As a longtime fan of Patti Yasutake‘s extraordinary talent and captivating performances, I am deeply saddened by her passing at the tender age of 70. Her journey through Hollywood was nothing short of inspiring, from her humble beginnings as a Los Angeles native to her groundbreaking roles that resonated with audiences worldwide.
70-year-old Patti Yasutake, known for her role as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa in Star Trek Generations and a couple of other franchise films, and Fumi Nakai, the widowed mother of Joseph Lee’s sculptor character in Beef, has passed away.
Yasutake passed away on Monday at the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center following a prolonged fight against an uncommon type of T-cell lymphoma. This information was shared by his longtime manager, Kyle Fritz, with The Hollywood Reporter.
“I met Patti as my very first client more than three decades back, and since then, we’ve shared countless days of collaboration,” he expressed in a statement. “The joy we found in our work together was immeasurable, and I will dearly miss her vibrant personality, exceptional skills, and unwavering determination. Above all else, I will cherish the precious friendship we forged.”
The Los Angeles native also played a relocated Japanese wife earnestly trying to Americanize in the Ron Howard-directed Gung Ho (1986) and on its ABC series adaptation that lasted just nine episodes in 1986-87.
She was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role in the 1988 film, The Wash. Her list of cinematic appearances also includes Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot from 1992 and Drop Dead Gorgeous, released in 1999.
Yasutake appeared in sixteen episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which was syndicated from 1990 to 1994, portraying Nurse Ogawa. Later, she reprised this role for the movies Star Trek Generations (1994) and Star Trek: First Contact (1996).
Previously, she graced seven instalments of the popular Netflix series “Beef” in a strong portrayal of George Nakai’s mother and Ali Wong’s character Amy Lau’s mother-in-law.
Growing up in Gardena and Inglewood, I was born on September 6, 1953. After completing my theater degree at UCLA, I embarked on my career with the East West Players company, where I collaborated with the esteemed actor Mako (who later became my co-star in The Wash) for a span of six years.
In her role as a theater director, Yasutake created and brought to life first-time performances for East West Players (“Doughball”), the Richmond Shepherd Theater (“The Single Man”), and the Ensemble Studio Theater (“Father, I Must Have Rice”). Additionally, she revived “Tea” for the Odyssey Theatre.
Additionally, she conducted workshop presentations at venues such as the Mark Taper Forum, Arizona Theater Company, the Los Angeles Theater Center, and the Geffen Playhouse.
Survivors include her siblings, Linda and Steven.
A remembrance event is planned at East West Players. You can contribute to the theater group as a tribute to her.
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2024-08-06 23:55