Midori Francis
Birth nameMidori Anne Iwama
Birth dateApril 16, 1994 (age 32)
Birth placeLakewood, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active2014−present
EducationRutgers University, New Brunswick (BFA)

Midori Anne Iwama (born April 16, 1994),[1] known professionally as Midori Francis, is an American actress. She began her career in theatre, earning NYIT, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards. She received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her role as Lily in the Netflix series Dash & Lily (2020). She also starred as Dr. Mika Yasuda in Grey's Anatomy (2022–2024).

Early life and education

Francis grew up in Rumson, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Joanne and Ken Iwama, the current chancellor of Indiana University Northwest.[2] Named after her paternal grandmother,[3] Francis is of Japanese descent on her father's side and Irish and Italian on her mother's. On growing up in a predominantly white town in the 1990s and early 2000s, she commented "I was teased a lot for being Asian, I was bullied, made to feel like I was ugly or weird". She identifies as a Hapa.[4][5]

Francis attended Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School. She went on to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University in 2014. She studied abroad in London, training with Tim Carroll and performing in a production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Shakespeare's Globe.[6]

Career

Upon graduating from Rutgers, Francis landed stage roles in regional productions of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and Peter and the Starcatcher as Nina and Molly respectively.[7] She won Best Actress at the 2016 New York Innovative Theatre Awards as well as receiving a Best Ensemble nomination for her role as Meghan in the Off-Broadway play Connected at 59E59 Theaters. From 2017 to 2018, she was in the original cast of The Wolves, garnering ensemble awards at the Obie and Drama Desk Awards. At the latter, Francis was also nominated for Outstanding Actress in Play for her role in Ming Peiffer's Usual Girls.[8]

In 2018, Francis made her feature film debut in Ocean's 8. The following year, she appeared in South Mountain and Good Boys.[9] In October 2019, it was announced Francis would star in her first lead role opposite Austin Abrams in the 2020 Netflix Christmas romantic comedy series Dash & Lily, an adaptation of the young adult novel by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn.[10] Francis was included in the creative process, as elements from her real life background and experiences were incorporated.[11] For her performance, Francis was nominated for Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction Program at the 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards.

Francis appeared alongside Victoria Justice in the Netflix fantasy comedy film Afterlife of the Party in 2021.[12] In March 2021, it was announced Francis had joined the main cast of the HBO Max series The Sex Lives of College Girls, which premiered later that year.[13]

In January 2022, Francis was set to star in the TV thriller film Unseen with Jolene Purdy, helmed by Yoko Okumura in her feature directing debut.[14] In July 2022, it was announced that Francis was cast as a series regular for season 19 of ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy.[15] She announced she would be leaving the show in 2024.[16]

In December 2024 it was announced Francis would star in the film Saccharine helmed by Relic director Natalie Erika James.[17]

In 2025, Francis returned to the stage in the Classic Stage Company production of Bus Stop, playing Cherie. Her performance received positive notices, with The New York Times calling it "the show's standout performance."[18][19][20]

Personal life

She is vocal about Asian representation in media and speaks frequently about her experience as an Asian-American in Hollywood.[21][22]

She identifies as queer.[23]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2018Ocean's 8April
2019South MountainEmme
2019Good BoysLily
2021Afterlife of the PartyLisaStreaming film
2023UnseenEmily
2026SaccharineHana[24]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016YoungerLinEpisode: "The Marshmallow Experiment "
2017GothamEmma HsuehEpisode: "A Dark Knight: A Day in the Narrows"
2018DivorceKatieEpisode: "Going, Going... Gone"
2018PaternoRiot IntervieweeTelevision film
2019The BirchLanie BouchardWeb series; recurring role, 8 episodes
2020Dash & LilyLilyLead role
2021–2024The Sex Lives of College GirlsAliciaMain role (season 1, 3)
Guest role (season 2)
2022–2024Grey's AnatomyDr. Mika YasudaMain role; (seasons 19–season 21)
37 episodes

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Vanya and Sonia and Masha and SpikeNinaSyracuse Stage, Syracuse
2015Peter and the StarcatcherMollyWells Theatre, Norfolk, Virginia
2016ConnectedMeghan59E59 Theaters, Off-Broadway
2017−2018The WolvesNo. 8The Duke on 42nd Street, Off-Broadway; Mitzi Newhouse Theater, Off-Broadway; New York Stage and Film, Vassar
2019Before the MeetingNicoleWilliamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, Massachusetts[25]
Usual GirlsKyeoungRoundabout Theatre Company, Off-Broadway
2025Bus StopCherieClassic Stage Company,[26] Off-Broadway
2026Sylvia Sylvia SylviaSylviaGeffen Playhouse,[27] Off-Broadway

