Michiko Nishiwaki

Michiko Nishiwaki (西脇 美智子, Nishiwaki Michiko, born November 21, 1957) is a Japanese actress, stunt woman, martial artist, fight choreographer, former female bodybuilder and powerlifter. She performed the high-risk stunts as a double for Lucy Liu in the film Charlie's Angels.

Michiko Nishiwaki
BornNovember 21, 1957 (1957-11-21) (age 65)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • stuntwoman
  • martial artist
  • fight choreographer
  • bodybuilder
  • powerlifter
Years active1984–present

Early life

Michiko Nishiwaki was born on November 21, 1957, in Funabashi, Chiba.[1] As a teenager growing up in Tokyo, she was interested in gymnastics and volleyball. She became interested in bodybuilding when she grew dissatisfied with her body image, regarding her legs as too heavy compared to her upper body.[2] Another turning point was her father's death, which motivated her to have her own say in the planning of her future.[1]

Career

Sports

Unusual for Japanese society at the time, Nishiwaki became a powerlifter and eventually Japan's first female powerlifting champion and first female bodybuilding champion. She opened three fitness clubs co-owned by her brother.[1]

Feature films

Her acting career began in the 1985 Hong Kong martial arts/comedy film My Lucky Stars, in which she played a Japanese fighter. Her performance caught the attention of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. She also appeared in films such as The Line of Duty III in 1988, City Cops, Princess Madam, and God of Gamblers in 1989. She was quickly typecast, playing villains and femme fatales in most of her Hong Kong films. At times she did not use a word of dialogue, since she could not speak Cantonese well at the time. After returning to Japan, she went to Thailand to star in Whore and the Policewoman in 1993. She appeared in the 1999 film Man on the Moon, starring Jim Carrey, and did stunts for Hollywood films such as Red Corner, Blade, Charlie's Angels, and Rush Hour 2. She made a cameo appearance in the 2022 movie Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Nishiwaki married in 1996[3] and subsequently moved to Moorpark, California, where she was living with her husband and son as of the middle of October 2013.

Filmography

List of performances and appearances by Michiko Nishiwaki in film and television
Year Title Role Notes
1985 My Lucky Stars Japanese Fighter
1986
Rikkî TV series
1987
  • Ojôsan tantei Tokimeki renpatsu!
  • (Young Lady Detectives: Heart Beat!)
Misao Matsuda
1988 In the Line of Duty III - Michiko Nishiwaki
1988 Tie dan xiong feng Lily
1989
  • Miao tan shuang long
  • (City Cops)
Michiko
1989 God of Gamblers Ko Chun's female Yakuza opponent
1989 Time Burst: The Final Alliance herself
1990
  • Hu dan nu er gang
  • (Widow Warriors)
Chieko
1990 Outlaw Brothers Miego
1990 Magic Cop The Sorceress
1990
  • Dragon Fighter
  • (Hard to Kill)
1990 The Best of the Martial Arts Films Herself archive footage
1991 The Real Me herself
1991
  • Se jiang
  • (Witchcraft vs. Curse)
Simol
1991 Sing je wai wong herself
1992 The Mighty Gambler Joyce Huang (Mainlander)
1992
  • Yin yao hao qing
  • (Hero Dream aka Naked Huntress)
Yi
1992
  • Hong tin huang jia jiang
  • (Angel Terminators)
Miss Nishiwaki
1992
  • Yun yu di liu gan
  • (Passionate Killing in the Dream)
Sha Sha Lee
1992 Pi li bao zuo herself
1992
  • Huo bao da quan zi
  • (Big Circle Blues)
Kwan Show-Yun
1993
  • Ba hai hong ying
  • (The Avenging Quartet)
Sen
1993 Fatal Seduction herself
1993
  • Ging fa yu lau ang
  • (Whore and Policewoman)
Nancy Cheng
1993 City on Fire Chia-Chi
1996 Top Fighter 2 Herself (archive footage)
1998 Lethal Weapon 4 herself
1999 Man on the Moon Female Karate Fighter (uncredited)
2003 Ghost Rock Hana
2022 Everything Everywhere All at Once Kung Fu Competitor, Co-Star

Stunt and stunt double appearances

List of stunt and stunt double appearances in film stunts
Year Title
1997 Red Corner
1998 Brave New World
1998 Blade
1998 Fantasy Island: Estrogen
1998–2000 Martial Law (TV series)
1999 Man on the Moon
1999 Play It to the Bone
2000 Chain of Command
2001 V.I.P - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Val (TV Series (November 24, 2001))
2001 Rush Hour 2
2002 The Practice - M. Premie Unplugged (TV series)
2002 Clockstoppers
2002 The Scorpion King
2003 Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
2004 Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
2004 Collateral
2005 Memoirs of a Geisha
2006 Mission: Impossible III

Notes and references

  1. "Michiko Nishiwaki". Cult Sirens. 2004. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  2. "From Crunch Princess to Action Diva". Hong Kong Cinema. Retrieved March 14, 2009.
  3. "Clark County, NV Public Records". Clark County Recorder's Office. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
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