Teruko Nakagami is a Japanese-American who is known to many as the third wife of the American actor, singer, writer, and artist Billy Dee Williams. The pair have been together since 1972 and share a daughter named Hanako Williams.
While you would soon learn more about Teruko, her husband doesn’t need so much introduction. He is a well-known for his appearance in the original Star Wars trilogy as Londo Calrissian and Batman(1989) as Harvey Dent.
Brief Biography of Teruko Nakagami
The third wife of Billy Dee is a Japanese American born on August 26, 1967, in California, USA which means she’s 57 years old at the moment. It’s obvious that her birthplace offers her American nationality however not so many know that she also holds Japanese citizenship as her parents are natives.
Though popular as Teruko Nakagami, her given name at birth is Irene Nakagami. We garnered that she grew up alongside her twin sister on their fruit farm in the Delano Valley. Albeit, at the age of 3, her family was taken off the farm and sent to a populated camp in Arkansas known as a Japanese American internment camp.
Recalling this, Teruko said it was a rough path with tight security, lack of space, and privacy. According to her, everyone ate in an all-messy hall and if you were late then you lost out. Nonetheless, the games she played with her sister and other children were getaways for her.
As for her education, she attended Hyde Park High School when her family moved to Chicago. Thereafter she proceeded to an IBM school.
What Does Billy Dee William’s Wife Do For a Living?
Not much is known about Teruko Nakagami given that she rose into the spotlight following her marriage to the famous entertainer, Billy Dee Williams. As such, it’s difficult to assert what she does for a living at the moment. However, she was working in the recording industry in the 60s when she met Billy Dee.
Be it as it may, Teruko’s husband is a renowned actor who started off on stage before appearing on the big screen. He made his debut role in the 1959 movie titled The Last Angry man and soon earned roles in other productions including Batman (1989) and more recently, Lego Batman Movie, Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures, and Dirty Dancing.
Asides from acting, Billy Dee Williams dabbled into music in the 60s and released a solo LP Lets Misbehave(1961), and later published a few books including PSI/Net (1999) and JUST/In Time (2001).
Teruko Nakagami and Billy Dee Williams have Been Married For Over Half a Century
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Teruko and Billy Dee secretly got married on December 27, 1972. The wedding was quick and small with no family member in attendance. For unknown reasons, they kept their marriage a secret for a while before it gained public interest.
The pair maintained a great relationship for many years until 1993 when rumors began to make waves that Teruko was seeking a divorce. Well, it turned out to be more than just rumors after Billy Dee’s spokesman cleared the air that they were really parting ways but in a very amicable way.
Interestingly, four years after their divorce in 1997, the pair settled their differences and soon rekindled their love. Soon after, they moved in together and have remained so.
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Billy Dee Williams is Not the First Husband of Teruko Nakagami’s
Since Teruko and Williams have been married for a long time, it’s possible that not so many recall that she was previously married. Teruko first got married to a saxophonist and composer known as Wayne Shorter in 1961 after meeting in New York.
Teruko’s and her first husband shared a great relationship as captured by his music lyrics. The jazz legend recalled how pretty she looked when they first met and even compared her to a Japanese Audrey Hepburn. It was also their relationship that made Teruko take up a new name. Besides singing about her, Teruko also fronted the cover of his 1966 album Speak No Evil.
Unfortunately, their marriage soon crashed after 6 years together and the birth of their only daughter Miyaki who prefers to uphold a private lifestyle.
Teruko’s Husband Billy Dee Williams was Married Twice
Like Teruko, Billy Dee Williams was also previously married. However, not once but twice which means that Teruko is his third wife.
The singer was first married to Audrey Sellers in 1959 with whom he birthed a son named Carey Dee. Unfortunately, their relationship soon hit the rock leading to a divorce in 1963 after 4 years as a couple.
After his first divorce, Williams fell in love with the model and actress Marlene Clark and got married to her in 1968. Like his first marriage, the pair encountered several challenges that later led to a divorce after being together for 3 years.
Teruko and Billy Share a Child Together
Teruko and Billy Dee Williams’s marriage birthed a daughter in 1973 named Hanako. Not so much is known about her however, from calculations she is 50 years old at the moment and holds a degree in Visual Arts/Art History. She also works as an art gallery manager in Los Angeles.
The couple’s daughter, Hanako is married to Liam Toohey and they have two children together namely Lucie Katsumi and Finnegan Ichiro. This means that Teruko and Billy are also grandparents.
