Emi Nishimura
Profession: Actress/Performer
Born: 1980, Tomakomai, Hokkaid
Education: studied theater in both Japan and the U.S., earning a degree from San Diego State University and later training at The Groundlings Theatre in Los Angeles.
Background: worked internationally as an actress in film, television, stage, and voiceover, and is also active as a producer and community organizer.
Instagram: @emi_canavan @japanscreenadvocacy
Building a Creative Community: Actress Emi Nishimura and the Birth of JapanScreen Advocacy (JSA)
“When I looked around Los Angeles, I saw Asian groups in the TV and film industry, but nothing specifically for Japanese, Japanese Americans, or those with ties to Japan. I created JapanScreen Advocacy (JSA) because I wanted to build a space where creative people with those connections could come together,” says actress Emi Nishimura.
Originally from Tomakomai in Hokkaido, Japan, Nishimura moved often due to her father’s job as a company employee. By age three, she had moved to Sapporo, and later to Muroran during elementary school. “I actually enjoyed changing schools—I adapted easily,” she recalls. She became class president and took lead roles in school performances, including playing a male haniwa (ancient Japanese clay figure) artisan in a school play. “I’ve never liked the idea of separating things by gender, so playing a male role didn’t bother me.”
After being accepted into high school, her father’s job took the family back to Sapporo. It was during this time that her dream of becoming an actress began to take shape. She enrolled in Hokkaido Actors School, inspired by theater experiences her mother took her to and her growing interest in Hollywood films. Soon, she decided to study acting in English.
After graduating high school, Nishimura moved to Tokyo and studied English for a year before enrolling in a community college near San Francisco. Her mother remained her biggest supporter throughout. Later, she transferred to San Diego State University, where she studied theater more intensively. Living in an international dorm, she met her future husband from Australia. “Theater is never a solo effort. University taught me how to collaborate, how to communicate—and it felt like a small society where I could truly grow.”
Following a year in Los Angeles, Nishimura returned to Japan, where she worked for six years in concert promotion and event production. In 2012, she relocated to Australia, launching her acting career in theater, commercials, and film. She also served as a host and performer in the live family show Dinosaur Zoo, which toured 30 cities across Japan with 70 performances.
In 2019, she moved back to the U.S. after nearly 15 years away. Since then, Nishimura has appeared in Apple TV+’s For All Mankind, independent films, video game voiceovers, and more. She earned a Diversity Scholarship from the renowned Groundlings Theatre & School, whose alumni include many famous SNL cast members, and continues to study improv and sketch comedy.
In March 2025, she produced a charity comedy show in Little Tokyo featuring Japanese and Japanese American female comedians. Through her organization JSA, she hosts networking events and shares information on castings, news, and industry happenings. Last year, she welcomed her first child—a daughter.
“I want to create more projects that empower Japanese and Japanese American women in entertainment,” she says with determination.
