# Sumire Matsubara

Sumire Matsubara (松原 すみれ, Matsubara Sumire, born July 15, 1990 in Tokyo), better known mononymously as Sumire (すみれ), is a Japanese actress, singer and fashion model.

## Early life and education

Sumire was born in Japan to entertainers Junichi Ishida and Chiaki Matsubara (1958–2022). Sumire's half-brother is actor Issei Ishida. By the time Sumire was seven years old, her parents had divorced, and she moved from Japan to Hawaii with her mother.
Sumire recalled that her mother "would often take me to see musicals, Disney movies, and we would go karaoke together and perform for each other". She enrolled in her school's choir and eventually starred in a Punahou School production of the musical West Side Story. Sumire was accepted to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater and acting. She later complimented the school's conservatory program but noted that she "did feel some racial discrimination from the people of the town. After being in the school, it was amazing, but something in me was telling me that this place was not the place for me."
Following the death of her grandmother in 2010 and the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011, Sumire returned to Hawaii to live with her mother. She later moved back to Tokyo.

## Career

Sumire is represented by the Japanese talent agency Sky Corporation (for entertainment activities and advertising). In 2014, Sumire guest starred on Hawaii Five-0 as tour bus robber Keilani Makua in the episode "Kanalu Hope Loa".
In 2017, Sumire made her Hollywood debut in the American Christian drama The Shack where she played the role of Holy Spirit (Sarayu). In 2019, she appeared in the sports movie The Brighton Miracle which depicts Japan's performance at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Sumire played the role of Satomi Leitch, who is married to Michael Leitch and captain of the Japanese rugby team.
In 2021, she became a One Young World Japan Honorary Delegate.

## Personal life

Sumire was baptized as an infant and attended church at an early age. She attended a Catholic elementary school in Hawaii before joining Punahou School.
On November 25, 2021, Sumire announced on her Instagram that she is married to a man two years older on November 12. At the same time, Sumire also announced the pregnancy of her first child. On April 30, 2022, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

## Filmography
### Films

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2014 | Cabin Attendant Keiji: New York Satsujin Jiken (キャビンアテンダント刑事) | Megumi Fujisawa | Fuji TV |
| 2016 | Hold My Hand (Te wo tsunaide kaerôyo) (手をつないでかえろうよ〜シャングリラの向こうで〜) | Reiko Takeuchi | |
| 2017 | The Shack | Holy Spirit (Sarayu) | Asian World Film Festival - Rising Star Award (2015) |
| 2019 | The Brighton Miracle | Satomi Leitch | |
| 2024 | Rules of Living | Chieko | |

### TV series
#### Variety

| Year | Title | Network | Notes |
| 2007 | Attention Please | TV | Honolulu special episode |
| 2011 | Waratte Iitomo! | Fuji TV | |
| 2013 | Shin Chūbōdesu Yo! | TBS | Regular |
| 2014 | All-Star Thanksgiving | TBS | |
| 2014 | Viking | Fuji TV | Tuesday regular |

#### Drama

| Year | Title | Role | Network | Notes |
| 2014 | Hawaii Five-0 | Keilani Makua | CBS | Episode: "Kanalu Hope Loa" |
| 2014 | Soko o Nantoka | Eiko Mizoguchi | NHK BS Premium | Episode: "Episode 2" |
| 2015 | Ichiro (一路#テレビドラマ) | Otohime | NHK BS Premium | Episode 4 |
| 2015 | Hagane no Keisatsu-i (諏訪のスゴ腕警察医) | Kaede Ishinomori | TV Tokyo | |
| 2016 | Kamogawa shokudô (鴨川食堂) | Hatsuko Shirasaki | NHK BS Premium | |
| 2017 | Inhumans | Locus | ABC | 3 episodes |

### Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2013 | Nito Monogatari (二都物語) | Lucy Manet | Imperial Theatre |
| 2013 | Anything Goes (エニシング・ゴーズ (ミュージカル)) | Hope Harcourt | Imperial Theatre |
| 2015 | Bombay Dreams | Priya | Umeda Arts Theater |

## Discography

Studio albums :
| Title | Details |
| Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare | Released: 8 November 2017 Label: SSS Records |

### As lead artist

| Title | Year | Album |
| "Start Line" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "Canvas" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "Mijuku" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "100°C" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "Todoke" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "Hitori" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "Makenaide" | 2017 | Kumo No Ue Ha Itsumo Hare |
| "I Know Only You" | 2018 | I Know Only You - EP |
| "Stand By Me" | 2018 | I Know Only You - EP |
| "I Was Made For You" | 2018 | I Know Only You - EP |
| "Love Untold" | 2020 | Love Untold - Single |
| "Still Stay Here" | 2020 | Love Untold - Single |
| "Tsuki No Koori" | 2020 | Love Untold - Single |
| "Picture Frames (feat. Untorn)" | 2020 | - |
| "Home" | 2020 | Home - EP |
| "Home (Japanese)" | 2020 | Home - EP |
| "Wanna Be Free (feat. 110kid)" | 2021 | - |
| "Melody of Love" | 2021 | - |
| "CONMAN (with SHIMA)" | 2021 | - |