Naoko Mori

Naoko Mori
森 尚子

Born (1971-11-29) 29 November 1971
Nagoya, Japan
Residence London, England
Nationality Japanese
Education Royal Russell School
Occupation Actress, singer[1]
Years active 1992–present
Notable work Absolutely Fabulous
Casualty
Doctor Who
Torchwood
Religion Japanese Buddhism

Naoko Mori (森 尚子 Mori Naoko, born 29 November 1971) is a Japanese-British actress who lives and works mainly in the UK. Mori is best known for her roles in Torchwood and Absolutely Fabulous.

Early life

Mori was born in Nagoya, Japan. When Mori was four years old, she moved to New Jersey, USA due to her father's work. She returned to Japan when she was ten and moved to London two years later. When her parents were posted back to Japan, Mori was given the choice of either moving back to Japan with her parents or remaining in London on her own.[2] She chose to stay in London, partly because she wanted to finish her GCSEs and gain some qualifications.[2] She attended the Royal Russell School. Mori's father opened a bank account for her, handed her a cheque book and told her to find a flat or a bed sit for herself to live in. Mori said that being on her own at such a young age helped her to be a very independent person, although it was still a scary world to be faced so young.[2]

Acting career

Mori at Comic Con 2008.

While studying for her A-levels, she auditioned and joined London's West End production of Miss Saigon. She later went on to play Kim and became the first ever Japanese national to play a lead role in the West End.[3] From 1993–1994, Mori had a regular role on the hospital drama Casualty as the hospital receptionist Mie Nishikawa. Film roles followed, including appearances in the 1997 musical comedy movie "Spice World" and Topsy-Turvy (1999). Mori also appeared in the television programmes Thief Takers (1997), Judge John Deed (2001), Spooks (2002), Mile High (2003)[4] and Powers (2004).[5] In 1995, she had a small role as a Japanese computer hacker in the film Hackers. Mori had a major role in the 2005 BBC docu-drama Hiroshima, which contained dramatic re-enactments of the 1945 atomic bombing. Mori also provided the voice acting for the villainess Mai Hem for the game Perfect Dark Zero.

Also in 2005, Mori had a small role as Dr Sato in the Doctor Who episode "Aliens of London". Producer Russell T Davies took note of her performance and decided to bring the character back as a regular in the first two series of the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood.[6] Mori's Torchwood character, Toshiko Sato, was killed in "Exit Wounds", the final episode of Torchwood's second series, but has not ruled out the possibility of returning to the show at a later date.[7] She returned to the West End on 20 November 2006, when she took over the role of Christmas Eve from Ann Harada in the London production of Avenue Q, a role which she played until 14 April 2007.[8] Mori portrayed Yoko Ono in the BBC Four production Lennon Naked, which was broadcast in the UK on 23 Wednesday June 2010.[9] The film reunited her with Christopher Eccleston, who played John Lennon, opposite whom she played Dr Sato in her Doctor Who appearance. Before joining Torchwood, Mori acted as Kim in Miss Saigon alongside future co-star John Barrowman as Chris.

Mori appeared in the movie Everest (2015), as Yasuko Namba,[10] opposite Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Keira Knightley.

Personal life

Mori is a Japanese Buddhist.[11] Mori has an elder brother whom she grew up with alongside her parents in New Jersey. At the young age of 16 or 17 she moved into a flat on her own in London. This was when her career expanded. She wanted to become a singer before she was an actress.[12]

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1992 Desmond's Caroline TV Episode: Growing Pains
1992–2011 Absolutely Fabulous Sarah 12 Episodes
1993–1994 Casualty Mie Nishi-Kawa 7 Episodes
1995 Hackers Tokyo Hacker
1997 Spice World Nicola
Thief Takers Minako Takahashi TV Episode: Brand Loyalty & Black Mist
1998 Bugs Melissa TV Episode: Jewel Control
1999 Psychos Mariko Harris 6 Episodes
Topsy-Turvy Miss 'Sixpence Please'
2000 Running Time Michelle
2001 Judge John Deed Mutsumi Yesayahoo TV Episode: Appropriate Response & Rough Justice
2002 Murder in Mind Naomi TV Episode: Rage
Spooks Annette TV Episode: The Rose Bed Memoirs
Doctors Molly Fletcher TV Episode: Feet of Clay
2003 Manchild Geisha Girl
Mile High Natsumi TV Episode: Series One, Episode 13
2004 The Smoking Room Naoko
2005 Doctor Who Doctor Sato TV Episode: Aliens of London
Genji: Dawn of the Samurai Shizuka, Additional Voices Video game
Hiroshima Shige Hiratsuka
Hot Tub Ranking Mia 6 Episodes
Perfect Dark Zero Mai Hem Video game
2006 Little Miss Jocelyn Beautician TV Episode: Series One, Episode 5
Genji: Days of the Blade Shizuka Video game
2006–2009 Torchwood Toshiko Sato Two full series 26 Episodes
2009 Maneater Morgan Tan
2010 Lennon Naked Yoko Ono One-off TV movie role [13]
2011 Private Practice Patricia Ramsey TV Episode: If You Don’t Know Me By Now
Three Inches Annika TV Episode: Pilot (Main Cast)
2012 Vexed Satchi Kyoto
Suspension of Disbelief Floy
Rocket's Island Liz 2 Episodes
The Revolting World of Stanley Brown Sarah Stripe TV Episode: "Hiccupalypse"
2015 Midsomer Murders Nadia Simons Episode 17.4 "A Vintage Murder"
Humans Fiona Episode #1.4 "Episode #1.4"
Everest Yasuko Namba
You, Me and the Apocalypse Nocturnapram Professor TV Episode: "Home Sweet Home"
2016 The Amazing World of Gumball Yuki Yoshida (voice) TV Episode: "The Fury"

References

  1. "Avenue Q – royal Variety Performance" YouTube
  2. 1 2 3 "The Wright Stuff – Naoko Mori and the papers" YouTube video
  3. "グローバルキャスティング: 映画・テレビドラマ・CMのオーディション・エキストラ募集情報" [Global Casting: Movies; Television Drama; CM Auditions; Extras Recruitment Information] (in Japanese). Global Casting. Archived from the original on 17 October 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2006.
  4. "Episode Guide". Mile High fansite. Retrieved 1 August 2007.
  5. Action TV Online – Powers episode guide
  6. "Torchwood's latest members". BBC Press Office. Retrieved 24 April 2006..
  7. "Naoko Mori ('Torchwood') – Torchwood Interview – TV – Digital Spy". Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  8. "Avenue Q preview review". Retrieved 20 October 2006.
  9. "FATHERHOOD SEASON – Lennon Naked" 23 June 2010, BBC
  10. Puchko, Kristy (4 May 2014). "Keira Knightly tackles Everest with Jake Gyllenhaal". cinemablend.com.
  11. Gordon, Carole (1 January 2007). "Interview with Torchwood star Naoko Mori". Eclipse Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 January 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2007.
  12. "Interview: NAOKO MORI from TORCHWOOD (Part One)" at Daemon's TV web site
  13. Conlan, Tara (27 November 2009). "Former Doctor Who to play John Lennon". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
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