Yuyu Kitamura parents initially named her Yu. As it can be mistaken for You, the actress changed her name to Yuyu.
Netflix finally debuted its supernatural horror detective drama Dead Boy Detectives. With well-written characters, the series promises to deliver thrilling stories and grab audiences’ attention.
The HBO Sandman spin-off centers on two teenagers who are on the run from the agents of Death to avoid getting sent on to the afterlife.
Highlights
- Yuyu Kitamura grew up in the bustling city of Hong Kong with her loving parents.
- Yuyu Kitamura’s ethnicity is Asian. However, she struggled with her identity as a teen.
- The Japanese actress portrays a vital role in Dead Boy Detectives and contributes to the plot.
Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland have more than a bullying history in common. Their interactions and character development contribute to this series’ popularity.
Minor Spoiler: Edwin confesses his love to Charles in the episode 7.
The show also has a stellar cast of George Rexstrew, Jayden Revri, Crystal Palace, and Yuyu Kitamura.
Yuyu Kitamura Parents’ Anonymity Makes Them More Interesting
What a fantastic Netflix debut for Yuyu Kitamura! Dead Boy Detectives marks her first significant television project.
Kitamura is a rising star who has acted in a handful of roles in The Lamp, Invited In, Breaking the Silence, Legacy, and Clique Bait. She also appeared in one episode of Expats.
Speaking of her family, Yuyu Kitamura’s parents are Japanese and raised her in Hong Kong. However, they prefer to stay off the media radar.
The Japanese actress’s background slightly matches that of her character in Dead Boy Detectives. For instance, she acts out Nikko Sasaki, who hails from Japan.
Yuyu Kitamura’s father passed away in the series, and she moved to Port Townsend to finish high school.
Later, Nikko joins the gang of Edwin, Charles, and Crystal and helps them with their investigations.
Yuyu Kitamura’s Search For Finding Her Identity Took A Mental Toll On Her
The Dead Boy Detectives star is Japanese; however, she never felt 100% Japanese because she has never lived in the country.
Kitamura also ruled out Chinese as her identity, regardless of her upbringing in Hong Kong. Though not a Westerner, she had a Western mindset as she attended an international school.
These factors led Yuyu to be confused about her identity and made her feel she was never enough. In addition, she battled depression, self-harm, and body image as a teenager.
Eventually, the young actress saw a therapist during her college years in New York. She also got candid about the Asian mentality of putting one’s head down during challenging times and getting through them.
Yuyu also urges people to open up about their fears and mental struggles with their families. She did the same with her parents a few years ago.
I have also shared with my parents what I went through in high school.
I think they just thought that I was going through a teenager phase back then, so it was shocking to hear that their child experienced such dark moments.
By KELY Support Group
Check out Yuyu Kitamura’s latest project on Netflix and see how she’s doing through her Instagram.
Additional Information About Yuyu Kitamura
- Yuyu Kitamura trained at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and earned a BFA in acting.
- The Japanese actress published her first book, Circles and Lines, at twenty. It is a collection of her poems on the themes of love, loss, acceptance, and identity.
- One piece of advice Yuyu Kitamura gives her fans: Be kind and do what excites you.
