Ai Mikami

Ai Mikami was born in Tokyo, Japan, on October 26, 2000. She has an elder brother six years her senior.^[1] She is trained in ballet from three until eighteen years old.^[2]

Mikami is good friends with fellow actress Yuumi Kawai, as both of them attended Nihon University College of Art together.^[3]

Mikami's parents, who were avid theatergoers, took her to a performance during her sophomore year of junior high school, where she fell in love with the industry and developed an interest in its backstage operations. She became involved with the drama club in high school and discovered the depth of backstage and directing work.^[3] From her experience with her drama club, she decided to either become a "director or learn how to act". This prompted her to enroll at Watanabe Entertainment training school, which ultimately led to her debut as an actress.^[3][4]

On August 31, 2019, she made her television debut as an actress in the seventh episode of the Saturday drama Voice: 110 Emergency Control Room on Nippon Television.

She had her first regular role in a TBS television drama Love Lasts Forever which aired from January 14 to March 17, 2020. On October 9 of the same year, she made her film debut in the movie Star Child.

She attracted much attention for her role as a high school girl with a complex about her appearance in the NHK television drama Beautiful Country that aired from April 12 to May 31, 2021.^[5] On December 10 of the same year, she appeared in her first leading role in a film co-starring with Yuki Kura [ja] in the movie Shodo.^[6]

She marked her first lead role in a television drama co-starring with Taiki Sato in the MBS/TBS drama Liar, which aired from February to April 6, 2022.^[7]

Mikami at the Tōkyō Yūshun Award Ceremony in May 2022 and 2024

On May 10, 2024, She starred in the film Undead Lovers.^[8] On June 30 of the same year, she made her first appearance in NHK's Taiga drama Dear Radiance,^[9] in which she portrayed the role of Fujiwara no Michinaga's daughter, Fujiwara no Akiko.^[9] On August 29, Mikami will have her first lead role in a Netflix teen drama series, Chastity High.^[10]