better known by the stage name , is a Japanese actress who started her career as a model in the year 2000. She has since become a leading actress in television and film.- - - The Japan Times has referred to Ayase as "the Japanese version of Anne Hathaway". In 2018, she was named the most beautiful face in Japan.
Career
2000–2004: Early career Ayase was invited by a friend to participate in the 25th Horipro Talent Scout Caravan. She was interested as "an excuse to not attend club activities", but had nothing prepared, so she did a rabbit imitation that was popular at school. She won the Special Jury Prize, and made her debut in the entertainment world in 2000.
Her stage name was taken from the internet, with Ayase and herself choosing it from 16,000 applicants; on February 28, 2001, it was decided as "Haruka Ayase".
In addition to photo collections and weekly magazines, her popularity as a gravure idol increased with appearances on local programs such as Cosmo Angel. Her pictorial activities decreased as she began to receive attention as an actress.
Ayase made her acting debut in 2001 in part 3 of Kindaichi Shōnen no Jikenbo starring Jun Matsumoto.
In 2003, she made her first regular appearance in the serial drama Boku no Ikiru Michi.
She was selected as a cast member of Socrates in Love in 2004, for which she won Best Supporting Actress at the 42nd Television Drama Academy Awards for her portrayal of Aki Hirose, a high schooler with leukemia. Ayase shaved her hair and changed her weight in order to match Masami Nagasawa's portrayal of the character in the film.
2005–2014: Singing debut ～ Yae's Sakura On March 24, 2006, Ayase made her debut as a singer with the single "Period", produced by Takeshi Kobayashi. The single debuted 8th on the Oricon charts.
In 2007, she starred in the television drama Hotaru no Hikari, an adaptation of the manga of the same name, with Naohito Fujiki. A sequel was broadcast in 2010, and the movie was released in 2012.
Ayase made her first appearance in an NHK taiga drama with Yae's Sakura, which focuses on Niijima Yae, a warrior, educator, scholar, and nurse of the late Edo period. In 2014, the series was nominated for the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series.
After completing this work, she considered retiring. However, she reconsidered her career and decided that "taiga drama is only a stepping stone."
2015–present: Our Little Sister ～ My Ex-Boyfriend's Last Will In 2015, Ayase starred in Hirokazu Kore-eda's film Our Little Sister alongside Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, and Suzu Hirose. The film premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. It was subsequently released in Japan on June 13, 2015 and premiered in London, England, on October 14, 2015, as part of the BFI London Film Festival.
In 2016, Ayase starred as Balsa, a spear wielder and bodyguard, in Guardian of the Spirit, an NHK taiga drama. The role involved stage combat. She starred in all three seasons of the drama.
In 2022, she made her "Monday 9" debut, starring in My Ex-Boyfriend's Last Will. This was her first Fuji TV serial drama since Shikaotoko Awoniyoshi around 14 years prior.
In September 2025, Ayase reunited with director Kore-eda for the science fiction film Sheep in the Box.
Personal life Haruka Ayase was born as Aya Tademaru on March 24, 1985, in Hiroshima Prefecture. Ayase has one elder brother. Her grandparents are survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Health While filming for Cyborg She, Ayase broke her nose.
On August 31, 2021, Ayase announced on Twitter and Instagram that she had contracted the COVID-19 Delta variant. Though she was originally recovering at home, she was hospitalized after symptoms of pneumonia. Legal troubles In 2006, Ayase was detained in New Zealand after being mistaken for a spy.
Around the spring of 2020, Ayase's personal office, a company managed by her mother, invested around in a scheme co-managed by a Hiroshima tax accountant who was a long-time acquaintance of the Ayase family. The scheme defaulted on repayments to Ayase's company in May 2021, and the accountant's son arranged for a full refund of the investment. The accountant and three others were arrested for investment law violations in November 2022. Other investors alleged that the accountant used his relationship with Ayase to solicit investments in the scheme.
Other ventures
Endorsements Ayase is a popular product spokesperson in Japan, appearing in commercials for major consumer brands such as Coca-Cola, SK-II, and KFC. She is also the main spokeswoman for Uniqlo and SK-II in Japan. Philanthropy In March 2011, she launched the awareness for raising about the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the subsequent Fukushima nuclear disaster and invited Japanese and international celebrities to add their videos for triple tragedy in Japan. Despite Fukushima crisis, she made a call to action to support the victims of triple disaster and to raise funds in the relief effort. In conjunction, she has also created her own website for the cause. Filmography Television YearTitleRoleNotes2001The Kindaichi Case FilesTomoko NinomiyaEpisode 7Cosmo AngelHaruka2002Kaze no Bon karaAki Sugimura2003Hontō ni Atta Kowai HanashiMisaki OnoseBoku