nagasaki no sora): Shanghai Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ^ a b "Yagira Yuya Denies Suicide Attempt". Japan Zone - Entertainment. Japan Zone. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  7. ^ "Yuuya Yagira Denies Alleged Suicide Attempt Reports". Anime News Network. 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  8. ^ "柳楽優弥＆豊田エリー、ブログで揃って婚約発表" [Yuya Yagira & Ellie Toyota announce their engagement together on their blogs]. ORICON NEWS. 2018-02-17. Archived from the original on 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  9. ^ "Yagira Yuya, Ellie Toyota Wed". Japan Zone - Entertainment News. Japan Zone. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  10. ^ Di Placido, Dani. "Yuya Yagira Talks Gut-Churning Series 'Gannibal'". Forbes. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  11. ^ "豊田エリー＆柳楽優弥、「バレれば謹慎」禁断の校内恋愛を赤裸々告白 - スポニチ Sponichi Annex 芸能" [Ellie Toyota and Yuya Yagira reveal their forbidden school romance, saying they would be suspended if they were found out]. スポニチ Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-12-22. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  12. ^ a b "柳楽優弥、１７歳でプロポーズしていた/デイリースポーツ online" [Yuya Yagira proposed at age 17]. デイリースポーツ online (in Japanese). 2025-01-25. Archived from the original on 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  13. ^ "柳楽優弥、妻・豊田エリーへ最初のプロポーズに「まさかつまずくとは…」 夫婦生活にクレームも？ - モデルプレス" [Yuya Yagira on his first proposal to wife Ellie Toyota: "I never thought it would end in a stumble..." Are there complaints about their married life?]. Modelpress (in Japanese). 2016-05-27. Archived from the original on 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2025-01-24.
  14. ^ "GATSBY's Campaign Video & CM Wins Prizes in Three Categories at ADFEST 2019" (PDF). Mandom Corporation Japan. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  15. ^ "誰も知らない". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  16. ^ "ディストラクション・ベイビーズ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  17. ^ "大泉洋＆柳楽優弥が共演 劇団ひとり監督脚本のNetflix映画『浅草キッド』". Cinra.net. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  18. ^ "さかなのこ". eiga.com. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  19. ^ "「ゆとりですがなにか」まさかの映画化！ 岡田将生×松坂桃李×柳楽優弥、再結集". eiga.com. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  20. ^ "夏目アラタの結婚". eiga.com. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  21. ^ "Ryuji 竜二". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  22. ^ ミッドナイト☆ドラマ「TOKYO23 ～サバイバルシティ」｜WOWOWオンライン (in Japanese). WOWOW INC. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  23. ^ "Episode 5 on Official website" (in Japanese). Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  24. ^ "College Life Manga Aoi Honō Gets Live-Action Show". Anime News Network. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  25. ^ 「信長協奏曲」に藤木直人、濱田岳、夏帆、柳楽優弥ら 総勢11名の豪華キャスト発表! (in Japanese). IID Inc. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  26. ^ "Masshiro Official website" (in Japanese). Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  27. ^ "Mare Official website" (in Japanese). NHK. Archived from the original on 2015-05-10. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  28. ^ "おんな城主直虎". Haiyaku Jiten (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  29. ^ "有村架純の妄想のオフを"のぞき見"『撮休』ドラマ場面カット解禁". Crank-in!. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  30. ^ "Pay to Ace". Nippon TV. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  31. ^ "柳楽優弥と「岬の兄妹」の片山慎三がタッグ、「ガンニバル」ディズニープラスでドラマ化". Natalie. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  32. ^ "ライオンの隠れ家の出演者・キャスト一覧". The Television (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  33. ^ "柳楽優弥主演のNetflixシリーズ「九条の大罪」26年春配信 共演に松村北斗、池田エライザ、町田啓太ら". eiga.com (in Japanese). 20 October 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  34. ^ "Retrospective". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  35. ^ "第26回ヨコハマ映画祭: 日本映画個人賞" (in Japanese). Yokohama Film Festival homepage. Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2009-02-06.
  36. ^ "第38回ヨコハマ映画祭 2016年日本映画個人賞". Yokohama Film Festival (in Japanese). Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  37. ^ "山田裕貴・川口春奈・広瀬アリスらが新人賞「2022年 エランドール賞」発表＜受賞一覧＞". modelpress. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  38. ^ "[BIFF Press Release] Nominees for the 2023 Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards!". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  39. ^ "[BIFF Press Release] Announcing the Winners of the 2023 Asia Contents Awards & Global OTT Awards!". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.