Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on December 2010

Photo by Todd Mizomi

When you first meet Maya Murofushi, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by her vibrant personality and impressive achievements. Maya—as she’s professionally known—is an actress, model, ballet dancer, stage performer and singer-songwriter (in the genres of pop, chanson and opera, no less). She’s fluent in English, Italian and French, won this year’s Miss World Supermodel contest, does TV commercials, and campaigns for animal rights. Oh, and lest we forget, she has a keen interest in the metaphysical and is happy to chat about quantum theory.

Born in Tokyo, Maya, 25, moved to Saitama with her family when she was 2. Music runs in the family—her mother is an opera singer and her father is an orchestra conductor. She joined the Matsuyama Ballet Academy when she was 4, and then set her sights on becoming a surgeon. “Then came my delinquent phase in junior high school,” she says. “I guess I just wanted to do the opposite of what my parents were doing.”

Feeling the urge to travel, Maya went to Italy for three years after high school and studied Italian and philosophy at the University of Siena. “I was having too good a time,” she recalls. “I was more into dancing on the table and drinking than study. I thought I better go back to Japan. I found it really hard to adjust and was depressed for the first six months. I had done a little bit of modeling in Italy and decided to look for an agency in Tokyo, but I was hired by an acting agency instead.”

Since 2008, Maya has performed on stage, in films and on TV, and she can currently be seen in a TV commercial for Scratch Kuji (Lucky Lottery). “I never feel tired because these jobs are my joy in life,” she explains. “If I am not being creative, I would be depressed.”

Winning the Miss World Supermodel contest in Australia has certainly helped. The pageant gives each model a chance to promote her country’s culture and lifestyle. “I thought it would be a wonderful experience, but never expected to win. Now I have the opportunity to speak up in front of people on issues I care deeply about, such as animal rights,” says Maya, who is a vegan.

Photo by Yanojin

Whenever she travels abroad, Maya is keenly aware that she represents Japan. “I am really honored to be Japanese,” she says. “Whatever the state of the Japanese government or politics is, I respect our society because no Japanese soldier has killed anyone in more than 60 years. I don’t think you can say that about any other country.”

Despite her bubbly nature, Maya says she can get emotional. “I cry when I think how animals are treated,” she admits, “and I had a good cry when I saw the movies Life is Beautiful and Titanic.” So does that mean that her favorite type of guy had better be emotional, too? “I like guys to be intellectual, someone who ponders, but at the same time capable of a little bit of craziness. Maturity is important, but he should also have the heart of a child.”

When she isn’t working, Maya goes to the gym, does ballet and enjoys reading. “I’ve got a great passion for astrophysics and quantum theory,” she says. “I think it must be my philosophy background.” If she could meet anyone in the world, who would she pick? “Among living persons, it would be Paul McCartney because of his Meat Free Monday campaign. If I could go back in time… Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein.”

Maya isn’t sure where her endeavors will take her—whether she will remain in Japan or try to make it in LA. Whatever she does, she says she’ll live her life according to a simple credo: “Try to make the people around you smile.” 

Maya will perform on Dec 18 at Astrance in Nishi-Azabu (1-4-8 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku; http://astrance.jp).

Chris Betros is the editor of Japan Today (www.japantoday.com).

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