Maria Nakayama

Maria Nakayama is a Japanese actress from Nara, Japan. Her passion for performing began at age 9 with a debut in a local musical, leading to over 20 years in the arts. Through middle and high school, she participated in school drama clubs and performed English-language musicals with Youth Theatre Japan. During university, Maria trained intensively with Gekidan Himawari and also studied in Alberta, Canada, where she took acting classes at The Citadel Theatre. After graduation, she moved to Tokyo to train at En Theatre Research Institute, an academy renowned for alumni like Ken Watanabe. Maria has since built a versatile career in television, theater, and commercials. In 2020, she also represented Shiga Prefecture as a finalist in Miss Earth Japan, expanding her presence as a model.