was a Japanese actress who was active primarily in the 1950s. Early life and education Kyō, an only child, was born in Osaka in 1924. Her father left when she was five years old, and she was raised by her mother and grandmother. She adopted Machiko Kyō as her stage name when she entered the Osaka Shochiku Kagekidan in 1936 at age 12. She trained as a revue dancer before entering the film industry through Daiei Film in 1949. Two years later, she achieved international fame as the female lead in Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon, which won first prize at the Venice Film Festival and stunned audiences with its nonlinear narrative. Career Kyō starred in many more Japanese productions, including Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu (1953), Teinosuke Kinugasa's Gate of Hell (1953), Kon Ichikawa's Odd Obsession (1959), and Yasujirō Ozu's Floating Weeds (1959). Her sole role in a non-Japanese film was as Lotus Blossom, the young geisha in The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) opposite Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Kyō continued to act through her 80s. Her final role was as Matsuura Shino in the NHK television drama series Haregi Koko Ichiban in 2000. In 2017, she was presented with an award of merit at the 40th Japanese Academy Awards. After retiring from film, she moved back to Osaka, where she resided until her death. Personal life Kyō never married, although her romantic relationship with Daiei Film's president Masaichi Nagata was well-publicized in Japan. Kyō died from heart failure on May 12, 2019. She was 95. Selected filmography Films Hana kurabe tanuki-goten (1949) - Aiai, witch Chijin no ai (1949) - Naomi Harukanari haha no kuni (1950) - Mari, daughter Fukkatsu (1950) - Yukiko Ohara Rashomon (1950) - Masako Kanazawa Hi no tori (1950) Itsuwareru seiso (1950) - Kimicho Koi no Oranda-zaka (1951) - Chigusa Jiyû gakkô (1951) - Yuri Joen no hatoba (1951) Mesu inu (1951) - Emmy Genji monogatari (1951) - Awaji no ue Bakurô ichidai (1951) - Yuki Asakusa kurenaidan (1952) - Ryûko Beni Daibutsu kaigen (1952) - Mayame Nagasaki No Uta Wa Wasureji (1952) - Okumura, Ayako Taki no Shiraito (1952) - Taki no Shiraito Bijo to touzoku (1952) - Sakin Kanojo no tokudane (1952) Ugetsu (1953) - Lady Wakasa Older Brother, Younger Sister (1953) - Mon Gate of Hell (1953) - Kesa Aru onna (1954) - Yoko