Gina Hiraizumi
| Gina Hiraizumi | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Gina Tomoko Hiraizumi[1] November 20, 1980 Torrance, California |
Gina Hiraizumi is a Juilliard alumni, who has been acting professionally for over 15 years. With over 5 features releasing for 2017, her career is taking an exciting leap.
Her next theatrical release is with A-List Japan star, MIEKO HARADA in the drama feature, TOKYO NEW YORK as “Keiko” - a Japanese girl forced to work in the underground Tokyo hostess club world for survival, while Harada plays the mama-san boss in this Japanese scripted feature. This international drama feature by Award-winning director, Naghmeh Shirkhan is set to release in 2017.
In the crime/murder TV series, DEADLY SINS (2016 / ID Discovery) Gina was the lead title role of real life Filipina criminal, "Rosalina Misina Mendoza" in this full hour biopic tale. She portrays the role of Rosalina in her early 20's (she is now in her 60’s, incarcerated in prison without parole in Seattle, WA) and portrays her character from the start, as the story unfolds from her harsh beginnings in Manila, Philippines to the United States. Her character has stirred a lot of emotions with the fans of the show, as Twitter exploded with comments upon the TV release.
Network television credits include CASTLE and FLASH FORWARD (ABC), SHARK (CBS), QUINTUPLETS (FOX). Gina played the beauty queen wife of martial arts superstar, JASON SCOTT LEE (“Dragon: Bruce Lee Story”) in the WWII period piece feature, ONLY THE BRAVE and co-starred in DAY OF INDEPENDENCE by Academy Award Winner, director Chris Tashima.
Gina’s past celebrity endorsement deals include KILAUEA FIRE (Hawaiian Hot Sauce) as seen in the Hawaiian Airlines’ HANA HOU MAGAZINE and a 2010 CALENDAR by Hilton Hawaiian Village. A calendar signing tour took her around the world and was a massive success.
The eldest of 3 sisters, Gina grew up in Los Angeles, CA while traveling to Tokyo 2-3 times a year, every year of her life. Growing up privileged, her father was a successful entrepreneur - the owner of a global travel agency, which allowed the entire family to live an international lifestyle. Many summers were spent attending Japanese schools in Tokyo, Japan and swimming the beaches in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gina got her start in acting when her whole family was cast in a Japanese commercial for "House Curry" when she was 15. She enrolled herself in acting training as a teenager with her first acting coach, Aaron Speiser - the coach behind Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith. Upon acceptance to Juilliard, she took off a handful of years mid-career to get formal training in NYC. To this day, the most transformative moment of her career was when she was invited over to the home of fellow Juilliard Alumni, VIOLA DAVIS ("How to Get Away with Murder”). Recalling some of the life and business lessons she was mentored with, she still credits that meeting for the most "lifechanging meeting of my life."
Gina recently got married to her husband, Blayne and plans to start a family in the next year.
She lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Singing career
Performed the National Anthem for STAPLES CENTER, DODGER STADIUM and MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. She is the first Asian-American singer to perform on the gospel show, PRAISE THE LORD on TBN - the only Christian talk show, consisting of a billion viewers worldwide. Her first English music video single, NEVER SAY NEVER was released by the filmmakers of the Black Eyed Peas’ Filipino-oriented hits, “Bebot” and “APL song” – Patricio Ginelsa.
References
- ↑ According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com