Tim Kano

Last updated

Tim Kano
Born
Christchurch, New Zealand
Nationality New Zealand, Japanese
Years active2001–present

Tim Kano is a New Zealand actor, known for playing Leo Tanaka in the Australian television soap opera Neighbours from 2016 until 2022. He also stars in the 2021 horror film Great White .

Contents

Early life

Kano's mother Sue is from New Zealand with Irish heritage, and his father Fujio, was Japanese. [1] Kano was born in Christchurch and grew up between Wellington, New Zealand and Japan with his sister Maya. [2] [1] Upon returning to New Zealand after spending his primary school years in Japan, Kano took modelling and acting jobs and completed a media and film studies course. Kano returned to Japan to study Political Science at university in Tokyo. [2] [1] Working in politics was a goal for Kano, who worked for MP Chris Carter for a year. [1]

Career

Beginning his career in New Zealand, Kano played an extra in The Lord of the Rings and had some other small parts in TV and movies from 2001.

Kano's big break came when he joined Australian soap opera, Neighbours in 2016 as Leo Tanaka. He obtained the role after auditioning for both parts of twin brother roles, with the second twin role of David Tanaka eventually going to Takaya Honda. [2]

With the goal of making a life in Hollywood, Kano left Neighbours in 2019, but made a return in 2021. [3]

In 2019, Kano filmed the movie Great White and played Joji, a Japanese businessman. [4]

In 2021, Kano played Ian in the TV comedy series, The Power of the Dream. [5] He also featured in the Paramount+ comedy series Spreadsheet . [6]

Personal life

Kano resides in Melbourne with his dog and is a fan of 1950s American men's style. [7]

Once a singer in a punk band, Kano can also play guitar. [2] [1]

Franklin Fisher of the band Algiers, is Kano's brother in-law. [1]

In 2018, Kano was nominated as a Cosmopolitan Bachelor of the Year. [8]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001The TribeChosen Guard ClarkGuest role
2003FreakyRyanEpisode: "Slide, Lab-Rats & Radio"
2008Loss of InnocenceMajor PhelpsShort film
2009–2010Reservoir HillMatt MoorlandGuest role
2015 Holding The Man IanGuest role
2016 Winners & Losers Jamie WaltonEpisode: "Ready Set Go"
Road Trip Leo Tanaka Web series
2016–2022 Neighbours Leo TanakaMain cast
2016 Summer Stories Leo TanakaWeb series
2017 Neighbours vs Time Travel Leo TanakaWeb series
2021 Great White Joji MinaseFeature film
The Power Of The DreamIanGuest role
Spreadsheet ChaseEpisode: "Banjos & Dirty Duck"
2022 La Brea AnthonyEpisode: "The Fog"
2023 Love Me Lindsay1 episode

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ramsay Street</span> Fictional cul-de-sac in the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Ramsay Street is the fictional cul-de-sac in which the characters of the Australian soap opera Neighbours live. The street is set in the equally fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough. Neighbours storylines primarily centre on the residents of the street, which was named after Jack Ramsay, the grandfather of original character Max Ramsay. A blackjack game between Jack and Sam Robinson determined whose name the street would be named after. Only six houses on the street are featured on a regular basis; numbers 22 to 32. Number 34 was featured for the only time in 2018. The cul-de-sac is at the end of a long street and the rest of the houses are on the other side of the main road which bisects it. The street behind Ramsay Street is named Mirrabooka Drive. A storyline within the show saw the name of the street nearly changed to Ramsbottom Street. Harold Bishop led a protest against it and won.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erinsborough</span> Fictional location from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Erinsborough is the fictional suburb where the Australian soap opera Neighbours is set. The show focuses on the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the suburb. Neighbours storylines primarily centre on the residents of Ramsay Street within other Erinsborough locations, namely The Waterhole, Harold's Café, Lassiters Hotel, Erinsborough High School and Erinsborough Hospital. Erinsborough, which is a loose anagram of Neighbours, was originally going to be named Erinsfield. Throughout much of the show's run, it was not stated in which city of Australia Erinsborough is located. The rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne meant that scripts did not, until 1994, mention that Erinsborough is a suburb of the latter city. Since the 2000s it has been explicitly stated that Erinsborough is a suburb of Melbourne.

The Robinson family are a fictional family from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours. The family were created by Reg Watson and introduced in the first episode of the serial, broadcast on 18 March 1985. The family initially consisted of Jim Robinson, his mother-in-law Helen Daniels, and his four children Paul Robinson, Julie Martin, Scott Robinson, and Lucy Robinson. The Robinsons have one of the largest and most complex family trees in the show's history.

<i>Neighbours</i> Australian soap opera (1985–present)

Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap Sons and Daughters. Although successful in Melbourne, Neighbours underperformed in the Sydney market and was cancelled by Seven four months after it began airing. It was immediately commissioned by rival Network Ten for a second production season, which began screening on 20 January 1986. Neighbours became the longest-running drama series in Australian television history. In 2005, it was inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame.

Scott Ian Major is an Australian actor and TV and film director, known for his roles as Peter Rivers in the 1994 television teen drama series Heartbreak High and Lucas Fitzgerald in soap opera Neighbours. After leaving Neighbours in 2013, Major returned to direct over 200 episodes of the serial. He has since gone on to direct episodes of Playing for Keeps, and two miniseries Lie With Me and Riptide. Major reprised his role as Rivers in the 2022 reboot of Heartbreak High.

