Sara Minami

Sara Minami
南 沙良
Born (2002-06-11) June 11, 2002 (age 23)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
Years active2014–present
HometownTokyo
AgentLesPros Entertainment
Height160 cm (5 ft 3 in)

Sara Minami (南 沙良, Minami Sara; born June 11, 2002) is a Japanese actress and model under LesPros Entertainment.

She won the 18th Nicola Model Audition Grand Prix. She is a former exclusive model for the fashion magazine Nicola.[1][2]

Career

In 2014, she won the 18th Nicola Model Audition Grand Prix. In October of the same year, she became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine nicola.[2]

In 2017, she made her debut as an actress in the movie Dear Etranger.[3] She was nominated for the 60th Blue Ribbon Awards for Newcomers for her appearance in the film, but missed her award.[4] In the same year, she starred in the music video for Rebecca's new song, Koini Ochitara.[5]

In 2018, she made her movie debut starring in the movie Shino Can't Say Her Name.[6] She played the role of a high school girl with stuttering,[7] and showed impressing acting in the scene where she cried lamenting with a runny nose.[4] Her performance in the film was rated highly, and along with double-starring Aju Makita, the two were awarded the 43rd Hochi Film Award for Best Newcomer[8] and the 33rd Takasaki Film Festival Best New Actress Award.[9] Additionally, Minami was awarded the 61st Blue Ribbon Award[4][7] and 28th Japanese Movie Critics Award for New Actress.[10] In September, she was appointed as the new image character for Pocky and made her first appearance in the commercials.[11]

In 2019, she made her first appearance in a TV drama in Cocoa broadcast by Fuji TV on January 4, 2019.[12] In March of the same year, she ended her contract as an exclusive model for nicola.[2] She challenged jidaigeki historical drama for the first time in Iwane: Sword of Serenity released in May of the same year.[13]

In 2021, she starred in the TV drama series Dragon Zakura broadcast on TBS.[14][15]

In 2022, she acted in the NHK taiga drama The 13 Lords of the Shogun as Ohime, the daughter of Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hōjō Masako.[16] She also played the main character in the horror movie The Good Father.[17]

In 2023, she played the main character Sawako Kuronuma in the TV Tokyo adaptation of Kimi ni Todoke.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Dear Etranger Kaoru Tanaka [19]
2018 Shino Can't Say Her Name Shino Ōshima Lead role [6]
Mugen Foundation Mirai [20]
2019 21st Century Girl Anthology film [21]
Iwane: Sword of Serenity Iyo Sakazaki [13]
2020 Momi's House Ayaka Honda Lead role [22]
2021 The Sun Stands Still Shiori Kikuchi [23]
Zokki Kyōko Matsubara [24]
Ride or Die Young Rei Nagasawa [25]
2022 The Good Father Hana Kubo Lead role [17]
To Be Killed by a High School Girl Maho Sasaki [26]
2025 Love Doesn't Matter to Me Hiiro Miyata Lead role [27]
Echoes of Motherhood [28]
2026 All Greens Hidemi Boku Lead role [29]
Mag Mag Sanae Lead role [30]
Road to Vendetta Kumo Hong Kong-Japanese film [31]
Magical Secret Tour Mayu [32]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2021 Dragon Sakura 2 Nao Hayase [14]
2022 The 13 Lords of the Shogun Ōhime Taiga drama [16]
2023 Kimi ni Todoke Sawako Kuronuma Lead role [18]
Themis's Law School Classroom Yukino Terui [33]
2024 Dear Radiance Daini no Sanmi Taiga drama [34]

Japanese dub

Year Title Role Dub for Notes Ref.
2023 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Doric Sophia Lillis [35]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work(s) Result Ref.
2018 43rd Hochi Film Awards Best New Artist Shino Can't Say Her Name Won [36]
2019 61st Blue Ribbon Awards Best Newcomer Won [37]

