Kei Tanaka, a talented individual, was born on July 10, 1984, in Tokyo, Japan. His early life was marked by a passion for basketball, which he began playing in elementary school. In fact, he was so skilled that he seriously considered a career as a professional basketball player. However, an injury in his final year of middle school led him to reevaluate his options.
Undeterred, his mother encouraged him to pursue a different path, suggesting he audition for a film. This pivotal decision led to his being scouted by Tristone Entertainment Inc, his current agency in Japan.
Tanaka's first foray into the entertainment industry was through a Nintendo video game commercial for "Mario Party3" in 2000. He began his acting career with supporting roles in TV drama series, gradually gaining recognition and experience. In 2003, his role as the best friend of the leading character in the TV drama "Water Boys" drew attention to his talent.
Over the years, he continued to appear in supporting roles, as well as TV variety shows, honing his craft and building his reputation. In 2008, he landed his first leading role in the film "Kogoeru kagami," followed by a leading role in the TV drama "Kosodate Play" in 2009.
In 2011, Tanaka tied the knot with actress Sakura, whom he met on the set of the TV drama "Massugu na otoko." The couple welcomed their first daughter the same year. He continued to work as a supporting actor, but in 2016, he landed the leading role of Soichi Haruta in the single episode TV drama "Ossan's Love." This role would become a signature part of his career.
The success of "Ossan's Love" led to the creation of a TV series, which premiered in 2018 and became a massive hit. Tanaka continued to play Soichi Haruta in the film "Ossan's Love: Love or Dead" in 2019 and the second season of the TV series "Ossan's Love: in the sky" in 2019.
Today, Tanaka is a devoted father of two daughters and has seen his career flourish with more leading role offers. Recent examples include "It Is Your Turn" in 2019 and "Mellow" in 2020.
