Shinobu Ôtake

Shinobu Otake (大竹 しのぶ, Ōtake Shinobu, born 17 July 1957) is a highly acclaimed Japanese actress. Her career boasts several accolades, including three Japanese Academy Awards. She took home the 2000 Best Actress award for Railroad Man, and the 1979 awards for Best Actress for The Incident, and Best Supporting Actress for Seishoku no ishibumi. Furthermore, she was acknowledged as Best Actress at the 12th Hochi Film Award and at the 25th Moscow International Film Festival for her role in Owl. Despite exclusively cinematic recognitions, Otake's career is not limited by the silver screen as she has also demonstrated her acting prowess on stage. She regaled audiences during the last segment of Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony and later in 2021, by taking the lead role in a Japanese stage adaptation of The Doctor. She keeps her late career vibrant and diverse by participating in more modern mediums, like dubbing, including her voice roles in Inside Out and the 2012 representative for NTT DoCoMo's over-55s oriented smartphone, Raku-Raku. Her personal life reveals a story of strength and resilience. She married twice, first to Seiji Hattori who tragically passed away and later Akashiya Sanma, ending in divorce. She's also a proud mother to her two children, Nichika and Imalu.