Name: Youki Kudoh

Height: 5'4"

Date of Birth: 17 January , 1971

Birthplace: Kanagawa, Japan

Address: -

Discovered at the tender age of 12, her first film "The Crazy Family" was an instant classic and also jump started her music career. Eight years later she then was baptized as the native daughter of Japanese cinema after becoming the youngest actress in Japan to win the equivalent of the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Tadashi Imai's "War and Youth." Respectfully, she speaks very highly of her experience with working with the renown veteran director Imai, and after his passing she continued to visit him. While Kudoh was auditioning for the role of Hatsue Miyamoto in "Snow Falling on Cedars," she visited Imai for spiritual guidance and support which to her belief helped her later secure the much sought after starring role.