Yutaka Mizutani

Biography

Mizutani was raised from the age of eight in Tokyo, Japan. He started acting at the age of twelve, when a neighbor introduced him to a children's acting school in the area. When he discovered that going to an acting school wasn't the same as meeting the people he admired on TV, he wanted to quit, but by that time he had been selected to play a small role in a 'Vampire', a television movie being filmed by Fuji Television. This role launched his reluctant career, and though he purposely took a number of years off work to try studying, his failing to get into university urged him to continue in the acting business.

It was after the age of 20 when his career as an actor finally took off. His first major drama was in 1974, called Kizu Darake no Tenshi (Battered Angel).

At the moment Mizutani stars in a regular TV Asahi detective drama called Aibō (相棒) with actors Yasufumi Terawaki (2000-2008), Mitsuhiro Oikawa (2009-2012) and Hiroki Narimiya (2012-).

Music

In addition to acting, his agency, "TRI-SUM", also encouraged him to put out music albums starting from 1977, all of which sold very well. His last album was released in 2009 (Time Traveler).

Mizutani is currently under the avex IO label of the Avex Group.

Personal relationships

Mizutani was once married to an American actress by the name of Miki MacKenzie. They divorced soon afterwards. He is now married to ex pop-idol Ran Ito from the 1970s singing group Candies. He has one daughter.