Takako Fuji

Takako Fuji (藤 貴子) (born July 27, 1972) is a Japanese actress and seiyū with strong ties to theatre.

Biography
Fuji was born in Tokyo. She is a member of the Ein Theatrical Company, and studied acting at the Aoyama Gakuin University. Fuji usually works on-stage or does voice-overs, but occasionally also appears in films. Her most famous role to this date is that of Kayako Saeki, the vengeful ghost in the Ju-on series. She first played Kayako in the 1998 short movie Katasumi, part of the Gakkô no kaidan G collection. She then reprised her role in the straight-to-video film Ju-on and its sequel Ju-on 2. When director Takashi Shimizu decided to direct two additional installments for a broader theatrical release (Ju-on: The Grudge and Ju-on: The Grudge 2), Fuji played the character of Kayako twice more. When the films were subsequently remade for an American audience as The Grudge and The Grudge 2 Fuji played the role yet again. It has been confirmed that she did not play Kayako in The Grudge 3, the final Grudge film for America.

Fuji has since stated in interviews that she is a bit tired of the role and that sometimes it's hard for her to keep herself motivated, since she has played the role 7 times by now. Fuji has however admitted that she will continue playing the role of Kayako as long as director Takashi Shimizu desires to hire her again for the role. Fuji has also stated in other interviews that sometimes she pretends to be Kayako Saeki in front of her friends at parties. She has also confessed that she fully understands from where Kayako's anger derives.

Her specialty is dancing, modern ballet, and speaking English. She is also a well-trained contortionist, which helped her to play Kayako. She has been married once, to co-member of the Ein Theatrical Group Watanabe Joji, from January 2000 until October 2005.

Filmography
Katasumi (1998): 伽椰子 Kayako Saeki (née Kawamata) Ju-on The Curse 呪怨 (2000) Kayako 伽椰子 Kayako Saeki (née Kawamata) Ju-on 2 呪怨2 (2000) Kayako 伽椰子 Kayako Saeki (née Kawamata) Ju-on: The Grudge 呪怨 (2003) Kayako 伽椰子 Kayako Saeki (née Kawamata) Ju-on: The Grudge 2 呪怨2 (2003) 伽椰子 Kayako Saeki (née Kawamata) The iDol (2006): Rika Reincarnation (2005):one of the victims killed by the homicidal professor The Grudge (2004): Kayako Saeki The Grudge 2 (2006): Kayako Saeki Princess Mononoke (1997 in Japan): Iron Town Women