no Ikiru MichiMegumi SugitaBlackjack ni YoroshikuRisako TsubakiOtoko YuMina MatsuuraTaikokiShinoTV movie 2004Kōfuku no ŌjiMayu MitsuishiTrue Horror StoriesChisato NakamuraKyokugensuiri ColosseumAmi ShinozakiFuyuzora ni Tsuki wa KagayakuHanako ImamiyaTV movie It Was Sudden, Like a Storm...Saho MakinoCrying Out Love in the Center of the WorldAki HiroseLead roleCharmingMichiru Majiba2005Red FateNaoko ShimazakiLead role; miniseries2006Satomi HakkendenHamajiTV movie HeroRiriko IzumitaniTV movie Journey Under the Midnight SunYukiho KarasawaLove of My LifeNao Tsukioka2007–2010Hotaru no Hikari: It's Only A Little Light In My LifeHotaru AmemiyaLead role; 2 seasons2008The Fantastic Deer-ManMichiko FujiwaraRookiesKyoko MikoshibaEpisode 8; cameo2009Kurobe no Taiyō Sachie TakiyamaTV movie Mr. BrainKazune Yuri2009–2011JinSaki Tachibana2 seasons2011AntarcticaMiyuki2013Yae's SakuraNiijima YaeLead role; Taiga drama2014I'm Taking the Day OffHanae AonishiLead role2016–2018Moribito: Guardian of the SpiritBalsaLead role; 3 seasons2016Never Let Me GoKyoko HoshinaLead role2017Caution, Hazardous WifeNami Isayama Lead role 2018Stepmom and Daughter Blues Akiko IwakiLead role 2019IdatenSuya HarunoTaiga drama2020Stepmom and Daughter Blues 2020 Happy New Year SpecialAkiko MiyamotoLead role; TV movie2021Anata no Soba de Ashita ga WarauAo MashiroLead role; TV movieHeaven and Hell: Soul ExchangeAyako MochizukiLead role2022Stepmom and Daughter Blues 2022 Happy New Year SpecialAkiko MiyamotoLead role; TV movieMy Ex-Boyfriend's Last WillReiko KenmochiLead role2024Stepmom and Daughter Blues Final (2024 Happy New Year Special)Akiko MiyamotoLead role; TV movie2025UnboundKurosuke Inari / narratorTaiga dramaI Want to Die AloneNarumi YamaguchiLead role
Film
YearTitleRoleNotes2002JusticeHoshiJam Films2004Sayuri TakakuraLead role2005New HorizonSayakoJam Films SSamurai Commando: Mission 1549Nōhime2006Taberuki shinaiNaoLead role2007HeroRiriko Izumitani2008Cyborg SheThe GirlfriendLead roleIchiIchiLead roleThe Magic HourNatsuko ShikamaHappy FlightEtsuko SaitōLead role2009Oppai VolleyballMikako TerashimaLead roleRookiesKyoko MikoshibaSpecial appearanceOblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic MirrorHaruka (voice)Lead role2010The Incite MillShoko Suwana2011Princess ToyotomiTadako Torii2012Hotaru The Movie: It's Only a Little Light in My LifeHotaru AmemiyaLead roleAkko's SecretAkkoLead roleDearestNaoko2013RealAtsumiLead role2014All-Round Appraiser Q: The Eyes of Mona LisaRiko RindaLead role2015Our Little SisterSachi KōdaLead roleGalaxy TurnpikeNoe2016The Kodai FamilyKie HiranoLead roleFueled: The Man They Called PirateYuki2017Honnōji HotelMayukoLead role2018Color Me TrueMiyuki Lead role2021Caution, Hazardous Wife: The MovieNami IsayamaLead role2022Yes, I Can't SwimShizuka Usuhara2023The Legend and ButterflyNōhimeRevolver LilyYuri OzoneLead role2024Route 29TomboLead role2026Sheep in the BoxOtone KomotoLead roleOne Last Love LetterNazuna TeradaLead roleFirst VoiceMichiko AsahiLead role
Japanese dub YearTitleRoleNotes2004The IncrediblesViolet Parr2018Incredibles 2Violet Parr2025The Wild RobotRoz Television documentary Haruka Ayase Listen to War Experience (TBS, 2010–present)
Others 47th Japan Record Awards (TBS, 2005), host Kōhaku Uta Gassen (NHK) 63rd (2012), a judge 64th (2013), the red team captain 66th (2015), the red team captain 70th (2019), the red team captain 76th (2025), a host
Discography Singles YearSingleChart positionAlbumTotal sales20068 28,22420068 18,688200723 10,352201020
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work(s) Result 2007The 31st Elan d'or AwardsNewcomer of the YearHerself2008The 21st Nikkan Sports Film AwardsBest ActressCyborg She, Ichi, Happy Flight2009The 18th Hashida AwardsBest NewcomerJinThe 52nd Blue Ribbon AwardsBest ActressOppai VolleyballThe 33rd Japan Academy Film PrizeBest Actress2015The 18th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand PrixBest ActressI'm Taking the Day OffThe 37th Yokohama Film FestivalBest ActressOur Little SisterThe 40th Hochi Film AwardsBest ActressThe 28th Nikkan Sports Film AwardsBest Actress2016The 58th Blue Ribbon AwardsBest ActressThe 70th Mainichi Film AwardsBest ActressThe 39th Japan Academy Film PrizeBest ActressThe 10th Asian Film AwardsBest ActressThe 41st Hochi Film AwardsBest ActressThe Kodai Family2019The 22nd Nikkan Sports Drama Grand PrixBest ActressStepmom and Daughter Blues2021The 24th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand PrixBest ActressHeaven and Hell: Soul ExchangeThe 14th Tokyo Drama AwardsBest Actress2023The 48th Hochi Film AwardsBest ActressThe Legend and Butterfly and Revolver Lily2024The 66th Blue Ribbon AwardsBest ActressRevolver LilyThe 47th Japan Academy Film PrizeBest Actress
Television Drama Academy Awards Year Season Category Nominated work Result 2004 SummerBest Supporting Actress Socrates in Love 2006 WinterBest Supporting Actress Journey Under the Midnight Sun 2009 FallBest Supporting Actress Jin 2010 SummerBest Actress Hotaru no Hikari: It's Only a Little Light In My Life 2011 SpringBest Supporting Actress Jin 2 2014 FallBest Actress I'm Taking the Day Off 2017 FallBest Actress Caution, Hazardous Wife
References
External links
Talent Agency official website Victor Entertainment official website