Midori Francis
{{short description|American actress (b. 1994)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Midori Francis
| birth_name = Midori Anne Iwama
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|4|16}}
| birth_place = Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S.
| occupation = Actress
| yearsactive = 2014−present
| education = Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BFA)
}}
Midori Anne Iwama (born April 16, 1994),{{Cite web|url=https://www.popbuzz.com/tv-film/features/midori-francis/|title=Midori Francis: 13 facts about Netflix's Dash & Lily star you need to know}} known professionally as Midori Francis, is an American actress. She began her career in theatre, earning NYIT, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards. She received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her role as Lily in the Netflix series Dash & Lily (2020). She also starred in Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Mika Yasuda from 2022 to 2024.
Early life and education
Francis grew up in Rumson, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Joanne and Ken Iwama, the current chancellor of Indiana University Northwest.{{Cite web|url=https://www.iun.edu/news/2021/midori-francis.htm|title=A shining star: an interview with Midori Francis|website=Indiana University Northwest|date=24 September 2021|accessdate=28 November 2021}} Named after her paternal grandmother,{{Cite journal|url=https://www.whowhatwear.com/midori-francis-interview/slide2|title=Dash & Lily Is a Perfect Weekend Watch, and You're Going to Love Its Star|journal=Who What Wear|first=Jessica|last=Baker|date=11 November 2020|accessdate=28 November 2021}} Francis is of Japanese descent on her father's side and Irish and Italian on her mother's. On growing up in a predominantly white town in the 90s and early 2000s, she commented "I was teased a lot for being Asian, I was bullied, made to feel like I was ugly or weird". She identifies as a Hapa.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.lct.org/explore/blog/midori-francis-and-sarah-mezzanotte-what-theyve-learned/|title=Midori Francis and Sarah Mezzanotte: What They've Learned|journal=Lincoln Center Theater|first=Brendan|last=Lemon|date=January 4, 2018|accessdate=October 8, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://mixedasianmedia.com/hapa-mag-issue-013/2020/12/5/midori-francis-rising-star-and-relentless-optimist|title=Midori Francis: Rising Star And Relentless Optimist|website=Mixed Asian Media|first=Nathan|last=Liu|date=9 December 2020|accessdate=28 November 2021|archive-date=November 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211128103501/https://mixedasianmedia.com/hapa-mag-issue-013/2020/12/5/midori-francis-rising-star-and-relentless-optimist|url-status=dead}}
Francis attended Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. She went on to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2014. She studied abroad in London, training with Tim Carroll and performing in a production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Shakespeare's Globe.{{Cite web|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/530241c4e4b00ab549289d9a/t/581ea8cff7e0abaa8f3aee77/1478404303868/Midori+Francis+Res+10-28-16.pdf|title=Midori Francis|website=Henderson Hogan Agency|accessdate=October 8, 2020|archive-date=October 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009192111/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/530241c4e4b00ab549289d9a/t/581ea8cff7e0abaa8f3aee77/1478404303868/Midori+Francis+Res+10-28-16.pdf|url-status=dead}}
Career
Upon graduating from Rutgers, Francis landed stage roles in regional productions of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and Peter and the Starcatcher as Nina and Molly respectively.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.pilotonline.com/entertainment/arts/article_5cc3145b-c64f-591c-a7b9-cabe99145729.html|title=Prequel story of Peter Pan at Virginia Stage Company offers clever, original moments|journal=Virginia Pilot|first=Mal|last=Vincent|date=October 1, 2015|accessdate=October 8, 2020}} She won Best Actress at the 2016 New York Innovative Theatre Awards as well as receiving a Best Ensemble nomination for her role as Meghan in the Off-Broadway play Connected at 59E59 Theaters. From 2017 to 2018, she was in the original cast of The Wolves, garnering ensemble awards at the Obie and Drama Desk Awards. At the latter, Francis was also nominated for Outstanding Actress in Play for her role in Ming Peiffer's Usual Girls.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.playbill.com/article/midori-francis-to-lead-cast-of-ming-peiffers-usual-girls|title=Midori Francis to Lead Cast of Ming Peiffer's Usual Girls|journal=Playbill|first=Olivia|last=Clement|date=August 29, 2018|accessdate=October 8, 2020}}
