Asian Entertainment News & Celebrity Gossip

Rinko Kikuchi, who won an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of a sexually precocious schoolgirl in Babel, insists that Japanese actresses don’t have to look weak.

The 26-year-old, who was virtually unknown a year ago, said she grew up wondering why Japanese actresses rarely made it big overseas.

“But then, I’ve been told it’s because Japanese actresses look weak and diluted on celluloid — they’re often uncomfortable about coming on strong,” Kikuchi told the Japan Times. “I guess that’s true. After all, it’s part of our culture to value excessive modesty, right? But I’m more motivated.”

Kikuchi mastered sign language and bared all her body to play the role of Chieko in Babel, a deaf schoolgirl who is struggling to find an outlet for her sexual desire and cope with her mother’s suicide.

“I felt that if anyone could do this it was going to be me,” Kikuchi told the paper. “There’s just no other way to describe it. It had to be me.” [BrisbaneTimes]

Japanese gossip magazine Friday reports that Rinko Kikuchi, this year’s Oscar nominee for her Supporting Actress role in Babel, is living with Argentine-born actor Aletta Federico (26) in an apartment in Central Tokyo.

Federico’s “people” admitted that they have been together for more than a year and that he accompanied Kikuchi to last month’s Oscar ceremony. They got to know each other while working on a TV drama when Rinko wasn’t quite as famous as she is today.

Rinko is currently in Europe filming her next project. Aletta, meanwhile, speaks Japanese, English and Italian as well as his native Spanish. So between the two of them, they speak six languages, if you include sign language and, of course, the language of LUUUUVVV…. [Hoga]

Wanna see what kinda guy Rinko goes for…. you know the drill. Head on after the jump to catch a peek!

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Film censors in China have removed five minutes-worth of footage from the Oscar nominated film Babel after it was deemed “too sexually explicit” for Chinese audiences. Scenes involving a troubled Japanese teenager, played by Rinko Kikuchi, in which she removes her clothes in a bid to seduce an older man have been cut from the film.

That’s a good move. Honestly, it’ll make that story flow a bit better by going from a troubled deaf mute teenager hopping around Tokyo then immediately cut to her emotionally spent and standing naked on the balcony. Kinda like taking the iceberg part out of the Titanic - from smooth sailing then cut to a sinking ship. Why bother with such superfluous details…

The China Film Association often removes violent, sexually explicit or politically controversial scenes before they are screened to the public.

Bonehead Censors….
Trust me when DD tells you that Chinese people can handle sexually explicit material.
How does DD know this? 1.3 billion reasons… let me count the ways. 

Babel is a great film and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is a visionary director who deals with difficult issues. With that said, it’s time get your head out of the clouds people and join us here in the real world!

Basically a theater full of deaf people were invited to see the film. Only problem, there were no subtitles for the Japanese portion (the film is divided into three storylines in case you missed it).

The multicultural pic’s Japanese section centers on the struggles of a hearing-impaired girl, played by Rinko Kikuchi, to communicate. Several hearing-impaired actors appeared in the pic, though Kikuchi has normal hearing.

According to reports, nearly 500 hearing-impaired people participating in the film were invited to a preview screening in January in Tokyo but left disappointed that the Japanese-language scenes were not subtitled, making it hard for them to follow the story.

As Homer Simpson would so eloquently say… “D’Oh!”

So, kids, the lesson learned here is preach tolerance, sensitivity and acceptance then give a big (albeit unintended) finger to the people who made you look good in the first place.

So, Alejandro, when’s the viewing for the sight impaired?… [Variety]

Rinko Kikuchi missed out on an Oscar to Jennifer Hudson but did not fail to impress in Chanel on the red carpet. She’ll have a bright future in film and is currently signed on to perform in The Brothers Bloom alongside Oscar winners Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz.

To see more pics of Rinko, Click on “Read the Article”

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The New York Times recently featured some artsy fartsy, self-congratulatory portraits of today’s hottest Hollywood stars. Not just your everyday pretty faces but ones with legitimate acting chops as Tinseltown ramps up for its annual Oscar telecast later this month. Among them were Ken Watanabe from “Letters of Iwo Jima”, Maggie Cheung of “Clean” and Rinko Kikuchi from “Babel”.

[NYTimes]

It’s not enough that he has a family with Angelina Jolie, been named People’s Sexiest Man Alive twice, and is now receiving genuine critical success as an actor for “Babel” and as a producer for “The Departed”. No, to add insult upon injury, Brad Pitt has to be a nice guy too. Jerk.

According to the National Ledger:

Japanese actress, Rinko Kikuchi, credits her “Babel” cast mates, particularly Brad Pitt, for helping her through the storm of international attention that’s been coming her way since the feature debuted at the Cannes Film Festival.

It was at Cannes that she saw the completed film for the first time, met the rest of the actors for the first time and walked the red carpet for the first time: “Everything at the Cannes Film Festival was completely new.”

As the cameras flashed and the media called out, she says she kept saying, “What’s going on?” The rest of the “Babel” team looked after her, however, especially Pitt. “He was very concerned that Rinko didn’t know what to do. He’d take her hand and tell her, ‘Follow me,’ and very much had that kind attitude”, says a close source.

I swear, if he and Angelina win the Nobel Peace Prize for all their humanitarian efforts, I’m going to do something crazy like vote Republican in the next election. I’m not playing around here, folks!

You may love it, you may hate it; it could be over the top or too forward thinking. Whatever the case, you have to appreciate Rinko’s ability to push the envelope and think outside the box. Whether it’s a punk rock/ kimono theme or an elegant black dress, Rinko doesn’t follow conventional wisdom and at a time in Hollywood where everyone seems to be wearing the same thing or hiring the same fashion consultant, she’s a breath of fresh air.

Click on “Read the article” to see bigger versions of the below thumbnails.

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Rinko Kikuchi at the 2006 National Board of Review Awards Gala.

You are definitely going to see a lot more of Rinko in the next month as the Hollywood awards season gets into full swing culminating with the Oscars. Luckily, Rinko keeps looking better each time I see her. To be frank, the Dumpling didn’t think she was any great shakes at first but after her amazing performance in Babel and her refreshing image changes, I’m a fan. Plus her character in the movie doesn’t wear underwear. Who can’t get onboard with that! Besides I used to not like carrots either… these types of things grow on you, no?

Random remark: check out the seemingly out of place white portion above her shoes. Doesn’t it somehow remind you of something? Click on “Read the article” to see what the Dumpling means. Read the rest of this entry »

Rinko Kikuchi will be having a busy upcoming awards season in Hollywood and around the world. Her portrayal of a deaf teen in Babel has received universal critical acclaim … and now she’s reaping the benefits of being able to glam it up in front of the cameras with her ensemble cast which includes some frumpy looking guy named Mr. Jolie… I mean Brad Pitt.

Life is good, huh, Rinko?