Rio Suzuki

Rio Suzuki was born in Saitama Prefecture in 2005 and is the youngest of two sisters.

Her family also includes her parents and a beloved toy poodle named Kira.

Her mother, inspired by figure skating legend Mao Asada, named her "Rio" after being struck with inspiration while watching Asada.

Rio Suzuki entered the entertainment industry at age 5 after watching the drama "Mother" and aspiring to be like Mana Ashida.

She auditioned for JobbyKids Production, Ashida’s agency, and debuted as a child actress in the 2012 drama "Kauru no Oujoh-sama."

She gained recognition in 2013 by playing the young Yae in the NHK Taiga drama "Yae no Sakura."

That same year, she launched her singing career with the song "Hana wa Saku," a theme for NHK’s earthquake recovery project.

Suzuki continued to captivate viewers, notably co-starring with her idol Mana Ashida in "Ashita, Mama ga Inai."

She became the face of major advertising campaigns for KDDI's au and then, in 2015, for Pocari Sweat—making headlines as the first child actor chosen for the brand.

In 2015, she starred in the lead role of "Oniichan, Gacha," marking her first main role in a regular TV drama.

Suzuki uniquely played both the young heroine and later her daughter in the NHK morning drama "Asa ga Kita."

Her impressive Kyoto dialect even surprised dialect coaches on set.

Her career as a voice actress includes acclaimed performances, such as the lead in "The Little Prince" (2015), the main character in the anime "Dororo" (2019), and prominent roles in movies like "Logan" and "Yaneura no Raja."

Suzuki made her film debut in 2013, with major roles following in "Boku Dake ga Inai Machi," the "HiGH&LOW" series, "Kodomo Shokudo," and even leads in stage productions like "The Miracle Worker" and “Peter Pan.”

Suzuki received the New Actress Award at the 11th TVnavi Drama of the Year (2014) for her impressive performances in TV dramas.

Suzuki has a close-knit family, including her parents and older sister.

She has repeatedly expressed her admiration for actress Mana Ashida, whom she considers a role model and has had the opportunity to work with after first meeting as a backup dancer at a concert.

Rio Suzuki balances her flourishing career with her personal life.

She enjoys playing the guitar and started learning in 2014.

Her favorite color is blue, and she often says she loves math and music because of the joy she finds in solving problems and expressing herself musically.

She is left-handed but has trained herself to use her right hand for acting roles that require it.

Her favorite artists are miwa, Kana Nishino, and Ayaka.

• Rio’s name was inspired by figure skater Mao Asada.
• She practiced intensively to speak with a perfect Kyoto accent for her roles.
• Suzuki is left-handed but performs right-handed actions if the role demands it.
• She memorizes lines by first practicing alone, then rehearsing with her mother as a scene partner.
• She’s the only child actress to play both the young heroine and the heroine’s daughter in both a Taiga drama and an NHK morning serial.
• She loves vanilla ice cream and has played the ukulele in national commercials.
• Suzuki performed on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 as the youngest Japanese leading actress.

Suzuki has published a book, “Rio Suzuki’s Fashion Arrange Book,” and appeared in countless commercials, musicals, and voice roles.

She continues to portray dynamic female characters in both live-action and animated projects, making her one of Japan’s brightest young talents.

Her charismatic personality and professionalism hint at a long, exciting future in entertainment.