Thursday, October 23, 2008

Jun Matsumoto

Personal Profile
Name: Matsumoto Jun
Nicknames: Matsujun, Junji, King (by all Arashi),
Jun~Chan, Matsumoto~kun, Do-S
Profession: Actor, singer
Birthdate: 1983-Aug-30
Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan
Height: 173cm
Weight: 58kg
Star sign: Virgo
Blood type: A-
Family: Older sister
Talent agency: Johnny's Entertainment


Biography
Jun Matsumoto is a Japanese singer and actor from Johnny's Entertainment. He is best known for being a member of the popular J-Pop group Arashi, together with Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, Satoshi Ohno, and Sho Sakurai. Matsumoto has been critically acclaimed in the acting field for his work in various films and television dramas. Normally serious and very dedicated to his work, Matsumoto has been declared by his bandmates as caring the most for Arashi. He is also known to be the group's "Concert Leader," as he always takes charge in the group's concert planning.

TV Shows
  • Myu no Anyo Papa ni Ageru as Yamaguchi Hayato (NTV, 2008)
  • Bambino! as Ban Shogo (NTV, 2007)
  • Hana Yori Dango 2 as Domyoji Tsukasa (TBS, 2007)
  • Yonimo Kimyona Monogatari Imakiyo-san (Fuji TV, 2006)
  • Hana Yori Dango as Domyoji Tsukasa (TBS, 2005)
  • Propose (NTV, 2005, ep1)
  • Kimi wa Pet as "Momo" Goda Takeshi (TBS, 2003)
  • Yoiko no Mikata as Sawada Shin (NTV, 2003, cameo)
  • Gokusen as Sawada Shin (NTV, 2002)
  • Kindaichi Shonen no Jikenbo 3 as Kindaichi Hajime (NTV, 2001)
  • Kowai Nichiyobi (NTV, 1999)
  • Bokura no Yuuki ~Miman Toshi~ as Mori (NTV, 1997)
Movies
  • Kakushi Toride no San Akunin / The Last Princess (2008)
  • Hana Yori Dango Final (2008)
  • Kiiroi Namida / Yellow Tear (2007)
  • Boku wa Imouto ni Koi wo Suru / I Love My Younger Sister as Yori (2007)
  • Tokyo Tower as Koji (2004)
  • Life is Hard as Bon
  • Shinjuku Tanteidan Shonen (Shinjuku Boy Detectives) (1998)
Stage
  • West Side Story (2004)
  • East of Eden (2005)
  • Stand By Me (1997)
Commercials
  • AU KDDI
  • Pepsi Nex (solo)
  • Tongari Corn
  • C1000
  • Pino
  • O'Zack
  • McDonald's
  • Coca Cola
  • Parco
  • Petit



Recognitions
* 53rd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Actor for Bambino! (2007)
* 10th Nikkan Sports Drama Grand Prix (Jan-Mar 07): Best Supporting Actor for Hana Yori Dango 2 (2007)
* 47th Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Hana Yori Dango (2005)
* 33rd Television Drama Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Gokusen (2002)

