# Aju Makita

Aju Makita (蒔田 彩珠, Makita Aju, born 7 August 2002) is a Japanese actress.

## Early life

Makita is the youngest of three siblings and has two older brothers.

## Career

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture, Makita made her acting debut at age 7. In 2012, she appeared in the TV drama Going My Home directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and has since acted in his films After the Storm (2016), The Third Murder (2017), and Shoplifters (2018). She won the best newcomer award at the Hochi Film Award in 2018 for Shino Can't Say Her Name, directed by Hiroaki Yuasa. She then won the 2020 Mainichi Film Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as the Hochi Film Award for best supporting actress for her role as a pregnant teenager in Naomi Kawase's True Mothers, which was selected for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. Her performance in the film garnered praise from such reviewers as those in The Guardian, the Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and the South China Morning Post.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | After the Storm | Aju | |
| 2017 | The Third Murder | Yuka Shigemori | |
| 2017 | The Light Dances | Nagisa | Lead role; short film |
| 2018 | Shoplifters | Sayaka Shibata | |
| 2018 | My Friend "A" | Yui Shiraishi | |
| 2018 | The Cat in Their Arms | | |
| 2018 | Shino Can't Say Her Name | Kayo Okazaki | Lead role |
| 2019 | Strawberry Song | | |
| 2020 | True Mothers | Hikari Katakura | |
| 2020 | #HandballStrive | Kurosawa | |
| 2020 | Under the Stars | Mah-chan | |
| 2021 | Child of Kamiari Month | Kanna (voice) | Lead role |
| 2021 | DIVOC-12 | | Lead role; "Yen" segment |
| 2021 | 99.9 Criminal Lawyer: The Movie | Eri Nagumo | |
| 2022 | Pure Japanese | Ayumi | |
| 2022 | To Me, the One Who Loved You | Shiori Satō (voice) | |
| 2022 | To Every You I've Loved Before | Shiori Satō (voice) | |
| 2023 | In Love and Deep Water | Shiori Hagiwara | |
| 2024 | Happiness | Yuma Yamagishi | Lead role |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | Going My Home | Moe Tsuboi | |
| 2016 | Daddy Sister | 13-year-old Tamaki Mizuta | Asadora |
| 2018 | An Invisible Cradle | Chie Nakamoto | Episode 2 |
| 2020 | Kotonoha | Kaori Itō | Lead role; TV movie |
| 2021 | Welcome Home, Monet | Michi Nagaura | Asadora |
| 2022 | If My Wife Becomes an Elementary School Student. | Mai Niijima | |
| 2023 | The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House | Ryōko | |
| 2023 | My Worst Friend | Hotaru Kasamatsu | Lead role |
| 2024 | House of Ninjas | Nagi Tawara | |
| 2024 | Someone in This Town | Maki Mochizuki | Miniseries |
| 2025 | Mr. Mikami's Classroom | Aoi Tominaga | |

### Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
| 2018 | La Strada | Gelsomina | | |

### Music videos

| Year | Song | Artist |
| 2018 | Mizuiro no Hibi | Shishamo |
| 2020 | Canary | Kenshi Yonezu |
| 2022 | Koi-kaze ni Nosete | Vaundy |

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Work(s) | Result | Ref. |
| 2018 | 43rd Hochi Film Awards | Best New Artist | Shino Can't Say Her Name | Won | |
| 2020 | 45th Hochi Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers | Won | |
| 2020 | 33rd Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers and Under the Stars | Nominated | [45] [46] |
| 2020 | 33rd Nikkan Sports Film Awards | Best Newcomer | True Mothers and Under the Stars | Nominated | [45] [46] |
| 2021 | 42nd Yokohama Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers and Under the Stars | Won | |
| 2021 | 75th Mainichi Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers | Won | |
| 2021 | 63rd Blue Ribbon Awards | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers | Nominated | |
| 2021 | 94th Kinema Junpo Awards | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers | Won | |
| 2021 | 44th Japan Academy Film Prize | Newcomer of the Year | True Mothers | Won | |
| 2021 | 15th Asian Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | True Mothers | Won | |
| 2022 | 25th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix | Best Supporting Actress | Welcome Home, Monet | Won | |