is a Japanese actress, stuntwoman, 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.
Early life Michiko Nishiwaki was born on November 21, 1957, in Funabashi, Chiba. 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. Another turning point was her father's death, which motivated her to have her own say in the planning of her future.
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.
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 and subsequently moved to Moorpark, California, where she was living with her husband and son. They separated in 2021 and eventually divorced.
Filmography + List of performances and appearances by Michiko Nishiwaki in film and television Year Title Role Notes1985My Lucky StarsJapanese Fighter1986 Rikkî TV series1987Misao Matsuda1988In the Line of Duty IIIMichiko Nishiwaki1988Tie dan xiong fengLily1989 Michiko1989God of GamblersKo Chun's female Yakuza opponent1989Time Burst: The Final Alliance herself1990 Chieko1990Outlaw BrothersMiego1990Magic CopThe Sorceress1990 1990The Best of the Martial Arts Films Herself archive footage1991The Real Me herself1991 Simol1991Sing je wai wong herself1992The Mighty GamblerJoyce Huang (Mainlander)1992 Yi1992 Miss Nishiwaki1992 Sha Sha Lee1992Pi li bao zuo herself1992 Kwan Show-Yun1993 Sen1993Fatal Seduction herself1993 Nancy Cheng1993City on Fire Chia-Chi1996Top Fighter 2Herself (archive footage)1998Lethal Weapon 4 herself1999Man on the MoonFemale Karate Fighter (uncredited)2000Charlie's Angelsstunt double for Lucy Liu2003Ghost Rock Hana2022Everything Everywhere All at OnceKung Fu Competitor, Co-Star
Stunt and stunt double appearances + List of stunt and stunt double appearances in film stunts Year Title1997Red Corner1998Brave New World1998Blade1998Fantasy Island: Estrogen1998–2000Martial Law (TV series)1999Man on the Moon1999Play It to the Bone2000Chain of Command2001V.I.P - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Val (TV Series (November 24, 2001))2001Rush Hour 22002The Practice - M. Premie Unplugged (TV series)2002Clockstoppers2002The Scorpion King2003Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)2004Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)2004Collateral2005Memoirs of a Geisha2006Mission: Impossible III
Notes and references
External links
HK cinemagic entry