Machiko Kyō (born Yano Motoko, Osaka, March 25, 1924 – Tokyo, May 12, 2019) was a Japanese actress, primarily active during the Golden Age of Japanese cinema. She began her career as a dancer before signing with the Daiei Film studio in 1949. She achieved international fame in the 1950s as the star of three masterpieces that introduced Japanese cinema to Western audiences: Akira Kurosawa's *Rashomon* (1950), winner of the Golden Lion in Venice; Kenji Mizoguchi's *Ugetsu* (1953), winner of the Silver Lion; and Teinosuke Kinugasa's *Gate of Hell* (1953), which was awarded at Cannes and received an honorary Academy Award. Her career also included an American production, *The Teahouse of the August Moon* (1956), opposite Marlon Brando, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Considered one of the greatest actresses of her time, she portrayed complex and sensual roles, continuing to work in film and television for decades. Throughout her life, she received numerous domestic awards, including the Medal with Purple Ribbon for her artistic contributions.