, known as , is a Japanese television personality and actress, and former singer and model.

Career

Ehara was scouted in

Harajuku is a district in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Harajuku is the common name given to a geographic area spreading from Harajuku Station to Omotesando, corresponding on official maps of Shibuya ward as Jingūmae 1 chōme to 4 chōme. In popular refer ...

and began working as a model. She began a career as a singer under her birth name, releasing her first single "Chotto Dake" in 1985. In 1988, she was invited by Shi-Shonen bassist Seiji Toda to form their own band called

Fairchild Fairchild may refer to: Organizations * Fairchild Aerial Surveys, operated in cooperation with a subsidiary of Fairey Aviation Company * Fairchild Camera and Instrument * List of Sherman Fairchild companies, "Fairchild" companies * Fairchild Fash ...

. Taking on the stage name You, she served as vocalist and songwriter. In 1990, You secured a regular spot on the comedy duo

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...

's weekly Thursday night radio show '' MBS Youngtown''. She next accepted a regular role on Downtown's television show ''

Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji {{nihongo, ''Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji'', ダウンタウンのごっつええ感じ, , roughly "Downtown's Feeling Real Good", was a Japanese variety show. It premiered on December 8, 1991 and ended its run on November 2, 1997. It aired on Fuj ...

''. With the shift in her career focus from singing to television, the band Fairchild broke up in 1993. While continuing as a regular on various television and radio shows, she has authored two books, appeared in a number of films, and is a regular contributor (and occasional cover girl) for the fashion magazine '' In Red''. She was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2005

Japanese Academy Awards The , often called the Japan Academy Prize, the Japan Academy Awards, and the Japanese Academy Awards, is a series of awards given annually since 1978 by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association (日本アカデミー賞協会, ''Nippon Akademii- ...

for her performance as the absent mother in ''

Nobody Knows Nobody Knows may refer to: Film and television Film * ''Nobody Knows'' (1920 film), a German silent drama film * ''Nobody Knows'' (1970 film), a South Korean film * ''Nobody Knows'' (2004 film), a Japanese film Television * ''Nobody Knows'' (TV ...

''. You has been a studio commentator for the reality television series ''

Terrace House In architecture and city planning, a terrace or terraced house ( UK) or townhouse ( US) is a form of medium-density housing that originated in Europe in the 16th century, whereby a row of attached dwellings share side walls. In the United State ...

'' since its inception in 2012. Since October 2016, You and her fellow ''Terrace House'' commentator

Ryota Yamasato , also known as , is a Japanese comedian and television and radio personality. He rose to fame in the 2000s as one half of the ''manzai'' comedy duo The Nankai Candies. Outside Japan he is best known as one of the commentators on the reality te ...

have co-hosted the puppet show ''Nehorin Pahorin'' on

NHK Educational TV , abbreviated on-screen as NHK E, is the second television service of NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). It is a sister service of NHK General TV, showing programs of a more educational, cultural or intellectual nature, periodically also sh ...

. They each voice mole puppets who co-interview the non-famous guest represented by a pig puppet. The anonymity afforded via the puppets and voice modulation allows the guests to talk candidly about topics not usually covered on mainstream TV, such as

idol Idol or Idols may refer to: Religion and philosophy * Cult image, a neutral term for a man-made object that is worshipped or venerated for the deity, spirit or demon that it embodies or represents * Murti, a point of focus for devotion or medit ...

otaku is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers. Its contemporary use originated with a 1983 essay by Akio Nakamori in ''Manga Burikko''. may be used as a pejorativ ...

host club A hostess club is a type of night club found primarily in Japan. They employ primarily female staff and cater to men seeking drinks and attentive conversation. The modern host club is a similar type of establishment where primarily male staff atte ...

addiction. You recently featured in the French-Japanese film ''Umami'', directed by Slony Sow, and starring

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 alm ...

, production of which took place in

Hokkaido, Japan is Japan's second largest island and comprises the largest and northernmost prefecture, making up its own region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō from Honshu; the two islands are connected by the undersea railway Seikan Tunnel. The la ...

and Saumur, France.

Personal life

You was married to Tetsuka Minoru, guitarist of the rock band

The Privates ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

, from 1991 until getting divorced in January 1997. That same year, she married actor

Shunsuke Matsuoka Shunsuke (written: , , , , , , , , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese volleyball player *, Japanese actor, talent and fashion model *, Japanese baseball player *, Ja ...

in July and gave birth to their son in November. You and Matsuoka divorced in 2005.

