Eihi Shiina
A model whose chilling performance in a cult horror film turned her into an enduring symbol of cinematic terror.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Japanese fashion model and actor·Birthday: February 3·Generation X
Biography
Eihi Shiina played Asami Yamazaki in Takashi Miike's 'Audition' (1999), a role demanding transformation from demure grace to unhinged violence. Her haunting stillness became the film's unforgettable core and a benchmark in modern horror. Born in Fukuoka in 1976, her otherworldly beauty launched a magazine modeling career after a 1995 Benetton campaign. She continued working in film and television, often in enigmatic or unsettling roles, proving herself a master of psychological unease beyond the runway.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Eihi was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eihi Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Eihi's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her portrayal of Asami Yamazaki in Takashi Miike's 'Audition' (1999) created one of horror cinema's most memorable antagonists.
- Represented Japan at the global Elite Model Look competition in 1995 after winning the national contest.
- Launched her international modeling career with a major campaign for the United Colors of Benetton.
- Maintained a consistent acting career in Japanese cinema and television following her horror breakthrough.
Did You Know?
She is a licensed pharmacist, having earned her qualification before her modeling career took off.
Her role in 'Audition' was only her second film appearance.
She has a black belt in karate.
“My face is like a Noh mask; it can express anything and nothing.”
