Nina Makino

Nina Makino-Hillman[1] (born February 27, 2005), also known professionally as Nina Makino (牧野 仁菜, Makino Nina), Nina Hillman (ヒルマン・ニナ, Hiruman Nina), and monomously as Nina (ニナ), is an American singer and former child actress based in Japan. She is a member of the Japanese girl group NiziU.

Nina Makino
Makino in May 2022
Born
Nina Makino-Hillman

(2005-02-27) February 27, 2005
Seattle, Washington, United States
Other names
  • Nina Hillman
  • Nina
Occupation
  • Singer, actress
Years active2015–present
Musical career
Genres
Years active2020–present
Labels
Member of
Signature

Makino began her career as a child actress, appearing in several acting and campaign projects. After passing the first Amuse Multilingual Artists Audition held by Amuse Inc., Makino relocated to Japan and appeared in the film Blood Friends (2019). She left the company to participate in JYP Entertainment's survival reality program Nizi Project, where she, after finishing in ninth place, became a member of NiziU.

Early life

Makino was born on February 27, 2005, in Seattle, Washington, United States.[2][3][4][5] She was born to a Japanese mother and an American father.[6][7] She has an older sister.[6] After moving to Japan in 2017, Makino lived in Nagoya.[8] Makino is fluent in English[7] and Japanese.[7]

Career

Pre-debut

While at ACT (A Contemporary Theatre), Makino starred as Trixie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2015).[9] Makino was the understudy for the musical theatre performance The Secret Garden for the role of Mary Lennox.[10] She portrayed the young Beatrice Chance in the Book-It Repertory Theatre's production of The Brothers K, Part One: Strike Zone.[11][12] Makino was also a featured actress in the online video campaign "How Girls Will Change the World", which promoted STEM education for girls.[1] Her first acting role outside of theater was the American web series Divine Shadow (2016),[13] an independent production filmed in Burien, Washington.[14]

2017–2019: Early Japanese projects

In 2017, Makino was one of six female finalists out of 4,000 applicants[15] who passed the first Amuse Multilingual Artists Audition held by Amuse Inc.[2][7][16] She signed with the company and moved to Japan.[7] Her audition was partially broadcast on the television program Why Did You Come to Japan? in a segment focusing on the audition finals.[7] Makino was cast in Mamoru Oshii's film Blood Friends,[17][18] which was filmed in 2018.[19] In 2019, she became a regular on NHK Educational TV show Suiensā as a member of the Suiensā Girls.[20]

2020–present: Nizi Project and NiziU
Main articles: Nizi Project and NiziU
Makino at KCON 2022 in Seoul, South Korea, on May 8, 2022.

In 2019, Makino left Amuse to audition for JYP Entertainment's reality survival program Nizi Project (2020) under the name Nina Hillman, where she competed to secure a spot in the label's next girl group.[21] Out of 10,231 applicants,[22] Makino came in ninth place,[23] and she went on to join the new girl group, which was later named NiziU.[24] The group debuted on December 2, 2020, with their lead single, "Step and a Step".[25] With the public release of Blood Friends in 2022 after years of postponement, several Japanese media outlets have discussed that media promotions for the film were not allowed to mention that Makino is a member of NiziU due to troubles negotiating with JYP Entertainment, who had distanced her from her previous acting career.[18][19]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2019 Blood Friends Mai Supporting role[lower-alpha 1] [26][27]

Web series
Year Title Role Network Notes Ref.
2016 Divine Shadow Mieu Everest 4 Spot Television Supporting role[lower-alpha 1] [13]

Television
Year Title Role Network Notes Ref.
2019 Suiensā Herself[lower-alpha 1] NHK E-TV Variety show regular; as part of Suiensā Girls [20]
2020 Nizi Project Herself[lower-alpha 2] Hulu Japan, Nippon TV Reality competition show; finished in 9th place [28][29]

Notes
  1. Credited as Nina Makino.
  2. Credited as Nina Hillman.

