Masahiro Nakai
| Masahiro Nakai 中居 正広 |
|
|---|---|
| Born | August 18, 1972 |
| Origin | Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupations | Singer, actor, host |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Labels | Victor Entertainment |
| Associated acts | SMAP |
Masahiro Nakai (中居 正広 Nakai Masahiro) (born August 18, 1972) is a singer, actor and host for music events and variety shows such as the long-running music show Utaban. He is the leader of the Japanese idol group SMAP.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Nakai was born in Kugenuma, Fujisawa, Kanagawa as the youngest of three brothers. He is a big fan of baseball.[2] As a child, he wanted to be a professional baseball player.
[edit] Career
[edit] Music
In 1987, Nakai entered the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates at the age of 14. He is the second person after Noriyuki Higashiyama that was allowed to skip auditions and directly enter the agency as a trainee, thus becoming known as one of the elite in Johnny's.[3]
Fans have expressed that "Nakai’s inability to sing is somewhat of a national joke today in Japan".[4] Regardless of the his lack of ability, Nakai has found eventual major success with SMAP as the group went on to become one of the most successful boy bands in J-pop history.[5]
[edit] Acting
In 2007, Nakai was given his first movie role in nearly five years, portraying a humble barber wrongfully sentenced to death as a war criminal in the movie Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai (私は貝になりたい I Want to Be a Shellfish).[6][7]
In 2009, Nakai was given his first lead role in a drama that aired on Fuji TV's Monday 9:00 p.m. (JST) time slot in nearly eleven years.[8]
[edit] Hosting
[edit] Variety shows
In addition to co-hosting Utaban with Tunnels member Takaaki Ishibashi, he serves as a co-host on The! Sekai Gyōten News (ザ・世界仰天ニュース The World's Surprising News), in which he shows a display of black comedy. As the leader of SMAP, Nakai has the greatest TV exposure of the SMAP members insofar as variety shows go.[citation needed]
In 2003, partly due to his involvement in very popular variety shows, Nakai was identified as the highest tax payer of any entertainer in Japan by the Japanese National Tax Bureau.[9]
[edit] Music events
As of 2009, Nakai has co-hosted NHK's annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen six times. No other celebrity has hosted Kōhaku as many times as Nakai.[10]
[edit] Other ventures
[edit] Caster
Since 2006, Nakai has been the main newscaster for the Olympics coverage on TBS.[11]
[edit] Supporter
In 2007, Senichi Hoshino chose Nakai as the official "support captain" for Japan's Olympic baseball team.[2]
[edit] Filmography
| Drama | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Abunai Shōnen III | Masahiro Nakai | |
| 1991 | Gakkō e Ikō! | ||
| 1992 | Ude ni oboe ari | Yûnosuke Shibuya | TV series |
| 1995 | Aji Ichimonme | Satoru Ihashi | |
| Kagayaku Toki no Naka de | TV series | ||
| Kagayake! Rintaro | |||
| 1996 | Aji Ichimonme 2 | Satoru Ihashi | |
| Naniwa Kinyudo | Tatsuyuki Haibara | Lead role | |
| Dareka ga Dareka ni Koishiteru | Television special | ||
| Shōri no Megami | Lead role | ||
| Naniwa Kinyudo 2 | Tatsuyuki Haibara | Lead role | |
| 1997 | Aji Ichimonme SP | Satoru Ihashi | Lead role, Television special |
| Boku ga Boku de Aru Tame ni | Hayato Naruse | Television special | |
| Ii Hito | Guest appearance | ||
| Saigo no Koi | Toru Natsume | Lead role | |
| 1998 | Aji Ichimonme SP | Satoru Ihashi | Lead role, Television special |
| Naniwa Kinyudo 3 | Tatsuyuki Haibara | Lead role | |
| Brothers | Shinjin Fujiwara | Lead role | |
| 1999 | Good News | Lead role | |
| Naniwa Kinyudo 4 | Tatsuyuki Haibara | Lead role | |
| 2000 | Densetsu no Kyoshi | Kazami | Lead role |
| Naniwa Kinyudo 5 | Tatsuyuki Haibara | Lead role | |
| 2001 | Yonimo Kimyona Monogatari: Otona Juken | Lead role, one part of the SMAP Special Edition | |
| Shiroi Kage | Yosuke Naoe | Lead role | |
| 2003 | Shiroi Kage Special | Yosuke Naoe | Lead role, television special |
| 2004 | Suna no Utsuwa | Eiryo Waga | Lead role |
| Tora to lion to gonin no otoko | Nakai Masahiro | Co-starring | |
