Tamlyn Tomita

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Tamlyn Tomita
Born Tamlyn Naomi Tomita
(1966-01-27) January 27, 1966 (age 47)
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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Early life [edit]

Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita and is 1/4 Filipino on her Mother's side . Her father was a distinguished Japanese American, interned at Manzanar during World War II, then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant and helping to form the first Asian Task force in that Department[1]. He succumbed to cancer in 1990. Tomita is a graduate of Granada Hills High School in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.[2] Before becoming an actress, she won the title of Queen at the Nisei Week Pageant in Los Angeles in 1984 [3], and Miss Nikkei International in 1985.

Acting career [edit]

In 1984, Tomita got her big break by traveling as Queen of Nisei Week to Hawaii when she was selected as part of a casting call by director John G. Avildsen to make her acting debut in The Karate Kid, Part II, playing Ralph Macchio's character's love interest, Kumiko[4]. 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. Tamlyn contributes a lot of her time to non-profit events to help the Japanese-American community in California.

Singing career [edit]

In 1987 Tomita made her Japanese singing debut on the label Polydor. She released a single and an album.[5]

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)

Filmography [edit]

TV appearances [edit]

Other work [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=4b02820ef09c914e49d45c046b1b89e2
  2. ^ Tamlyn Tomita Biography (1966-)
  3. ^ http://www.niseiweek.org/court/pastqueens.php
  4. ^ http://www.nonstophonolulu.com/stories/hiff-interview-with-tamlyn-tomita/
  5. ^ Tomita Tamlyn single cover
  6. ^ a b c [1]

External links [edit]

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