Misa Uehara's brief acting career began unexpectedly due to the persistence of Akira Kurosawa, who directed her in her screen debut, The Hidden Fortress (1958). Kurosawa's vision was unconventional, as he sought a fresh, princess-like actress with the intensity of a samurai's daughter, rather than an experienced talent or a marquee name.
At the time, 20-year-old Uehara was studying at Bunka Women's Junior College in Nagoya, when she attended a screening of The Antarctic Continent (1957) at a local Toho-owned theater. A theater employee noticed her and alerted the manager, who contacted Toho's main office, eventually reaching Kurosawa.
When Uehara returned to Tokyo, she was summoned to the studio by Kurosawa's team, where she was impressed by his attention to detail, particularly with her makeup, which was modeled after a Noh mask. To prepare for the role, Uehara took equestrian classes and was coached by Eiko Miyoshi, who played her lady-in-waiting in the film.
Despite Kurosawa's reputation as a demanding director, Uehara had nothing but respect for him and enjoyed the experience of filming. Although she never worked with Kurosawa again, she went on to make eight more films at Toho, working under various reputable directors, including Hiroshi Inagaki, Shue Matsubayashi, and Kihachi Okamoto.
Misa Uehara's filmography includes The Three Treasures (1959) and Saga of the Vagabonds (1959),in which she played a princess, as well as Desperado Outpost (1959) under Okamoto's direction. She retired in the early 1960s.
Years later, Uehara reunited with Kurosawa, along with her The Hidden Fortress co-stars Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara, in a 1981 Fuji-TV program celebrating their movie. Even decades after her career ended, Uehara continued to express her gratitude and admiration for Kurosawa, cherishing the fond memories of making his film.
