Yu Shirota Opens Up About Racial Discrimination in His Early Career

Famous Japanese actor Yu Shirota shocked many people by revealing a past incident of verbal abuse he experienced during an audition.

On a broadcast of TV Asahi’s Tetsuko’s Room on the 24th (local time), Yu Shirota, a Spanish-Japanese actor, shared that he still cannot forget the harsh words he heard from the person in charge during an audition when he participated as a minor, even after more than 20 years.

Born to a Japanese father and a Spanish mother, Yu Shirota entered the entertainment industry at 13 and has been working for 25 years. Although he started his career at a young age, his first successful audition was when he was 16.

He shared that he still feels unfair, which evokes regret over being told at an audition, “There’s no middle school student who looks like you,” and being rejected.

As a mixed race, Yu Shirota, with his tall height of 6.2 feet and exotic, mature appearance, received much attention when he debuted in the entertainment industry. While his unique appeal has now become his signature, his mature appearance, which sets him apart from others, was an obstacle during his auditions in his minor years.

In the past, he has appeared on various broadcasts and shared his experiences of facing racial discrimination in both Japan and Spain due to his exotic looks, causing quite a surprise.

On the same broadcast, he also revealed that with his significantly taller height and distinct features compared to typical Japanese people, the roles he could play were limited. He shocked many people by confessing that he didn’t appreciate being labeled a ‘sculpted handsome man.’

Meanwhile, singer Yu Shirota debuted in 2003 as Tuxedo Mask in the musical Sailor Moon. Since then, he has worked actively in various fields, including musicals, dramas, movies, dubbing, and album releases.