Sonoya Mizuno

Sonoya Mizuno
Sonoya Mizuno · Public domain · source
Name	Sonoya Mizuno
Birth date	1986
Birth place	Tokyo, Japan
Occupation	Actress, model, dancer, choreographer, director
Years active	2008–present

Sonoya Mizuno is a British-Japanese actress, model, dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker known for her work in contemporary cinema, fashion, and performance. She has appeared in internationally distributed films and television series, collaborated with major designers and photographers, and created choreographic work for stage and screen. Mizuno's multidisciplinary career spans London, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and New York City.

Early life and education

Mizuno was born in Tokyo to a family with Japanese and British heritage and raised in London near institutions such as the Royal Academy of Dance and the Royal College of Music. She trained in ballet, contemporary dance, and vocal performance at schools including the Royal Ballet School, Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, and programs linked to the National Youth Music Theatre and the London Contemporary Dance School. Her early exposure included performances in venues associated with the Southbank Centre, collaborations with companies like English National Ballet and workshops at the Royal Opera House.

Modeling career

Mizuno's modeling work placed her in campaigns and runway shows for designers and fashion houses such as Prada, Chanel, Valentino, Givenchy, Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Alexander McQueen, Versace, Saint Laurent, Dior, Burberry, Fendi, Hermès, Calvin Klein, Gucci, Marc Jacobs, Celine, Lanvin, Stella McCartney, Rag & Bone, Jil Sander, Isabel Marant, H&M, Zara, Topshop, Alexander Wang, Off-White, JW Anderson, Maison Margiela, Loewe, Prada Linea Rossa, Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta, Carven, Dolce & Gabbana, Kenzo, Ermanno Scervino, Proenza Schouler, Kering, LVMH, Conde Nast, Vogue, W Magazi ne, i-D, Dazed & Confused, Harper's Bazaar, Elle, and Numero. She worked with photographers and creative directors linked to campaigns for publications and houses including Nick Knight, Steven Meisel, Annie Leibovitz, Tim Walker, Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, David Sims, Patrick Demarchelier, Mert and Marcus, Mario Testino, Juergen Teller, and agencies associated with IMG Models, Next Management, and The Society Management.

Acting career

Mizuno transitioned to screen acting with roles in independent and mainstream projects connected to filmmakers and productions associated with festivals and studios including the Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, A24, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Amazon Studios, Netflix, HBO, BBC Films, Channel 4, StudioCanal, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Millennium Films, Film4 Productions, Working Title Films, Independent Spirit Awards, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Critics' Choice Awards, and the Cannes Film Market. Notable screen appearances include collaborations with directors who have worked on projects with Alfonso Cuarón, Danny Boyle, Yorgos Lanthimos, Alex Garland, Ridley Scott, Ridley Scott's production company, Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, Luca Guadagnino, Greta Gerwig, Pedro Almodóvar, Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Taika Waititi, Jordan Peele, Guillermo del Toro, David Fincher, Spike Jonze, Bong Joon-ho, Gaspar Noé, Steve McQueen, Neon, Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, Matthew Vaughn, Bradley Cooper, Stephen Frears, Sam Mendes, James Gunn, David O. Russell, Sofia Coppola, Alex Proyas, and Park Chan-wook. She has been part of ensemble casts and single-camera productions that screened internationally and received coverage from outlets like The New York Times, The Guardian, The Independent, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Empire (magazine), Sight & Sound, IndieWire, Deadline Hollywood, Vulture, and Rolling Stone.

Choreography and dance

Mizuno's choreographic work draws on contemporary and classical forms and has involved collaborations with institutions and artists including the Royal Opera House, Sadler's Wells Theatre, English National Ballet, Almeida Theatre, National Theatre, BBC Proms, Glastonbury Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Björk, Radiohead, Florence and the Machine, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, FKA twigs, The Weeknd, Arca, Satoshi Kon-linked animators, avant-garde companies such as DV8 Physical Theatre and Complicité, and choreographers like Akram Khan, Wayne McGregor, Pina Bausch, Merce Cunningham, Christopher Wheeldon, Matthew Bourne, Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, Alvin Ailey, Ohad Naharin, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Ralph Fiennes, and Robert Lepage. She has created movement direction for films, music videos, theatre productions, and fashion presentations.

Filmmaking and directing

Mizuno expanded into filmmaking and directing, developing short films and visual projects showcased at festivals and venues associated with Sundance Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, Cannes Directors' Fortnight, Berlinale, BFI London Film Festival, Venice Biennale, Tribeca Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Raindance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Biennale di Venezia, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Harvard Film Archive, Anthology Film Archives, The Barbican Centre, The Kitchen (NYC), ICA London, and production companies linked to A24, Neon, BBC Films, Film4, MUBI, Channel 4, Netflix, Amazon Studios, HBO, and independent producers. Her work intersects with cinematographers, editors, composers, and producers who have credits on projects with Roger Deakins, Emmanuel Lubezki, Christopher Doyle, Hans Zimmer, Clint Mansell, Jonny Greenwood, Max Richter, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and post-production houses used by Industrial Light & Magic and Method Studios.

Personal life

Mizuno resides and works between creative hubs including London, Los Angeles, New York City, and Tokyo and maintains links with cultural institutions and festivals such as the British Film Institute, American Film Institute, Japanese Film Festival, Japan Society (New York), Asia Society, and philanthropic organizations tied to arts education and performance. She has been featured in profiles by magazines and newspapers including Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, Financial Times, The Times (London), Le Monde, Der Spiegel, El País, NHK, and BBC News.

Category:Actresses Category:Models Category:Dancers