Ayaka Ohwaki
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| Ayaka Ohwaki |
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| First Apperance | On Cinema at the Cinema Season 2 Episode 8: "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" and "Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor" |
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| Relatives | Mr. Ohwaki (father) Satoshi Ohtani (husband) Tim Heidecker (ex-husband) Tom Cruise Heidecker Jr. (son, deceased) Sakura Ohtani (daughter) Tim's niece (former niece) Tim's nephew (former nephew) |
| Portrayed by | Ayaka Ohwaki |
Ayaka Ohtani (née Ohwaki, formerly Heidecker) was Tim Heidecker's second wife, and the mother of Tom Cruise Heidecker Jr.
History
In early 2013, Ohwaki was a foreign exchange student from Japan, staying with Heidecker, his wife Stephanie, and his son. Heidecker, host of the movie review show On Cinema at the Cinema, invited Ohwaki to come on as a guest on the show, to offer a foreign perspective on movies. Her first appearance on the show was on S02E08. At some point, she eventually traveled back to Japan.
Ohwaki returned as a guest later that year, along with John Aprea, during S03E08, due to personal issues with the previously scheduled guest, Gregg Turkington. She had returned to America after attaining a job in the country, moving in with Heidecker into his apartment, and the two began dating around the end of July 2013. Aprea congratulated the two, calling Ohwaki “adorable.” However, due to a visa issue, she was forced to move back to Japan in late August or early September 2013. Heidecker stated that while they had fun, the relationship was not working due to age and cultural differences between the two. Heidecker also stated that her family had been calling the apartment to ask her to return home.[1]
Ayaka disappeared from the scene until the end of season 4, when she announced to Tim in a letter that she was pregnant with their son.[2] Tim sent her funds to undergo an abortion,[3] but Ayaka gave birth anyway. She named the child Tom Cruise Heidecker Jr. after Tim's favorite actor, and used the money Tim sent to return to the United States and raise the boy with Tim.[4]
Tim, still living in Jackson Hole at this point, initially refused to accept responsibility for Ayaka and Tom, arguing that Ayaka went against his wishes by having the baby. This led to friction between Tim and Gregg, as Ayaka repeatedly showed up at Gregg's apartment with nowhere else to go.[5] After Tim returned from Jackson Hole, however, he had a change of heart, and pleaded for Ayaka to come back.[6] Ayaka agreed, and she moved with Tim and baby Tom into Gregg's apartment, where they took over the master bedroom.[7] On the final episode of Season 6, Tim proposed marriage to Ayaka, and she said yes.[8]
Friendship with Gregg Turkington
Ohwaki and Turkington, despite a contentious start, eventually became good friends. Ohwaki was the “peacemaker” between Heidecker and Turkington[9] after the two's conflict over Star Trek led to Turkington temporarily leaving On Cinema.[10] A rift between the two was present after Ohwaki presented a copy of Airheads during a Popcorn Classics segment[11] that was stolen from Turkington's movie collection.[9]
Trivia
- Ayaka had an interest in athletics, having signed herself and Heidecker up for the “Tough Mudder” competition while they were dating.[9]
[META] Trivia
- Ayaka Ohwaki is one of On Cinema's art and production designers, and used her real name for her on-screen character. She has also worked on Tim and Eric's Bedtime Stories and Check it Out! with Dr. Steve Brule. Her role in On Cinema is her only known acting credit.