Joe Odagiri is a Japanese actor, director and musician, born in 1976 in Tsuyama, Okayama. He intended to study film directing at California State University, USA, but due to an error in the application process, ended up in acting classes. He began his acting career in 2000, and  has since appeared in films by world-renowned filmmakers, such as Junji Sakamoto, Seijun Suzuki, Sion Sono, Kim Ki-duk and Hirokazu Kore-eda. Odagiri has won numerous awards for his performances as an actor, but remained keen on directing. His directorial debut, Looking for Cherry Blossoms (2009), premiered at the 38th International Film Festival Rotterdam. His debut feature, They Say Nothing Stays the Same (2019), had its world premiere at the 2019 Venice Days.