Tim Kano

{{Infobox person

| name = Tim Kano

| image = Tim Kano Cleo Bachelor Competition.jpg

| caption = Kano in 2017

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Christchurch, New Zealand

| nationality = New Zealand, Japanese

| years_active = 2001–present

}}

Tim Kano is a New Zealand actor, known for playing Leo Tanaka in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours from 2016. He also stars in the 2021 horror film Great White.

Early life

Kano's mother Sue is from New Zealand with Irish heritage, and his father Fujio, was Japanese.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/home-mag/for-a-new-zealander-who-has-lived-worked-studied-and-travelled-abroad-neighbours-star-tim-kano-is-happy-to-call-melbourne-home/news-story/087deefca0c7b17bc67fe585ccd7b757|title=For a New Zealander who has lived, worked, studied and travelled abroad, Neighbours star Tim Kano is happy to call Melbourne home|last=Nikas-Boulos|first=Catherine|date=2 June 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=19 August 2022}} Kano was born in Christchurch and grew up between Wellington, New Zealand and Japan with his sister Maya.{{Cite web|date=18 April 2017|title=Actor Focus: Tim Kano|url=https://cinemaaustralia.com.au/2017/04/18/actor-focus-tim-kano/|access-date=6 July 2021|website=Cinema Australia|language=en}} Upon returning to New Zealand after spending his primary school years in Japan, Kano took modelling and acting jobs and completed a media and film studies course. Kano returned to Japan to study Political Science at university in Tokyo. Working in politics was a goal for Kano, who worked for MP Chris Carter for a year.

Career

Beginning his career in New Zealand, Kano played an extra in The Lord of the Rings and had some other small parts in TV and movies from 2001.{{cn|date=May 2024}} In 2009, he starred in the interactive online drama series Reservoir Hill.{{cite news|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A504684419/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=4bf32b35|title=Tim Kano|last=Hawkins|first=Joanne|date=16 September 2017|work=Herald Sun|access-date=24 May 2024|via=Gale|url-access=subscription}}

Kano's big break came when he joined Australian soap opera, Neighbours in 2016 as entrepreneur Leo Tanaka. He obtained the role after auditioning for both Leo and his twin brother David Tanaka, which eventually went to Takaya Honda. Kano said he grew up watching Neighbours in New Zealand and found meeting the actors "amazing but a bit confronting". With the goal of making a life in Hollywood, Kano left Neighbours in 2019, but made a return in 2021.{{Cite web|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=30 May 2021|title=Exclusive: Neighbours star Tim Kano discusses Leo Tanaka return|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a36576628/neighbours-spoilers-tim-kano-leo-tanaka-return-plot/|access-date=6 July 2021|publisher=Digital Spy|language=en-GB}}

In 2019, Kano filmed the movie Great White in which he plays Joji, a Japanese businessman.{{Cite web|first2=Ian|last2=Sandwell|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|date=26 May 2021|title=Neighbours star Tim Kano explains how Great White is different to Jaws|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a36530682/neighbours-tim-kano-interview-great-white/|access-date=6 July 2021|publisher=Digital Spy|language=en-GB}} In 2021, Kano played Ian in the TV comedy series, The Power of the Dream.{{Cite web|date=30 May 2021|title=Comedy mockumentary series, The Power of the Dream, follows aspiring Olympians with no sporting skill|url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2021/05/31/comedy-mockumentary-series-the-power-of-the-dream-follows-aspiring-olympians-with-no-sporting-skill/|access-date=6 July 2021|website=TV Blackbox|language=en-AU}} He also featured in the Paramount+ comedy series Spreadsheet.{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2021/10/spreadsheet.html|title=Spreadsheet|last=Knox|first=David|date=17 October 2021|publisher=TV Tonight|access-date=19 August 2022}}

Personal life

Kano resides in Melbourne with his dog and is a fan of 1950s American men's style.{{Cite web|date=7 May 2020|title=At Home With... Tim Kano|url=https://www.theiconic.com.au/edition/at-home-with-tim-kano-style|access-date=6 July 2021|website=The Iconic}}

Once a singer in a punk band, Kano can also play guitar.

Franklin Fisher of the band Algiers, is Kano's brother in-law.

In 2018, Kano was nominated as a Cosmopolitan Bachelor of the Year.{{Cite web|date=23 February 2018|title=Cosmopolitan & Tinder Host Bachelor of the Year Competition|url=https://www.globaldatinginsights.com/news/cosmopolitan-tinder-host-bachelor-year-competition/|access-date=6 July 2021|website=Global Dating Insights|language=en-GB}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Role ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \| Notes
scope="row" \|2001 \| The Tribe \| Chosen Guard Clark \| Guest role
scope="row" \|2003 \| Freaky \| Ryan \| Episode: "Slide, Lab-Rats & Radio"
scope="row" \|2008 \| Loss of Innocence \| Major Phelps \| Short film
scope="row" \|2009–2010 \| Reservoir Hill \| Matt Moorland \| Guest role
scope="row" \|2015 \| Holding The Man \| Ian \| Guest role
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| 2016 \| Winners & Losers \| Jamie Walton \| Episode: "Ready Set Go"
Road Trip \| Leo Tanaka \| Web series
scope="row" \| 2016–2025 \| Neighbours \| Leo Tanaka \| Main cast
scope="row" \| 2016 \| Summer Stories \| Leo Tanaka \| Web series
scope="row" \| 2017 \| Neighbours vs Time Travel \| Leo Tanaka \| Web series
rowspan="3" scope="row" \|2021 \| Great White \| Joji Minase \| Feature film
The Power Of The Dream \| Ian \| Guest role
Spreadsheet \| Chase \| Episode: "Banjos & Dirty Duck"
scope="row"\| 2022 \| La Brea \| Anthony \| Episode: "The Fog"
scope="row"\| 2023 \| Love Me \|Lindsay \|1 episode

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Title

! scope="col" | Role

! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes

scope="row" |2001

| The Tribe

| Chosen Guard Clark

| Guest role

scope="row" |2003

| Freaky

| Ryan