Ueno Juri in drama Gou Himetachi no Sengoku

NHK has announced the lead for its 2011 taiga drama series. Titled "Gou ~Himetachi no Sengoku~," the drama will star actress Juri Ueno (23) and is based on an original script by "Atsuhime" writer Kumiko Tabuchi.

Ueno will play the role of Gou, also known by other names such as Oeyo and Ogo. She was the third daughter of the daimyo Azai Nagamasa and Oichi-no-kata, the sister of Oda Nobunaga. She was also known for being the wife of Tokugawa Hidetada, the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. Gou's two older sisters were famous historical figures as well - as the eldest, Yodo, was the wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the second, Hatsu, was the wife of Kyogoku Takatsugu.

This will be Ueno's first time acting in a historical drama. "Gou" is NHK's 50th taiga drama, and only its 10th with a woman as the main character.

Tokyograph