Mie Hama

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (November 2006) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

Mie Hama (浜 美枝, Hama Mie^?, born November 20, 1943 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress best known for her role as Kissy Suzuki in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. Her first name is pronounced "Mee-eh".

Hama was working as a bus fare collector when she was spotted by producer Tomoyuki Tanaka. Hama went on to become one of the most in-demand actresses in Japan. Notable appearances included Toho Studio's monster movies such as King Kong Escapes. By the time she starred in You Only Live Twice, she had made more than 60 movies.

Hama was originally cast to play the character Aki (who was originally named Suki), and her co-star Akiko Wakabayashi was cast to play Kissy Suzuki. The two actresses were sent to London for 3 months, to be tutored in English. Hama and Wakabayashi switched roles, with Hama playing the smaller part of Kissy (although the character was in fact considered the main Bond girl); both voices were overdubbed in the final film anyway. And because of illness during filming, she was doubled in a diving scene by Diane Cilento, Sean Connery's wife at the time.

In the June 1967 issue of Playboy Hama, along with Akiko Wakabayashi and several other actresses from "You Only Live Twice", appeared nude in a memorable pictorial entitled "007's Oriental Eyefuls". Reportedly this pictorial caused a great deal of controversy in Japan.

Hama's acting career slowed down in the 1970s. She has since become a media figure in Japan and an active environmentalist.