Tamlyn Tomita
| Tamlyn Tomita | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tamlyn Naomi Tomita January 27, 1966 Okinawa, Japan |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1986-present |
Tamlyn Naomi Tomita (born January 27, 1966) is a Japanese-born American actress. She has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series.
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[edit] Early life
Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in 1990. Tomita is a graduate of Granada Hills High School in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.[1] She is one-quarter Filipino (her mother is Filipino mestizo: half Filipina, half Japanese). Before becoming an actress, she won the title of Queen at the Nisei Week Pageant in Los Angeles in 1984, and Miss Nikkei International in 1985.
[edit] Acting career
In 1986, Tomita made her acting debut in The Karate Kid, Part II, playing Ralph Macchio's character's love interest, Kumiko. On the film's set, she met Nobu McCarthy, herself a former beauty queen. McCarthy became a role model, mentor and close friend to Tomita, making it especially difficult when, in 2002, McCarthy died unexpectedly while on location in Brazil with Tomita, filming Gaijin 2 - Ama-me como sou.
[edit] Singing career
In 1987 Tomita made her Japanese singing debut on the label Polydor. She released a single and an album.[2]
Polydor DX-1515 EP: "Hitomi no Majutsu ~Hypnotized~" c/w "I Can't Stand the Pain"
Polydor H33P-20179 LP: "Sweet Surprise" (Primirive / I Can't Stand the Pain -English Version- / Hitomi no Majutsu ~Hypnotized~ / Arrivederci / Just Say You Love Me / Seiza o Tsunagu Love Song / Beauty and Beast of Love / I Can't Stand the Pain -Japanese Version- / Santa Monica no Koibito e -Instrumental- / Hawaiian Wind / Insult to Injury)
[edit] Filmography
- 1986: The Karate Kid, Part II
- 1987: Hawaiian Dream
- 1988: "Hiroshima Maiden"
- 1990: Vietnam, Texas
- 1990: Come See The Paradise
- 1993: The Joy Luck Club
- 1994: Picture Bride
- 1995: Requiem
- 1995: Four Rooms
- 1996: The Killing Jar
- 1997: Touch
- 1997: Hundred Percent
- 1998: Soundman
- 1999: Life Tastes Good
- 1999: The Last Man on Planet Earth
- 2002: Gaijin 2 - Ama-me como sou
- 2003: Robot Stories
- 2004: The Day After Tomorrow
- 2005: Only the Brave
- 2005: True Love & Mimosa Tea
- 2006: Peace
- 2006: "My Life... Disoriented"
- 2008: The Eye
- 2008: Finding Madison
- 2009: The Mikado Project
- 2009: Tekken
- 2009: Why Am I Doing This?
[edit] TV appearances
- 1992: Quantum Leap, playing Tamlyn Matsuda, a psychic in the episode "Temptation Eyes".
- 1993: Babylon 5, playing Lt. Commander Laurel Takashima in the pilot telefilm The Gathering.
- 1994: Highlander: The Series, playing Midori Koto in the episode "The Samurai."
- 1997 The Sentinel, playing Suzanne Tamaki, Chief of Campus Security, The Sentinel, Season 2, episode "Smart Alec"
- 1996-1997: The Burning Zone, playing Dr. Kimberly Shiroma
- 1999: Will & Grace, playing Naomi in Season 2 Episode three
- 2001: Crossing Jordan, playing Dr. Grace Yakura in Season 1 Episode 2, "The Dawn of a New Day"
- 2002-2003: 24, playing Jenny, Press Secretary to President David Palmer.
- 2002-2003: JAG, playing Lieutenant Commander Tracy Manetti.
- 2006: Commander in Chief, playing Randy, a Japanese translator to the President Mackenzie Allen in the episode "No Nukes is Good Nukes."
- 2006: Stargate SG-1, playing IOA Chinese diplomat Shen Xiaoyi in the Season 9 episodes "The Scourge" and in "Crusade".[3]
- 2006: Stargate Atlantis, playing IOA Chinese diplomat Shen Xiaoyi in the Season 3 premiere "No Man's Land".[3]
- 2006: Eureka, playing scientist Kim Anderson in the episodes "Before I Forget" and "Once in a Lifetime", and "Phoenix Rising", and later, Kim's clone in "Ship Happens" and "Shower the People".
- 2008: General Hospital, Giselle, Editor-in-Chief of Couture Magazine, and Connie Falconeri's rival Fashionista competitor.
- 2008 and 2009: Heroes, playing Ishi Nakamura in the episodes "Our Father" and "Pass/Fail".
- 2008: Stargate Atlantis, again playing IOA Chinese diplomat Shen Xiaoyi in the Season 5 episode "Remnants".[3]
- 2008: Monk, as councilwoman Eileen Hill in "Mr. Monk Fights City Hall" (Episode #716)
- 2009: The Mentalist, season one, episode 16.
- 2009: Criminal Minds, season four, episode 24.
- 2009: CSI: Miami, season seven, episode 25.
- 2009: Private Practice, in "Strange Bedfellows" (Episode #305)
- 2010–2011: Law & Order: Los Angeles, recurring role as Medical Examiner
- 2011: Glee playing Julia Chang (the mother of Mike Chang) in "Asian F" and "The First Time".
[edit] Other work
- 2002: 007: Nightfire (James Bond game) as Makiko Hayashi
