Mie Hama

Mie Hama Biography

Mie Hama

Mie Hama, born on November 20th, 1943, is a former actress, television presenter, radio presenter, and author from Japan.

Her fame reached new heights for her portrayals of Fumiko Sakurai in the 1962 Godzilla movie King Kong vs. Godzilla, Bond girl Kissy Suzuki in the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice, and Madame Piranha in the 1967 King Kong movie King Kong Escape.

Prior to her career in acting, Mie Hama worked as a bus conductor, and she was discovered by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka. Subsequently, she became one of the most sought-after actresses in Japan, starring in over 60 films.

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Among Mie Hama’s notable performances was her role in the 1965 spy comedy Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Kagi no kagi, which served as inspiration for Woody Allen’s movie What’s Up, Tiger Lily?. Additionally, Mie Hama appeared in Toho Studio’s monster and fantasy movies such as King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), The Lost World of Sinbad (1963), and King Kong Escapes (1967).

In You Only Live Twice Mie Hama was initially cast to play the role of Aki (formerly Suki), and she and co-star Akiko Wakabayashi were sent to London for three months to be trained in English. However, she ended up playing the part of Kissy Suzuki.

Hama is a passionate advocate for the protection of Japan’s natural beauty and the environment. She also owns and rents out “Hakone-Yamaboushi,” a traditional house located near Mt. Fuji that’s built using various abandoned structures.

In 1969, Mei Hama married Mitsuru Kaneko, a television executive producer for Fuji TV, with whom she has four children.