Born 1979 in Kochi, Japan. Akihiro Kitamura studied acting in Beverly Hills Playhouse for 5 years and filmmaking at North Carolina School of the Arts and Los Angeles City College. He starred in the cult sensation "The Human Centipede" and gained international recognition as an actor. He is known to collaborate with the international acclaimed Japanese director Sion Sono in such films as "Why Don't You Play in Hell?", "Tokyo Tribe", "Shinjuku Swan 2" and a nine-part horror television miniseries "Tokyo Vampire Hotel". His US TV credits include a guest star role in NBC's "Heroes" and a popular sketch comedy series "Loiter Squad".