Wikipedia

Hanako Footman

Hanako Footman is a British-Japanese actress and writer. She starred in the BBC Two sitcom Defending the Guilty (2018–2019). Her debut novel Mongrel was published in 2024.

Hanako Footman
Born
Wimbledon, London, England
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active2011–present

Early life and education

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Hanako Footman was born to a Japanese mother and an English-Irish father[1] and grew up in Wimbledon, South London.[2] She has two sisters; her sister Erika is a musician.[3]

Footman took a year-long foundation course at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).[3]

Career

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Acting

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Footman made her television debut as Isabella in an episode of the 2012 ITV miniseries The Town. She starred in the 2015 production of Thyestes at the Courtyard Theatre, London and Modern Love, which was put on in 2016 at the Pleasance in London followed by a run at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden.[4]

She returned to television in 2017 when she guest-starred as Lily in a season 2 episode of the Netflix historical drama The Crown, titled "A Company of Men". She also made her feature film debut in the indie horror An American Exorcism.[citation needed]

The following year, Footman appeared in the comedy horror film Slaughterhouse Rulez and starred in the lead role of Pia in the BBC Two sitcom Defending the Guilty; the rest of the series aired in 2019.[5] Also in 2019, she had film roles as Nicole Mowbray in Gavin Hood's Official Secrets and Ruby in Jason Lei Howden's action-comedy Guns Akimbo.[citation needed] She made guest appearances in the E4 sitcom Dead Pixels and the Amazon Prime thriller Absentia, and appeared in the Icelandic series Stella Blómkvist.[citation needed]

In 2022, Footman originated the character Devon in Theresa Rebeck's play Mad House for its David Harbour-led world premiere and run at the Ambassadors Theatre, marking Footman's West End debut.[6] She then appeared in Not Yet Midnight, of the three translated plays featured in the Royal Court Theatre's New Plays: Japan presentation in January 2023.[7][8]

Writing

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Footman's debut novel Mongrel was longlisted for the 2021 Mo Siewcharran Prize and was published in February 2024 by Footnote Press.[9] It was then shortlisted for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize.[10]

Personal life

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Footman is in a relationship with fellow actor Jack Farthing, who also appeared in the film Official Secrets.[11]

Bibliography

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  • Mongrel (2024)

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2017 Re-introduction Sarah Short film
An American Exorcism Tammy
2018 Slaughterhouse Rulez Poppet Chenvix-Trench
Uneatable The Creature Short film
2019 Official Secrets Nicole Mowbray
Guns Akimbo Ruby
2022 Canyon Del Muerto Elizabeth Bixler
2023 Skewered Fleur
2024 Canyon of the Dead Elizabeth Bixler

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2012 The Town Isabella 1 episode
2017 The Crown Lily Episode: "A Company of Men"
2018–2019 Defending the Guilty Pia Main role
2019 Dead Pixels Briony Episode: "Big Nose"
Absentia Petra Bishop Episode: "Bolo"
2021 Stella Blómkvist Alba Noel 2 episodes
2022 Toast of Tinseltown Sorry Johnson Episode: "Monster Mash"

Other

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  • "Girl Panic!" (2011) by Duran Duran (music video)
  • HUSH - Crane (2022), Alma (video game)
  • Baldur's Gate 3 (2023), Araj Oblodra (video game)

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 Thyestes Aerope Courtyard Theatre, London
2016 Modern Love Ella The Pleasance, Edinburgh / Etcetera Theatre, London
2022 Mad House Devon Ambassadors Theatre, London
2023 Not Yet Midnight Woman Royal Court Theatre, London
Part of New Plays: Japan presentation

Audio

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Year Title Role Notes
2018 Empress of All Seasons Narrator Novel by Emiko Jean
2019 The Flower Arranger Novel by JJ Ellis
2021 The Fall of Koli Narrator[a] Novel by MR Carey
The Pact Narrator Novel by Sharon J. Bolton
Toddler Hunting and Other Stories Short stories by Taeko Kono
Unwell Women: A Journey Through Medicine and Myth in a Man-Made World Book by Eleanor Cleghorn
The Fboy Podcast Host with Katharine Orchard and Hannah van der Westhuysen[12]
2023 A Day of Fallen Night Narrator[b] Novel by Samantha Shannon

Notes

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  1. ^ With Saffron Coomber.
  2. ^ with Ellie Kendrick, Sheila Atim, Thoren Ferguson

References

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  1. ^ Lau, Yin Ting (18 July 2022). "Mad House's Hanako Footman: "If you don't see your lived experience, create the space yourself"". &Asian. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  2. ^ "hanako footman". i-D. 18 November 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  3. ^ a b Keaveney, Jim (28 June 2022). "Interview: Hanako Footman, 'People will walk away with a strong desire to talk it out'". The Understudy. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  4. ^ Carè, Christina (20 October 2016). "Review of Modern Love at The Etcetera Theatre". London Theatre. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  5. ^ West, Amy (23 October 2023). "Defending the Guilty's future confirmed after series one finale". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  6. ^ Millward, Tom (6 May 2022). "Akiya Henry and more to join David Harbour and Bill Pullman in Mad House". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Hanako Footman". Royal Court Theatre. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  8. ^ Byard-Jones, Rosi (23 March 2023). "New Japanese playwrights shine on the London stage". The Japan Times. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  9. ^ Brown, Lauren (17 February 2023). "Footnote Press snaps up 'lyrical, precise and visceral' debut novel from actor Footman". The Bookseller. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  10. ^ Knight, Lucy (19 June 2024). "Six 'bold and playful' novels shortlisted for Waterstones debut fiction prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  11. ^ Towers, Emily (24 February 2024). "Jack Farthing from The Serial Killer's Wife: Co-star lover and all his roles to date". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Fboy Launching This Week". Podcast Business Journal. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
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