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2016New York Innovative Theatre AwardsOutstanding ActressConnected[28]
Outstanding Ensemble
2017Obie AwardsDistinguished Performance by an EnsembleThe Wolves[29]
Drama Desk AwardsOutstanding Ensemble[30]
2019Outstanding Actress in a PlayUsual Girls[31]
2021Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Fiction ProgramDash & Lily[32]

References

  1. ^ "Midori Francis: 13 facts about Netflix's Dash & Lily star you need to know". Archived 2020-12-01 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ "A shining star: an interview with Midori Francis". Indiana University Northwest. 24 September 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  3. ^ Baker, Jessica (11 November 2020). "Dash & Lily Is a Perfect Weekend Watch, and You're Going to Love Its Star". Who What Wear. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  4. ^ Lemon, Brendan (January 4, 2018). "Midori Francis and Sarah Mezzanotte: What They've Learned". Lincoln Center Theater. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  5. ^ Liu, Nathan (9 December 2020). "Midori Francis: Rising Star And Relentless Optimist". Mixed Asian Media. Archived from the original on November 28, 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Midori Francis". Henderson Hogan Agency. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  7. ^ Vincent, Mal (October 1, 2015). "Prequel story of Peter Pan at Virginia Stage Company offers clever, original moments". Virginia Pilot. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  8. ^ Clement, Olivia (August 29, 2018). "Midori Francis to Lead Cast of Ming Peiffer's Usual Girls". Playbill. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  9. ^ Dawson, Angela (August 14, 2019). "Molly Gordon Cuts Boys No Slack In New Comedy". Forbes. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 15, 2019). "Austin Abrams & Midori Francis Star In Netflix Holiday YA Series 'Dash & Lily' From Shawn Levy & Nick Jonas". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  11. ^ Romero, Ariana (10 November 2020). "Dash & Lily's Delightful Midori Francis Reminds Boys That Pigtail-Pulling Is Not Flirting". Refinery29. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  12. ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (8 October 2020). "Victoria Justice and Midori Francis to Star in 'Afterlife of the Party' for Netflix (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (12 March 2021). "'The Sex Lives Of College Girls': Midori Francis, Gavin Leatherwood Among Six Cast In Mindy Kaling's HBO Max Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived 13 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  14. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (20 January 2022). "Epix & Blumhouse Casts Jolene Purdy & Midori Francis For TV Movie Thriller 'Unseen'; Yoko Okumura To Direct". Deadline Hollywood
  15. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (22 July 2022). "'Grey's Anatomy' Adds 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' Midori Francis To Cast For Season 19". Deadline Hollywood
  16. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 15, 2024). "Midori Francis Leaving 'Grey's Anatomy' Next Season". Deadline Hollywood
  17. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (17 December 2024). "Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald & Madeleine Madden Starring In Horror 'Saccharine' For 'Relic' Director, Filming Underway In Australia". Deadline Hollywood
  18. ^ Vincentelli, Elizabeth (20 May 2025). "'Bus Stop' Review: Travelers Find Shelter From a Storm". The New York Times
  19. ^ Serratore, Nicole (25 May 2025). "Review: Bus Stop at Classic Stage Company". Exeunt NYC
  20. ^ Cote, David (20 May 2025). "Review: Review: A Steady, Not-Too Bumpy Ride to William Inge's Bus Stop". Observer
  21. ^ Mizoguchi, Karen (November 25, 2020). "Midori Francis and Troy Iwata Talk Importance of LGBTQ and Asian Representation in Netflix's Dash & Lily". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  22. ^ "'I feel on edge sometimes.' Prominent Asian Americans speak out against rise in bias incidents". News 12 - The Bronx. March 23, 2021. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
  23. ^ Simon, Rachel (September 29, 2022). "Midori Francis Is Among the New Class of 'Grey's Anatomy'". New York Times. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  24. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (17 December 2024). "Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald & Madeleine Madden Starring In Horror 'Saccharine' For 'Relic' Director, Filming Underway In Australia". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  25. ^ Edelman, Emily (August 13, 2019). "MEETING-Midori Francis, Deirdre O'Connell, Arnie Burton, photo by Joseph O'Malley". The Berkshire Edge. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  26. ^ https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/Midori-Francis-Joins-BUS-STOP-Cast-at-Classic-Stage-Company-20250319
  27. ^ ""Here's your first look at SYLVIA SYLVIA SYLVIA" - Geffen Playhouse on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  28. ^ "Off Off-Broadway's IT Award Winners Announced". Playbill. September 26, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  29. ^ "2017 Obie Winners and Performances". Obie Awards. May 22, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  30. ^ McPhee, Ryan (June 4, 2017). "2017 Drama Desk Awards Presented June 4". Playbill. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  31. ^ Fierberg, Ruthie (June 2, 2019). "Tootsie, Hadestown, and The Ferryman Lead 2019 Drama Desk Award Winners". Playbill. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  32. ^ "Children's & Lifestyle Nominations". National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.