| 2005 | Naniwa Kinyudo 6 | Tatsuyuki Haibara | Lead role |
| 2009 | Konkatsu! | Kuniyuki Amamiya | Lead role |
| 2010 | SMAP Ganbarimasu!! 2010 - 10 Hours Super | Nakai Masahiro | Lead role, one part of the SMAP Special Edition |
| 2011 | Aji Ichimonme SP | Satoru Ihashi | Lead role, television special |
| Film | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Private Lessons 2 | ||
| 1994 | Shoot | Toshihiko Tanaka | |
| 1994 | 2nd cinema Jack Chan Kin , "something strange? Part2" | Corporate son | Co-starring |
| 2002 | Mohō Han | Itikawa Hiroshi | Lead role |
| 2008 | Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai | Toyomatsu Shimizu | Lead role |
| 2010 | Ototo | Guest appearance | |
[edit] Awards and nominations
| Year | Organization | Award | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 4th Television Drama Academy Awards | Best Actor | Aji Ichimonme | Won[12] |
| Best Newcomer | Won[12] | |||
| 1997 | 14th Television Drama Academy Awards | Best Actor | Saigo no Koi | Won[12] |
| 2003 | 7th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix | Best Actor | Suna no Utsuwa | Won[13] |
| 2004 | 40th Television Drama Academy Awards | Best Actor | Won[12] | |
| 2008 | 21st Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Actor | Watashi wa Kai ni Naritai | Won[14] |
| 2009 | TV Navi Spring 2009 Drama Awards | Best Actor | Konkatsu! | Won[12] |
[edit] References
- ^ "SMAP". Japan-Zone. http://www.japan-zone.com/modern/smap.shtml. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ a b "Nakai designated 'support captain' for Olympic baseball team". Tokyograph. 2007-03-21. http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-725. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ "POP! Goes the MatsuJun (or Lessons Learned from a Japanese Idol)". Asia Pacific Arts; University of California in Los Angeles. 2008-05-02. http://www.asiaarts.ucla.edu/080502/article.asp?parentID=91652. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ Darling-Wolf, Fabienne (2004). "SMAP, sex and masculinity: Constructing the perfect female fantasy in Japanese popular music". Popular Music and Society 27 (3): 358.
- ^ Lewis, Leo (2009-04-23). "Naked romp shames SMAP boy band star Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and puts media in spin". London: The Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6152338.ece. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ "Masahiro Nakai chosen for 'Shellfish' remake". Tokyograph. 2007-05-22. http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-1075. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ Schilling, Mark (2008-11-21). "Making a case for a 'war criminal'". The Japan Times. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ff20081121a3.html. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ "Nakai, Ueto co-star in Fuji TV's next Monday night drama". Tokyograph. 2009-02-17. http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-4429. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ "The Boy Bachelor". The Japan Times. 2003-05-25. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?fd20030525cs.htm. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ "Nakama, Nakai to host Kohaku again". Tokyograph. 2009-11-04. http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-5443. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ "Nakai chosen as Olympics caster, SMAP sings theme". Tokyograph. 2008-07-22. http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-3550. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ a b c d e "Drama Academy Awards". Tokyograph. http://www.tokyograph.com/info/Drama_Academy_Awards. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ "Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix". Tokyograph. http://www.tokyograph.com/info/Nikkan_Sports_Drama_Grand_Prix. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ "21st Nikkan Sports Film Awards". Tokyograph. 2008-12-04. http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-4129. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
[edit] External links
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