Youki Kudoh was born January 17, 1971. She is a Japanese actress and singer. She won the award for best newcomer at the 6th Yokohama Film Festival for The Crazy Family. She also won the award for best actress at the 16th Hochi Film Award for War and Youth. She is also played the role Pumpkin, in Memoirs of a Geisha, which is one of the most famous Asian film. Kudoh has spoken both about feminism and breaking free from Japan’s male-dominated culture and simultaneously pleaded in favour of distinct Japanese values and aesthetics in film and culture.