In 2018, Francis made her feature film debut in Ocean's 8. The following year, she appeared in South Mountain and Good Boys.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/adawson/2019/08/14/molly-gordon-cuts-boys-no-slack-in-new-comedy/#5245a6f664bd|title=Molly Gordon Cuts Boys No Slack In New Comedy|website=Forbes|first=Angela|last=Dawson|date=August 14, 2019|accessdate=October 8, 2020}} In October 2019, it was announced Francis would star in her first lead role opposite Austin Abrams in the 2020 Netflix Christmas romantic comedy series Dash & Lily, an adaptation of the young adult novel by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn.{{Cite journal|url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/austin-abrams-midori-francis-starnetflix-holiday-ya-series-dash-lily-shawn-levy-nick-jonas-1202760183/|title=Austin Abrams & Midori Francis Star In Netflix Holiday YA Series 'Dash & Lily' From Shawn Levy & Nick Jonas|journal=Deadline Hollywood|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=October 15, 2019|accessdate=October 8, 2020}} Francis was included in the creative process, as elements from her real life background and experiences were incorporated.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/11/10157229/dash-lily-lead-actress-midori-francis-interview|title=Dash & Lily's Delightful Midori Francis Reminds Boys That Pigtail-Pulling Is Not Flirting|journal=Refinery29|first=Ariana|last=Romero|date=10 November 2020|accessdate=28 November 2021}} For her performance, Francis was nominated for Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program at the 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Francis appeared alongside Victoria Justice in the Netflix fantasy comedy film Afterlife of the Party in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/victoria-justice-midori-francis-afterlife-of-the-party/ |title=Victoria Justice and Midori Francis to Star in 'Afterlife of the Party' for Netflix (Exclusive) |first=Umberto|last=Gonzalez|website=TheWrap|date=8 October 2020|access-date=4 May 2021}} In March 2021, it was announced Francis had joined the main cast of the HBO Max series The Sex Lives of College Girls, which premiered later that year.{{cite web |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=12 March 2021 |title='The Sex Lives Of College Girls': Midori Francis, Gavin Leatherwood Among Six Cast In Mindy Kaling's HBO Max Series |url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/the-sex-lives-of-college-girls-midori-francis-gavin-leatherwood-cast-hbo-max-series-1234713661/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313010559/https://deadline.com/2021/03/the-sex-lives-of-college-girls-midori-francis-gavin-leatherwood-cast-hbo-max-series-1234713661/ |archive-date=13 March 2021 |access-date=12 March 2021 |work=Deadline Hollywood}}
In January 2022, Francis was set to star in the TV thriller film Unseen with Jolene Purdy, helmed by Yoko Okumura in her feature directing debut.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/epix-yoko-okumura-to-direct-1234915865/|title=Epix & Blumhouse Casts Jolene Purdy & Midori Francis For TV Movie Thriller 'Unseen'; Yoko Okumura To Direct|first=Alexandra|last=Del Rosario|date=20 January 2022|work=Deadline Hollywood}} In July 2022, it was announced that Francis was cast as a series regular for season 19 of ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy.{{cite news|url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/midori-francis-joins-cast-greys-anatomy-season-19-sex-lives-of-college-girls-1235074579/|title='Grey's Anatomy' Adds 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' Midori Francis To Cast For Season 19|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=22 July 2022|work=Deadline Hollywood}} She announced she would be leaving the show in 2024.{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/midori-francis-leaving-greys-anatomy-mika-yasuda-1235917481/ | title=Midori Francis Leaving 'Grey's Anatomy' Next Season | date=May 15, 2024 }}