Tim Phillipps is an Australian actor perhaps best known for his roles in the soap opera Neighbours, drama series Bed of Roses and the movie Animal Kingdom. He has also appeared in the American television series Once Upon a Time and The Secret Circle. He provided the voice and motion capture for Dante in the video game DmC: Devil May Cry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terese Willis</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Terese Willis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Rebekah Elmaloglou. The actress was cast in the role after attending an audition in late 2012. Before she began filming her first scenes in early February 2013, Elmaloglou had to ask the producers to change the pronunciation of her character's name. Elmaloglou's character and her family were created around the character of Brad Willis, who was reintroduced after twenty years as part of an ongoing overhaul of the show's cast and renewed focus on family units. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 May 2013.

Amy Williams (<i>Neighbours</i>) Soap opera character

Amy Williams is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Zoe Cramond. The character was originally played by child actress Nicolette Minster in 1988, while Sheridan Compagnino took over the role for Amy's reappearance in 1992. In May 2015, it was announced Amy would be returning to Neighbours and Cramond was cast in the role. She made her first screen appearance as Amy on 2 June 2015. Amy is the eldest child of Paul Robinson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Brennan</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Aaron Brennan is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Matt Wilson. The actor originally auditioned for the role of Tyler Brennan and participated in a long casting process, during which he sent the producers a recording of himself performing a scene, before attending an audition. Producers ultimately selected Travis Burns to play Tyler, but created the additional role of Aaron for Wilson. Like Tyler, Aaron was introduced as the brother of established character Mark Brennan. Wilson relocated from Sydney to Melbourne for filming, and debuted four months after Tyler's arrival, on 16 June 2015. The character was initially intended to be a guest part, but due to Wilson's "endearing quality", he was promoted to the full-time cast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Tanaka</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

David Tanaka is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Takaya Honda. He made his first appearance in the main show during the episode broadcast on 21 September 2016. The character was introduced alongside his twin brother Leo Tanaka, and they arrive in Erinsborough to find their long-lost biological father. The show's producer had planned their stories out six months in advance and was excited about the prospect of them joining the series. Both Honda and Kano auditioned for both roles and were later awarded their respective parts. David is characterised as the more self-conscious and socially awkward of the Tanaka twins, but he is career minded and confident in his role as a doctor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leo Tanaka</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Leo Tanaka is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Tim Kano. He made his first appearance in the main show during the episode broadcast on 22 September 2016. The character was introduced alongside his twin brother David Tanaka, and they arrive in Erinsborough to find their long-lost biological father. Both Kano and Honda auditioned for both Tanaka roles and were later awarded their respective parts. The show's producer Jason Herbison had planned their stories months in advance. The shows writing team meticulously researched the show's history to find a way to introduce the two characters into the show's long-standing Robinson family. Leo and David's search ended in the revelation that the show's villainous character, Paul Robinson was their father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mishti Sharma</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Mishti Sharma is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Scarlet Vas. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 18 April 2017. The character was introduced alongside an extended branch of the show's long-standing Rebecchi family, who consist of Indian-Australians. The show's producer Jason Herbison thought their inclusion was important to better reflect Australian society. Actress Sharon Johal who plays Mishti's sister Dipi Rebecchi originally auditioned for the role of Mishti. When writers changed the characters age they hired Vas to play her instead. Vas made her final appearance as Mishti on 19 October 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Brennan</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Chloe Brennan is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by April Rose Pengilly. Pengilly auditioned for the role without knowing anything about the character. Not long after she made plans to move to Los Angeles, Pengilly was invited for a screen test and she was offered the part of Chloe a week later. Neighbours marks her first regular television role, and she made her debut during the episode broadcast on 27 March 2018. Chloe is the sister of the established Brennan brothers, and had often been mentioned on-screen by her family prior to her arrival. Chloe is portrayed as "well-meaning", "carefree" and "fun-loving". She wants to get along with everyone and live her life to the fullest. However, she also suffers from intimacy and "daddy issues", due to her upbringing which saw her raised by her mother following her parents' separation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolette Stone</span> Soap opera character

Nicolette Stone is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Charlotte Chimes and Hannah Monson. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 15 July 2020. Chimes auditioned for the role at a time she felt creatively fulfilled owing to her work on another series. Despite her nonchalant approach, Chimes was invited to a second audition, which the then Sydney based actress had to perform over video-tape due to the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions imposed in Australia. Chimes was successful and assumed the role of Nicolette, who writers created as the daughter of the heritage character, Jane Harris. From her introduction, Nicolette was portrayed as "straight talking" and "brash", unafraid to hurt other character's feelings. Nicolette is a lesbian and is confident with being open about her sexuality. Writers often used Nicolette's characterisation in her storylines. Writers created a fractured backstory between Nicolette and Jane, owed to Jane's request that Nicolette conceal her sexuality from her opinionated grandmother. Nicolette's early stories commonly featured her and Jane's journey to reconciliation. Writers further explored Nicolette's backstory with the introduction of her friend Audrey Hamilton, who had helped Nicolette commit fraud.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nikas-Boulos, Catherine (2 June 2017). "For a New Zealander who has lived, worked, studied and travelled abroad, Neighbours star Tim Kano is happy to call Melbourne home". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Actor Focus: Tim Kano". Cinema Australia. 18 April 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  3. Kilkelly, Daniel (30 May 2021). "Exclusive: Neighbours star Tim Kano discusses Leo Tanaka return". Digital Spy . Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  4. Kilkelly, Daniel; Sandwell, Ian (26 May 2021). "Neighbours star Tim Kano explains how Great White is different to Jaws". Digital Spy . Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  5. "Comedy mockumentary series, The Power of the Dream, follows aspiring Olympians with no sporting skill". TV Blackbox. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  6. Knox, David (17 October 2021). "Spreadsheet". TV Tonight . Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  7. "At Home With... Tim Kano". The Iconic. 7 May 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  8. "Cosmopolitan & Tinder Host Bachelor of the Year Competition". Global Dating Insights. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2021.