20 Underused Actors We Hope to See Break Out in 2017
By Amy Woolsey
Rila Fukushima in Arrow season 3, image courtesy of The CW
11. Rila Fukushima
Why you should know her: A native of Tokyo, Fukushima began her career as a fashion model, working with numerous high-profile international brands. So, she had already achieved a level of fame in Japan when director James Mangold tapped her for a central role in the blockbuster X-Men sequel/spin-off The Wolverine, her first feature-length movie gig.
You wouldn’t guess that she was an amateur, however, by watching her performance. Although her character, the psychic assassin Yukio, essentially plays sidekick to Hugh Jackman’s titular Wolverine/Logan, Fukushima steals the movie right out from under her more experienced and well-known costar. In addition to clearly having a blast during the stylish action scenes (she performed some of her own stunts), she exudes charisma, trading lively banter with Jackman and offering a more playful counterpart to his brooding gruffness. Unfortunately, 20th Century Fox doesn’t seem interested in having her in any other X-Men movies, despite the fact that she almost single-handedly made The Wolverine the franchise’s best installment.
Fukushima took on a similar role in season three of The CW’s Arrow, playing sword-wielding warrior Katana/Tatsu Yamashiro. In contrast to Yukio, Katana is mostly serious, saddled with an arc that involves both her son and husband dying. But Fukushima maintains her spark, especially when she gets to fight, and she handles the heavy emotions well. She even excelled in her one-scene appearance as a Red Priestess of Volantis on Game of Thrones.
Upcoming projects: She got cast in Ghost in the Shell, seemingly as a response to complaints of whitewashing. It comes out on March 31 this year.