References
  1. "How Girls Will Change The World". Rebel Clef Studios. March 9, 2016. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  2. "牧野仁菜" [Nina Makino]. The TV (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  3. "NINAのプロフィール" [Nina's profile]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  4. "Part 1 #1-1". Nizi Project. Episode 1 (in Japanese). Japan. 2020. Event occurs at 18:38-18:41. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2022. Nina Hillman: I was born in Washington State, in the USA. (アメリカのワシントン州出身です)
  5. "NiziU "With You"虹色に輝く未来へ思いはひとつ「早く皆さんの前でパフォーマンスしたい」". Sports Nippon (in Japanese). December 18, 2020. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2022. Nina: I want to have a concert in my hometown, Seattle. (地元のシアトルでもコンサートがしたいです)
  6. "Part 1 #1-1". Nizi Project. Episode 1 (in Japanese). Japan. 2020. Event occurs at 19:28-19:36. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2022. Nina Hillman: Uh, well, my mom's Japanese as well, so even at home, instead of using English—and with my sister as well—I try to use as much Japanese as possible. (日本人の母と一緒に住みながら、姉との会話ではできるだけ日本語を使うようにしています)
  7. "キラッキラ☆輝く瞳にクギづけSP" [Sparkling! You Can't Look Away from their Sparkling Eyes Special]. Why Did You Come to Japan?. Episode 180 (in Japanese). Japan. July 24, 2017. Event occurs at 15:55-16:30. TV Tokyo. Text: If I pass, I'll move to Japan! (合格したら、日本へ引っ越す！) / Makino: I'm from Seattle, Washington. My dad's American and my mom's Japanese. / Text: Makino (11 years old) / Languages spoken: English and Japanese (牧野さん（11歳）／話せる言語　英語　日本語)
  8. "Part 1 #1-1". Nizi Project. Episode 1 (in Japanese). Japan. 2020. Event occurs at 18:04-18:10. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2022. J.Y. Park: According to this, you live in Nagoya? (アンケートを見ると...名古屋に住んでいますか？) / Nina Hillman: Yes. (はい)
  9. "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at ACT, A Contemporary Theatre Allen Theatre 2015". About the Artists. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  10. "The Secret Garden at Sidney Harman Hall and others 2016-2017". About the Artists. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  11. "The Brothers K: Part One: Strike Zones at Seattle Center Arts Center House Theatre 2016". About the Artists. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  12. Irwin, Jay. "BWW Review: Family, Religion and Baseball in Book-It's THE BROTHERS K, PART ONE". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  13. "Episode 1". Divine Shadow. Episode 1. United States. 2016. Event occurs at 8:45-8:52. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  14. Dry, Jude (December 12, 2016). "Vancouver Web Fest Announces Official Selections for Fourth Annual Festival". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  15. "キラッキラ☆輝く瞳にクギづけSP" [Sparkling! You Can't Look Away from their Sparkling Eyes Special]. Why Did You Come to Japan?. Episode 180 (in Japanese). Japan. July 24, 2017. Event occurs at 13:55. TV Tokyo. Text: The six who were chosen out of 4,000 people proceed to the finals (約4000人の中から選ばれた6名が今回の最終審査へ)
  16. "牧野 仁菜" [Nina Makino]. Amuse Inc. (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  17. Komatsu, Mikikazu (January 20, 2022). "Mamoru Oshii's New Live-action Film Blood Friends Gets One Night Only Screening on February 5". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  18. "NiziU・ニナ、アミューズ時代の出演映画情報は"取り扱いNG"!? メディアがスルーのワケ". Gree. February 1, 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  19. "唐田えりか主演映画 やっと "一夜限り"上映 4度延期のウラには「NiziU問題」も". Tokyo Sports. February 7, 2022. Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  20. "完熟フレッシュ・池田レイラ、すイエんサーガールズに加入". Oricon (in Japanese). March 18, 2019. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  21. ""まだ間に合う"『Nizi Project』練習生プロフィール一挙紹介 実力派マコ、Zeebraの娘リマら". Oricon (in Japanese). June 19, 2020. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  22. "『Nizi Project』発「NiziU」メンバー9人決定、喜びの涙 急きょ6・30プレデビュー". Oricon (in Japanese). June 26, 2020. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  23. "『Nizi Project』発NiziU 9人が"他己紹介"でメンバーの素顔を明かす！ 5ページ目". Oricon. July 14, 2020. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  24. "Nizi Project：新たなガールズグループの名前は「NiziU」！ デビューメンバー9人が発表". Mantan Web (in Japanese). June 26, 2020. Archived from the original on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  25. "[포토+]니쥬, 데뷔싱글로 日 오리콘 주간 1위...걸그룹 2번째". 글로벌이코노믹 (in Korean). December 8, 2020. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  26. "唐田えりから4人主演映画「血ぃともだち」2・5一夜限りのイベント上映 - シネマ : 日刊スポーツ". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  27. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 20, 2022). "Mamoru Oshii's Live-Action Blood Friends Film Gets 1-Night Screening on February 5". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  28. "Japanese-speaking K-pop girl band: JYP's audition program to air in Japan". The Korea Times. January 21, 2020. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  29. "JYP Entertainment's "Nizi Project" is coming to YouTube". JoongAng Ilbo. May 20, 2020. Archived from the original on May 20, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
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