References

  1. ^ "南沙良、秋田汐梨らニコモ7人が涙の卒業式「本当にありがとうございました!」". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 28 March 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  2. ^ a b c "Sara Minami", nicolanet. Shinchousha. Archived from the original from May 2, 2018.
  3. ^ "『nicola』モデル・南沙良、女優デビュー 映画『幼な子われらに生まれ』異例抜てき". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 5 February 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  4. ^ a b c "新人賞の南沙良、特技は号泣?「普段からよく泣きます」/ブルーリボン賞". SANSPO.COM(サンスポ) (in Japanese). 2019-01-21. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  5. ^ "レベッカ17年ぶりの新曲MV主演に、15歳の新人女優・南沙良が大抜擢 | ニュース | Deview-デビュー". Deview (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  6. ^ a b "押見修造の実体験漫画が映画化決定!南沙良&蒔田彩珠W主演で18年7月公開: 映画ニュース". 映画.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  7. ^ a b "南沙良 新人賞「普段から凄く泣くんです」、難役を好演". Sponichi Annex. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  8. ^ "表彰-報知映画賞". Hochi Shimbunsha (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  9. ^ "第33回高崎映画祭受賞者発表". Takasaki Shimbun (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  10. ^ "日本映画批評家大賞 第28回受賞作品". Japanese Movie Critics Award (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  11. ^ "南沙良、ポッキーの新イメージキャラクターに抜てき CM初出演に「すごく緊張…」". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 26 September 2019. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  12. ^ "南沙良、第30回フジテレビヤングシナリオ大賞「ココア」でドラマデビュー! : 映画ニュース". Eiga News (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  13. ^ a b "南沙良:ポッキーCMで話題の16歳美少女が時代劇初挑戦 「居眠り磐音」で松坂桃李の妹役". MANTANWEB(まんたんウェブ) (in Japanese). 28 November 2018. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  14. ^ a b "南沙良「ドラゴン桜」生徒役 一番"普通"で一番難しい役 ブレーク必至の登竜門/デイリースポーツ online". Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  15. ^ "『ドラゴン桜』令和版"東大クラス"キャスト第1弾発表 "イマドキ女子役"南沙良、民放連ドラ初出演". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  16. ^ a b "【鎌倉殿の13人】南沙良、大河ドラマ初出演「不安よりも期待の方が大きくなっています」". ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 17 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
  17. ^ a b "お母さんじゃない…南沙良主演「この子は邪悪」公開、大西流星や桜井ユキ、玉木宏も参加". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  18. ^ a b "『君に届け』、南沙良×鈴鹿央士で実写ドラマ化 Netflixとテレビ東京が共同制作". Crank-in! (in Japanese). 7 September 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  19. ^ "幼な子われらに生まれ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  20. ^ "無限ファンデーション". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  21. ^ "21世紀の女の子". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  22. ^ "もみの家". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  23. ^ "太陽は動かない". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  24. ^ "ゾッキ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  25. ^ Lee, Maggie (2021-04-15). "'Ride or Die' Review: Miles Ahead of Japan's Stereotypical LGBTQ Films". Variety. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  26. ^ "田中圭主演『女子高生に殺されたい』に南沙良、細田佳央太ら出演 ティザービジュアルも". Real Sound (in Japanese). 12 January 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  27. ^ "愛されなくても別に". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 7 March 2025.
  28. ^ "Echoes of Motherhood". Tokyo International Film Festival. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  29. ^ "万事快調 オール・グリーンズ". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  30. ^ "MAG MAG". Hawaiʻi International Film Festival. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  31. ^ "南沙良が香港映画のヒロイン役に! 本格アクション挑戦、竹中直人・斎藤工らも参加". Natalie (in Japanese). 22 August 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  32. ^ "マジカル・シークレット・ツアー". eiga.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  33. ^ "北川景子主演「女神の教室」に南沙良、高橋文哉、前田旺志郎、前田拳太郎、河村花". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  34. ^ "「光る君へ」に南沙良、泉里香、片岡千之助が出演 伊藤健太郎はオリジナルキャラに". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  35. ^ "南沙良、『ダンジョンズ&ドラゴンズ』で吹き替え初挑戦 自然の化身・ドリック役に". Real Sound (in Japanese). 19 January 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  36. ^ "【報知映画賞】新人賞に16歳コンビの南沙良&蒔田彩珠がダブル受賞". Sports Hochi (in Japanese). 28 November 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  37. ^ "南沙良がブルーリボン賞新人賞に輝き「不思議な気持ち」、私生活での変化も明かす". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved February 25, 2022.