She started her career playing innocent girl-next door types in movies and TV dramas, but shocked the Japanese public in the early 90s by starring in the movie Erotic Liaisons, and then by appearing nude in a photo book titled, "Santa Fe". As a result, the conservative NHK network dropped her from one of its programs. Though NHK and some of the public expressed outrage at the time, it wasn't enough to prevent nearly two million copies of the book from being sold.The new-found fame was responsible for her relationship with the sumo star, but it also caused the break-up as being a "sumo wife" would have likely turned her into nothing more than a famous housewife.After the break-up things got very grim. Rie allegedly attempted suicide by cutting her wrists, and then struggled with alcoholism and anorexia. In 1996 she checked into a clinic in LA to combat her eating disorder.Since then she has eased back into dramas and motion pictures, and is one now looked up to by many young Japanese women for her ability to overcome her struggles in life.
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