How do you “make it” in Hollywood? It’s a question millions of hopefuls ask themselves every year, though the answer remains hopelessly elusive. Is there a wikiHow guide to help you? Can you watch a crash course on YouTube? Do you just survive on passion for the art form? Or maybe you need to take a DNA test and find out you’re a long-lost relative of the Coppolas.
Actor Karen Fukuhara is not a distant relative of a Hollywood dynasty; however, she did have supportive immigrant parents from Japan who, while unaware of the workings of Hollywood, enrolled her in acting classes during her childhood.
“I didn’t come from an industry family,” Fukuhara admits. “It was a hobby of mine. I loved doing it. I went to the Santa Monica playhouse and put on some plays there. [But] I don’t think I took it seriously until after college.”
Fukuhara made her debut to general audiences in 2016’s “Suicide Squad” as the silent and dangerous Kanta. Since then, she has been busy playing the fan-favorite vigilante Kimiko Miyashrio in the gorey and satirical Amazon Prime Video series “The Boys.” But, like countless other Hollywood hopefuls, her success didn’t come overnight. Throughout her childhood, Fukuhara auditioned continuously for commercials and even took on a few steady hosting gigs — one of them being Disney Channel’s entertainment news show “Movie Surfers,” which got kids of all ages behind-the-scenes access to movie sets, press junkets and even red carpets.
“My first junket and red carpet was ‘The Pirates of the Caribbean.’ I remember being incredibly nervous; I had to look down at my notes for every question,” Fukuhara reminisced. “It really taught me work ethic because if I hadn’t practiced, I would have crashed and burned. That [experience] also cemented my decision and wanting to pursue something in acting.”
After her time at “Movie Surfers,” Fukuhara continued down the path of hosting throughout high school and eventually college, working at NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), as a reporter for a sports news show. “Thank you NHK; you helped pay for my college education,” she adds in a cheerful aside.
But, as Fukuhara finished college in 2014, she knew she had to make a decision about whether she was going to follow her passion as an actor. “It was now or never,” Fukuhara says.
“I think even before I booked ‘Suicide Squad,’ I made a decision that I wanted to go with [acting],” Fukuhara continues. “You can pursue it at any time. That’s the beauty of acting — you don’t have to be a certain age. A lot of people and [myself] thought that starting off in my 20s was too late. But that’s just simply not true.”
And there’s been no turning back on that decision. Since booking her role in “Suicide Squad,” Fukuhara has been busy, to say the least. She’s been behind the voice roles in beloved franchises like “Craig of the Creek,” “She-Ra and the Princesses of Power,” “Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts,” “Star Wars: Visions,” “Pokémon Concierge” and “The Boy and the Heron,” But, perhaps her most outstanding role to date is as Kimiko in “The Boys.”
The show, which spins the Superhero genre on its head, returned for its fourth season earlier this year. Its recent installment continues to follow the eponymously named rag-tag group of vigilantes as they face off against an increasingly unhinged Homelander and megacorporation, Vought. Fukuhara returned this season as Kimiko A character with regenerative abilities and superhuman strength. Over the course of the series, she has gone through a slow yet entertaining arc, beginning as an unnamed human weapon and steadily becoming one of the “The Boys” most iconic characters.
“I’ve been with the same cast and crew for six years — going on seven — and it’s just awesome,” Fukuhara reminisces. “You build this connection with each person and also with your character. It’s special, step[ping] away from your character and then going back and discovering new things about [Kimiko].”
But she didn’t form an instant connection with Kimiko. When Fukuhara first received the script, she had trouble understanding the character — especially since Kimiko was nonverbal. “She doesn’t have any dialogue, per se, so as an actor, I was like, ‘I’m not sure what to do with [this character].’ But then I got to [work], and I felt this weird connection. It came very naturally to me.”
It’s obvious throughout our interview that Fukuhara is just as big a fan of “The Boys” as viewers. Not only does she gleefully take part in silly questions about the series — giggling as she tells us her most memorable Kimiko death scene — but she spares no compliments when discussing the show’s satirical elements. “The writers always keep us on our toes — it’s new, it’s refreshing. I love being on a show that’s current and addresses the social issues that I think are important.”
And it’s no surprise Fukuhara thinks hard about her own character. She, along with fellow fans, have always wondered when her character would speak. “It’s my most asked question,” she says with a cheeky smile. Fukuhara has always been conflicted on the subject, but ahead of the newest season, she remarks: “I like to say that even though her communication is not audible, she still speaks volumes.”
Though, the moment finally came in this latest season finale. For the first time ever (excluding musical montages), Kimiko spoke. In one of the last scenes of the season, Kimiko is separated from fellow The Boys member, Frenchie (Tomer Capone), who was not only Kimiko’s first friend on the team but her “twin flame,” as Fukuhara describes it. She speaks for the first time as he’s dragged away, emotionally yelling out the word, “No!”
“I didn’t really expect it,” Fukuhara admits. “It was visceral when I was shooting it, but when I saw the final project, it was so shocking and captivating.”
What’s next for Fukuhara? Well, “The Boys” upcoming season is set to be the final season, but for fans who may miss seeing Fukuhara on their screen till then, she has other projects up her sleeve. This past summer, she filmed the 80s-style revenge story titled “Stone Cold Fox,” led by Kieran Shipka, Krysten Ritter and Jamie Chung. It’s safe to say that Fukuhara will still be doing what she does best, playing kickass characters that embody the phrase, there’s more than meets the eye.
This article will appear in Character Media’s Annual 2024 Issue. Read our 2023 issue here.
