Born to a Japanese father and an Algerian mother in Tokyo Erika had a well-off upbringing and engaged in dancing, playing piano and horseback riding. Her father owned several race tracks, which ensured her access to horses. However, her father died due to cancer while she was in junior high school, which only preceded the death of her older brother due to a car accident. Her father had abandoned the family for several years and had returned the year prior to his death. Nonetheless Erika debuted as a model while in grade six for the girls' manga magazine Ribbon She joined the ranks of Japanese 'idols' Angel Eyes in 2002 and appeared in her first TV serial, namely Hotman, in 2003. Apparently she had gotten into show business and auditioned in order to meet her idol, singer and actress Amuro Namie. By now she was also a racy gravure idol. Erika was cast in her first movie Mondai No Nai Watshitachi ('We Don't Have A Problem') in 2004 in which she was a supporting actress. A film called Pacchigi (Korean for 'Breakthrough') made her famous in 2004 and she was accorded Best Newcomer and Most Popular Actor awards at the Japan Academy ceremony. She was also the main character in the serial Ichi Litre No Namida ('One Litre Of Tears') in 2005. At this point she appeared in Taiyou No Uta ('Song Of Sun') where her character's name was Kaoru Amane, a name she made her own and used for the release of her 2006 album. She was the vocalist. In that year she was in no less than five movies. However, success proved fleeting. When on stage in theatre to promote Closed Note in 2007 she exercised her right to act according to her mood and gave curt answers to multiple questions thus earning the condemnation of the press and fans. The adoration of the masses turned into hatred. Stardust Promotion and her parted ways in 2009. She apologized one week later, but when interviewed for a TV program in 2010 claimed that it was imposed upon her by management and was insincere. She recanted. In the meantime, she had lost her planned role in the film, Space Battleship Yamato. More importantly she married producer Tsuyoshi Takashiro, 22 years her senior, in 2009, which lasted four years. Thus she ended up essentially blackballed and not having worked for 3 years. Despite that a Japanese beauty salon, called Taka No Yuri, used her in a commercial in 2010 and the seeds of a commercially beneficial redemption comeback was planted. Simultaneously Erika founded her own talent agency in Spain in 2010. She was back acting by 2012, which predictably was a success. The film was called Helter Skelter. Audiences claimed Erika was as beautiful as ever. Further on she was in a historical serial - a first for her - in 2016. In a 2017 interview she claimed she has not watched TV since 2006. Erika's oldest brother was also an actor. Sawajiri was taken into custody by Tokyo Police on 16.11.2019 for possession of the drug MMDA. She admitted to possession and chronic usage. NHK, which had contracted her for her next role, announced it would reassess her participation in the project.