Fun Facts
* Fellow Arashi member Sho Sakurai was once his private tutor. In fact, Sho was the one who encouraged Jun to finish High School.
* His 17th birthday presents from the members: Electric Massager (Sho), Skateboard (Aiba), Self Portrait (Ohno), 5 Small Turtles (Nino). Jun felt really happy that the members remembered his birthday.
* Those turtles Nino gave him are “fine”. Other than changes in size, they were once frozen to death, and were ‘revived’ after being dipped into hot water. Last August 30, 2007 (his birthday) his mother sent him a birthday e-mail. Attached to it was a picture of his turtles and a message along the lines of "Your turtles have grown one year older too."
* The places he would love to visit are Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Recently he was able to visit both-- Las Vegas, for the filming of Hana Yori Dango Final (2008) and L.A. for the advanced screening of his movie Kakushi Toride no San Akunin (2008).
* Matsujun is also nearsighted. On stage, screen, and magazines, he usually wears contacts. Outside his work and during his free time, he is mainly seen by many wearing a pair of glasses.
* He greatly admires Johnny Depp, Kevin Spacey, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brad Pitt as actors. He also enjoys Kabuki.
* He considers the founder of Johnny's Jimusho, Johnny Kitagawa the biggest influence in his life.
* Surfing is one of Jun's hobbies. His so-called mentor is his senpai Tatsuya Yamaguchi of Tokio.
* In ten years the job he would want to be doing would be to be the host of Shounen Club Premium.
* Aoki Kotomi, the author of the manga "Boku wa Imoto ni Koi o Suru", confessed being so excited that she nearly fainted when she found out that Jun was chosen to play the lead role of brother, Yori. She is a big fan of Matsujun and named one of her manga characters "Jun" because of him.
* Jun often cries while watching movies. When he was younger he watched the movie Forrest Gump with his family. Moved, he could feel the tears coming out already at some points of the movie, but because he was with his family he was embarrassed to cry in front of them. Finally, when he could no longer keep in his emotions, he ran out of the theatre and cried.
* When he first read the Hana Yori Dango manga, his favorite character was Hanazawa Rui. However, when he was given the role of Tsukasa Domyouji, he revisited the manga again and was able to identify with Domyouji's character so much that he admitted to crying while reading some parts of the manga.
* His best friend in Arashi is Aiba Masaki. Other Johnny's he frequently spends time with are his kouhais Nishikido Ryo and Akanishi Jin.
* He didn’t like the Hana Yori Dango curls as much as any of us because of the fashion problems it posed on him. When he was on set, it was fine because he had costumes; but once he was out, he couldn’t find anything in his wardrobe to compliment his curly hairstyle.
* Little Jun used to idolize Sho Sakurai.
* Jun used to have a room so messy that sometimes when he slept, he would jerk awake when clothes fell onto his face. Now though, he has a sort of clothesline above his bed, and he just grabs the clothes he wants to wear, saying its a lot more convenient.
* Jun is very picky about movie/drama scripts, and will only act the roles and scripts that interest him.
* Sato Atsuhiro is a very respected senpai of Jun. He feels that they are "fated" to be friends since they share the same birthday and hobbies.
* Jun is the first Japanese male to make it to the cover of the Japanese Marie Claire magazine. The only guys to grace its cover in its 24 year history have all been foreign superstars including David Beckham.
* He likes dry plums so much that he snatches them away from Aiba.
* Jun is quite a big fan of Harry Potter franchise.
* He’s so close to band member Ohno Satoshi that he doesn’t use honorifics anymore while talking to him.
* His height when he first entered Johnny’s: 150cm.
* Jun enjoys baths and often spends hours in them, listening to music and relaxing.
* When he was in 2nd grade, there was an incident wherein he ran out onto the road and was knocked over by a van and was severely injured. Despite this, he was as chirpy and cheerful as he could be. So cheerful that when the ambulance came, he just kept apologizing to the man, saying he was naughty for running out onto the road.
* Jun became interested in Johnny's when his older sister was in second year of middle school, when she became a fan of Kinki Kids. Jun watched videos of Kinki Kids with his sister, and decided to apply to Johnny's Jimusho. He sent his CV on the day of his Elementary School graduation, thinking it may be of good luck. Usually applicants then receive a letter inviting them to audition, but Jun received a phone call directly from Johnny Kitagawa inviting him to a rehearsal in the old TV Asahi building. He is the only Arashi member who did not have to go to audition.
* Jun hosts Jun Style, a radio show in Japan.
* At the Arashi debut event on a ship off Hawaii, he had the job of holding a large flag. However, Sho mentioned later that because the wind was so strong, Jun was almost blown away.
* He really likes KichiToka workroom's "Sound of Waves" and has watched it over four times.
* On his off days he likes driving out to the sea. He mentioned in his appearance on "Oshare-ism" that he usually drives there alone, and when he gets bored he rings his friends from the sea to arrange to meet up.
* He is good friends with his high school classmates, namely Shichinosuke Nakamura (Kabuki actor) and Ryuhei Matsuda.

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