Personal life
She is vocal about Asian representation in media and speaks frequently about her experience as an Asian-American in Hollywood.{{Cite web|last=Mizoguchi|first=Karen|date=November 25, 2020|title=Midori Francis and Troy Iwata Talk Importance of LGBTQ and Asian Representation in Netflix's Dash & Lily|url=https://people.com/tv/dash-and-lily-midori-francis-troy-iwata-importance-of-lgbtq-asian-representation/|access-date=2022-02-08|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=March 23, 2021|title='I feel on edge sometimes.' Prominent Asian Americans speak out against rise in bias incidents|url=https://bronx.news12.com/i-feel-on-edge-sometimes-prominent-asian-americans-speak-out-against-rise-in-bias-incidents|access-date=2022-02-08|website=News 12 - The Bronx}}
She identifies as queer.{{cite news|first=Rachel|last=Simon|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/style/midori-francis-greys-anatomy.html|title=Midori Francis Is Among the New Class of 'Grey's Anatomy'|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 29, 2022|accessdate=April 28, 2024}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 2018
| April | |
| 2019
| Emme | |
| 2019
| Lily | |
| 2021
| Lisa | Streaming film |
| 2023
| Unseen | Emily | |
| TBA
| TBA |
=Television=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |
| scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Notes |
|---|
| 2016
| Younger | Lin | Episode: "The Marshmallow Experiment " |
| 2017
| Gotham | Emma Hsueh | Episode: "A Dark Knight: A Day in the Narrows" |
| 2018
| Divorce | Katie | Episode: "Going, Going... Gone" |
| 2018
| Paterno | Riot Interviewee | Television film |
| 2019
| The Birch | Lanie Bouchard | Web series; recurring role, 8 episodes |
| 2020
| Lily | Lead role |
| 2021–2024
| The Sex Lives of College Girls | Alicia | Main role (season 1, 3) |
| 2022–2024
| Dr. Mika Yasuda | Main role (seasons 19-seasons 21) |
Stage
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2014
| Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike | Nina | Syracuse Stage, Syracuse |
| 2015
| Molly |
| 2016
| Connected | Meghan | 59E59 Theaters, Off-Broadway |
| 2017−2018
| No. 8 | The Duke on 42nd Street, Off-Broadway; Mitzi Newhouse Theater, Off-Broadway; New York Stage and Film, Vassar |
| rowspan="2"|2019
| Before the Meeting | Nicole | Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, Massachusetts{{Cite journal|url=https://theberkshireedge.com/review-wtfs-authentic-before-the-meeting-is-clever-and-genuine/meeting-midori-francis-deirdre-oconnell-arnie-burton-photo-by-joseph-omalley/|title=MEETING-Midori Francis, Deirdre O'Connell, Arnie Burton, photo by Joseph O'Malley|journal=The Berkshire Edge|first=Emily|last=Edelman|date=August 13, 2019|accessdate=October 8, 2020}} |
| Usual Girls
| Kyeoung | Roundabout Theatre Company, Off-Broadway |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|2016
| rowspan="2" | New York Innovative Theatre Awards | Outstanding Actress | rowspan="2" | Connected | {{won}} |
| Outstanding Ensemble
| {{nom}} | |
| rowspan="2"|2017
| Distinguished Performance by an Ensemble | rowspan="2" | The Wolves | {{won}} |
| rowspan="2" | Drama Desk Awards
| Outstanding Ensemble | {{won}} |
| 2019
| Outstanding Actress in a Play | Usual Girls | {{nom}} |
| 2021
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program | Dash & Lily | {{nom}} | {{cite web|url=https://theemmys.tv/day-48th-nominations-childrens-lifestyle/|title=Children's & Lifestyle Nominations |publisher= National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences |access-date=June 28, 2021|date=June 28, 2021 }} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|6377764}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Francis, Midori}}
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from New Jersey
Category:American actresses of Japanese descent
Category:American film actresses
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:American stage actresses
Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent
Category:LGBTQ people from New Jersey
Category:Mason Gross School of the Arts alumni
Category:People from Rumson, New Jersey
Category:American queer actresses
Category:Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School alumni
Category:Rutgers University alumni
Category:People from Lakewood Township, New Jersey