Selected filmography

Television

* ''

'' (1991–1997) * ''

Kisarazu Cat's Eye is a Japanese comedy television show and movie series. To date, there have been two Kisarazu Cat's Eye movies: ''Kisarazu Cat's Eye Nihon Series'' (2003) and ''Kisarazu Cat's Eye World Series'' (2006). Synopsis The story follows a 21-year-old y ...

'' (2002) * ''Manhattan Love Story'' (2003) * ''

Oh! My Girl!! is a Japanese television series which premiered on NTV on October 14, 2008. Main cast * Mokomichi Hayami as Kotaro Yamashita, a part-timer publisher and is aspiring to become a mobile phone novelist. He is the younger brother of Hinako, and is ...

'' (2008) * ''

Second Virgin is a Japanese television drama series that aired on NHK in 2010. Cast * Kyōka Suzuki as Rui Nakamura * Kyoko Fukada as Marie Suzuki * Hiroki Hasegawa as Kō Suzuki * You as Akiko * Gō Ayano is a Japanese actor. Career Ayano was feature ...

'' (2010), Akiko * ''Hakken! Gyōten!! Puremia Mon!!! Doyō wa Dameyo!'' (2013–present) * '' Going My Home'' (2012), Takiko Ito * '' Terrace House: Boys × Girls Next Door'' (2012–2014), * '' Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City'' (2015–2016) * ''EXD44'' (2016–present) * ''Nehorin Pahorin'' (2016–present) * '' Terrace House: Aloha State'' (2016–2017) * ''7Rules'' (2017–present) * '' Terrace House: Opening New Doors'' (2017–2019) * '' Terrace House: Tokyo 2019–2020'' (2019–2020) * ''

The Way of the Househusband is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kousuke Oono. Published in the online manga magazine ''Bunch'' since 2018, ''The Way of the Househusband'' follows an ex-yakuza member who retires from crime to become a househusband. T ...

'' (2020), Miku's Mother * ''

Come Come Everybody is a Japanese television drama series and the 105th NHK Asadora series, following Okaeri Mone. It premiered on November 1, 2021 and concluded on April 8, 2022. The story is about 100 years-old family, three generations, Yasuko (grandmother), Rui ...

'' (2021), Midori Kijima

Film

* ''

'' (2004), Keiko Fukushima * ''

Be with You Be with You may refer to: Film and TV * ''Be with You'' (2004 film), a Japanese romantic fantasy film * ''Be with You'' (2018 film), a South Korean film * ''Be with You'' (TV series), a 2015 Taiwanese television series Music * ''Be with You'' ...

'' (2004), Yuji's Teacher * ''

The Uchōten Hotel (also known as ''Suite Dreams'', ''Wow-Choten Hotel'' or ''Suite Hotel'') is a 2006 Japanese comedy film, written and directed by director Kōki Mitani. The film is set in a five star Tokyo hotel on New Year's Eve, and follows the misadventures ...

'' (2006), Sakura Cherry * ''

GeGeGe no Kitarō , originally known as , is a Japanese manga series created in 1960 by Shigeru Mizuki. It is best known for its popularization of the folklore creatures known as ''yōkai'', a class of spirit-monster which all of the main characters ...

'' (2007), Rokurokubi * '' Still Walking'' (2008), Chinami Kataoka * ''

Boys on the Run is a Japanese manga series by Kengo Hanazawa. It was adapted into a live action film in 2010 and a drama in 2012. Plot A 29-year-old lonesome salesman falls in love with an attractive woman from work but he has a rival that ends up being wi ...

'' (2010), Shiho * '' Friends: Mononoke Shima no Naki'' (2011) * ''

R100 His Majesty's Airship R100 was a privately designed and built British rigid airship made as part of a two-ship competition to develop a commercial airship service for use on British Empire routes as part of the Imperial Airship Scheme. The ot ...

'' (2013), Setsuko Katayama * '' Terrace House: Closing Door'' (2015) * ''Her Sketchbook'' (2017), Mika Konuma * '' You, Your, Yours'' (2018), Hoshino *''Umami'' (2021), Noriko

Discography

Albums

* ''Birthday'' (1985) * * ''Cachemire'' (1994) *

Bibliography

* * * * * * *

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:You 1964 births Living people 20th-century Japanese actresses 20th-century Japanese women singers 20th-century Japanese singers 21st-century Japanese actresses 21st-century Japanese women singers 21st-century Japanese singers Japanese women pop singers Japanese television personalities Japanese female models People from Koganei, Tokyo Actresses from Tokyo Singers from Tokyo Japanese film actresses Japanese television actresses