Michiko Nishiwaki (born November 21, 1957) is a Japanese actress and stunt woman, martial artist, fight choreographer, and former female bodybuilder and powerlifter. She played stunt double for Lucy Liu in the film Charlie's Angels.Michiko Nishiwaki was born in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. As a teenager growing up in Tokyo, she was interested in gymnastics and volleyball. She became interested in bodybuilding when she grew dissatisfied with her body image, regarding her legs as too heavy compared to her upper body. Another turning point was her father's death, which motivated her to have her own say in the planning of her future.
Unusually in the Japanese society of the time, Michiko became a powerlifter and eventually Japan's first female powerlifting champion and first female bodybuilding champion. She opened three fitness clubs co-owned by her brother.
Her acting career began in the 1985 Hong Kong martial arts/comedy film My Lucky Stars after she caught the attention of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. She played a Japanese fighter. She also appeared in films such as The Line of Duty III in 1988, City Cops, Princess Madam and God of Gamblers in 1989. She was quickly typecast, playing villains and femme fatales in most of her Hong Kong films. At times she didn't use a word of dialogue (since she couldn't speak Cantonese well at the time). After returning to Japan, she went to Thailand to star in Whore and the Policewoman in 1993. She appeared in the 1999 film Man on the Moon starring Jim Carrey, and did stunts for Hollywood films such as Red Corner, Blade, Charlie's Angels and Rush Hour 2. Michiko married in 1996 and currently lives in Moorpark, California with her husband and son.
