Setsuko Hara

Setsuko Hara, born Masae Aida in 1920, rose to prominence in the 1937 German-Japanese co-production "Atarashiki Tsuchi" and later starred in six films by Yasujirō Ozu, including the iconic "Noriko Trilogy." Her portrayal of Noriko in "Late Spring," "Early Summer," and "Tokyo Story" cemented her status as a symbol of 1950s Japanese cinema. Beyond Ozu, she worked with directors like Akira Kurosawa and Mikio Naruse, earning the moniker "the Eternal Virgin." After abruptly retiring in 1963, Hara lived a reclusive life in Kamakura, eschewing media attention until her death in 2015.