Rinko Kikuchi

Rinko Kikuchi arrives at the 79th annual Academy Awards Nominees luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif., Feb. 5, 2007. Kikuchi is nominated for best supporting actress for her role in "Babel." She has been appearing in movies, mostly in her native Japan, since 1999. She formerly used her real first name, Yuriko, but changed it to Rinko in 2004.

Moroccan actors Boubker Ait el Caid and Said Tarchani, Australian actress Cate Blanchett, Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Mexican actress Adriana Barraza, Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi and Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal pose during a press conference for their film, "Babel," at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on May 23, 2006.

Rinko Kikuchi arrives at the Toronto International Film Festival gala presentation of the film "Babel" on Sept. 9, 2006, in Toronto. Born Jan. 6, 1981, in Kanagawa, Japan, Kikuchi knows how to fence, and she is a skilled horse-back rider.

Rinko Kikuchi appears at the Toronto International Film Festival gala presentation of "Babel" on Sept. 9, 2006, in Toronto. In "Babel," she plays Chieko, a deaf teenager who is troubled by her mother's sudden death.

Pitt And Blanchett On Red Carpet — AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

Actress Rinko Kikuchi, who appears in the film "Babel," smiles for photographers at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Nov. 5, 2006.

Kikuchi arrives at the West Coast premiere of "Babel" on Nov. 5, 2006, in Westwood, Calif. Because her character in "Babel" cannot hear and communicates in sign language, Kikuchi enrolled in a sign-language school as part of a year-long audition process.

Rinko Kikuchi poses at the Pavilion Golf Palace in Marrakech during the Marrakech International Film Festival on Dec. 7, 2006.

Rinko Kikuchi poses with Moroccan actors Boubker Ait El Caid left, Tarchani Said, second right, and Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez, right, before the screening of "Babel" at the Marrakech Congress Palace during the sixth Marrakech International Film Festival on Dec. 7, 2006.

Rinko Kikuchi and Brad Pitt laugh during the presentation of the Ensemble Performance Award for their roles in "Babel" during the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival awards gala Jan. 6, 2007.

Rinko Kikuchi attends the 2006 National Board Of Review Awards Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on Jan. 9, 2007, in New York City. For her work in "Babel," she shared the award for Breakthrough Performance, Female, with Jennifer Hudson ("Dreamgirls").

Rinko Kikuchi attends at party at the Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, Calif., for the Critics' Choice Awards on Jan. 12, 2007.

After the Golden Globes ceremony Jan. 15, 2007, Rinko Kikuchi attends a party thrown by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif.