Noriyuki Higashiyama (東山 紀之, Higashiyama Noriyuki, born September 30, 1966 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan) is a Japanese businessman and former singer, actor, and member of the idol group Shonentai. He is married to actress Yoshino Kimura.[1]
Noriyuki Higashiyama | |
|---|---|
東山 紀之 | |
| Born | September 30, 1966 Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actor |
| Years active | 1979–2023 |
| Spouse | |
| Musical career | |
| Also known as | Higashiyama-san |
| Genres | J-pop |
| Labels | Johnny & Associates |
| Formerly of | Shonentai |
| Website | Johnnys net |
In September 2023 Higashiyama became the chief executive of Johnny & Associates following the sexual abuse scandal involving late company founder Johnny Kitagawa.[2]
Career
Higashiyama performed for the last time as an entertainer on December 26, 2023. The show, 東山紀之 DINNER SHOW, which had last taken place in 2002, was held in Osaka and Tokyo, for the 2023 edition. Surrounded by excited voices, applause and audience singing, Higashiyama sung a total of 24 songs, which included songs from his time as a member of Shonentai, while in the background, nostalgic images from several moments of his artistic life, as well as a sort of an end roll with a record of his performances until then, ended with a thank you message.[3]
Higashiyama appeared in what is considered his last acting performance on television in 2023, on TV Asahi's historical drama Hissatsu series, which he took over in 2007 as main protagonist. The series' special drama Hissatsu Shigotonin, aired on 29 December 2023.[4]
Filmography
Film
- Love Forever (1983)
- Aitsu to Lullaby (1983) – Hiroshi Machida
- Nineteen (1987) – East
- Maji! (1991) – Motoki Shirogane
- Tengoku no Taizai (1992) – Detective Aoki
- Makoto (2005) – Makoto Shirakawa
- Yamazakura (2008) – Yaichirō Tezuka
- Ogawa no Hotori (2011) – Sakunosuke Inui
- Genji Monogatari: Sennen no Nazo (2011) – Fujiwara no Michinaga
- Eight Ranger (2012) – Terrorist group leader
- Trick The Movie: Last Stage (2014) – Shinichi Kagami
- Eight Ranger 2 (2014) – Terrorist group leader
- Laughing Under the Clouds (2018) – Iwakura Tomomi
- Perfect Strangers (2021)
Television
- Great Magistrate: Tōyama no Kin-san (1988–1992) – Mizuki Shingo
- The Tale of Genji, Volume 1 (1991) – Hikaru Genji
- Ryūkyū no Kaze (1993) – Keitai
- Genroku Ryōran (1999) – Asano Naganori
- Morimura Seiichi no Munesue Keiji (2005–2019) – Kōichirō Munesue
- Kuitan (2006–2007) – Seiya Takano
- Hissatsu Shigotonin (2007–2019) – Kogoro Watanabe
- The Partner (2013) – Sakitarō Asaba
- Ōoka Echizen (2013–2019) – Ōoka Tadasuke aka Ōoka Echizen
- Keiji 7-Nin (2015–present) – Yū Amagi
- Hana Moyu (2015) – Kido Takayoshi
- Yokokuhan: The Pain (2015) – Eiji Sakuma
- Nobunaga Moyu (2016) – Oda Nobunaga
Dubbing
Live-action
- We Bought a Zoo – Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon)[5]
Animation
- Brother Bear – Kenai[6]
Stage
| Title | Year | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okita Sōji | 1988 | Okita Sōji | |
| Barcelona Monogatari | 1991 | Rafael Taranto | |
| Gari | 1993 | Okada | |
| Singin' in the Rain | 1996 | Don Lockwood | |
| Millennium Shock | 2000 | Kōichi's deceased brother / Ghost | |
| Romeo and Juliet | 2004 | Romeo | [7] |
| Farewell My Concubine | 2008 | Cheng Dieyi | [8] |
| Madame de Sade / My Friend Hitler | 2011 | Renée, the Marquis de Sade / Ernst Röhm | [9] |
| The King's Speech | 2012 | Bertie (George VI) | [10] |
| Frankenstein | 2013 | Dr. Frankenstein / The creature | [11] |
| Joan d'Arc | 2014 | Charles VII of France | [12] |
| Dorobou Yakusha | 2018 | Maezono | [13] |
