Mei Mac
{{Short description|British actress}}
{{Infobox person
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| birth_date = July 1992
| birth_place = Birmingham, England
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Mei Mac (born July 1992) is a British actress and theatre maker. For her performance in the stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro, she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award.
Early life
Mac was born in Birmingham to a working-class Hong Kong immigrant family.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-19 |title=Mei Mac Recreates Anime Magic On The Barbican Stage In 'My Neighbour Totoro' |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/mei-mac-interview |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=British Vogue |language=en-GB}} She initially intended to study medicine at university.{{Cite web|url=https://www.backstage.com/uk/magazine/article/my-neighbour-totoro-star-mei-mac-interview-75641/|title='My Neighbour Totoro' Star Mei Mac on How a Workshop Led to a Lead Role|website=Backstage|first=Theo|last=Bosanquet|date=22 October 2022|accessdate=10 June 2023}} At 16, she was inspired to pursue acting by artistic director Kumiko Mendl of the New Earth Theatre, of which Mac is now an associate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/hong-kong-british-actress-mei-mac-my-neighbour-totoro-interview|title=Hong Kong British Actress Champions Representation in 'My Neighbour Totoro'|journal=Tatler Asia|first=Zabrina|last=Lo|date=21 October 2022|accessdate=10 June 2023}}
Career
= Stage =
Mac's first theatre role was in the role of San in Whole Hog Theatre's stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke.{{Cite web |last=Tanaka |first=Nobuko |date=2013-04-19 |title=U.K. stage group to rework 'Mononoke' magic |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/04/19/stage/u-k-stage-group-to-rework-mononoke-magic/ |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=The Japan Times |language=en-US}} Studio Ghibli head and director of the original movie Hayao Miyazaki said of Mac's performance: "I've never imagined San as a real-life human being, but if she did exist, it would be you."
In August 2022, it was announced Mac would play the lead role of Mei in the Royal Shakespeare Company's staging of another Studio Ghibli movie, My Neighbour Totoro.{{Cite web |title=Complete My Neighbour Totoro stage company announced ahead of world premiere {{!}} WhatsOnStage |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/my-neighbour-totoro-complete-stage-company_57167.html |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=www.whatsonstage.com |language=en-GB}} The play opened at the Barbican to positive reviews.{{Cite web |title=Did the critics have an animated reaction to My Neighbour Totoro? {{!}} WhatsOnStage |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/review-roundup-my-neighbour-totoro_57633.html |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=www.whatsonstage.com |language=en-GB}} Mac's performance earned her a WhatsOnStage Award nomination for Best Performer in a Play,{{Cite web |title=Nominations in full: the 23rd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards {{!}} WhatsOnStage |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/nominations-23rd-annual-awards_57892.html |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=www.whatsonstage.com |language=en-GB}} and an Olivier Awards nomination for Best Actress.{{Cite news |last=Marshall |first=Alex |date=2023-02-28 |title='My Neighbour Totoro' Dominates Olivier Award Nominations |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/28/theater/oliver-noimnations-2023.html |access-date=2023-03-02 |issn=0362-4331}}
In May 2023 Mac appeared as Juliet, alongside Ncuti Gatwa's Romeo, as part of the Coronation Concert{{Cite web |title=Stars including Take That and Kermit the Frog put on a night to remember at spectacular Coronation Concert |url=https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/bbcstudios/2023/stars-including-take-that-and-kermit-the-frog-put-on-a-night-to-remember-at-spectacular-coronation-concert |access-date=2025-01-11 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en }} and starred in Kimber Lee's untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play, in the Royal Exchange, Manchester and Young Vic in London.{{Cite web |title=Mei Mac set to star in untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/manchester-theatre/news/mei-mac-set-to-star-in-untitled-fck-mss-sgon-play_58898.html |website=WhatsOnStage.com}}
= Television =
Mac has appeared in the long-running BBC drama Call the Midwife,{{Cite news |last=Wiegand |first=Chris |date=2023-01-03 |title=It's showtime! Stage sensations to watch out for in 2023 |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2023/jan/03/its-showtime-stage-sensations-to-watch-out-for-in-2023 |access-date=2023-03-02 |issn=0261-3077}} and in the Comedy Central sketch show East Mode.{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Steve |title=Comedy Central orders Nigel Ng sketch show : News 2022 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide |url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2022/02/02/50094/comedy_central_orders_nigel_ng_sketch_show |access-date=2023-03-02 |website=Chortle.co.uk |language=en}}
In 2024 it was announced she would join the cast of the Doctor Who spin-off series, The War Between the Land and the Sea.{{cite web |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/war-between-land-sea-patrick-baladi-vincent-franklin-newsupdate/ |title=Doctor Who spin-off casts Line of Duty and Gentleman Jack stars |work=RadioTimes |first=Morgan |last=Cormack |date=10 October 2024 |accessdate=11 October 2024}}
Personal life
Mac is openly queer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2022/11/05/my-neighbour-totoro-mei-mac-interview/|title=My Neighbour Totoro's Mei Mac on the queer magic of Studio Ghibli and her 'fight' for representation|journal=Pink News|first=Asyia|last=Iftikhar|date=5 November 2022|accessdate=10 June 2023}} During lockdown, she co-founded Rising Waves, a collective for British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) artists.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/mei-mac-interview|title=Mei Mac Recreates Anime Magic On The Barbican Stage In My Neighbour Totoro|journal=British Vogue|first=Amel|last=Mukhtar|date=19 November 2022|accessdate=10 June 2023}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Award !Category !Work !Result |
| 2023
|Nominated |
| 2023
|Best Performer in a Play |My Neighbour Totoro |
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mac, Mei}}
Category:Actresses from Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:21st-century British actresses
Category:British stage actresses
Category:British television actresses
Category:English people of Hong Kong descent
Category:British queer actresses