Akiko Iwase, a talented individual, was born and raised in Tochigi, Japan. She embarked on a journey to the United States for higher education, graduating from the prestigious College of William and Mary in Virginia. Following her academic achievements, Akiko returned to her homeland and began her acting career in Tokyo, captivating audiences with her remarkable performances on stage, screen, and television.
In 2008, she took the initiative to found her own theater company, "Bion," where she not only acted but also wrote and produced numerous productions. The company has been actively producing one or two shows annually since its inception. Her exceptional talent was recognized in 2017 when she received the prestigious Best Actor and Best Script Writer awards at the Kamome One-Act Play Festival, a national competition in Japan.
Akiko made her international film debut in "The Forest" (2016),directed by Jason Zada, and later appeared in the Netflix movie "Earthquake Bird" (2019),alongside Oscar winner Alicia Vikander, and in "Minamata" (2020),directed by Andrew Levitas. Her red-carpet walk at the Berlin International Film Festival, alongside Johnny Depp, Bill Nighy, and Hiroyuki Sanada, was a testament to her growing international recognition. Additionally, she starred in the popular TV series "Tokyo Vice," playing the mother of a leading character, Sato, in both seasons.
As a writer, Akiko has penned numerous plays and TV dramas, including the popular Japanese detective series "Tokuso 9." Her screenwriting and film production debut occurred in 2021 with the mid-length film "Lunar Maria," followed by the feature film "A Matter of Sharing" (2023).
