Tamlyn Naomi Tomita, born January 27, 1966[1], is an Japanese-born American actress and singer. She is known for her roles in The Karate Kid, Part II, Teen Wolf, The Good Doctor and she guest starred on Glee.
Personal Life[]
Tomita was born in Okinawa, Japan to Shiro and Asako Tomita[1] and raised in Los Angeles, California.[2] She won the title of Queen at the Nisei Week Pageant in Los Angeles in 1984, and Miss Nikkei International in 1985. Tomita attended UCLA with a major in History, before she left to pursue acting.[3] She is one-quarter Filipina .
Tomita was named "Most Beautiful" by People Magazine in 1991.[2]
Career[]
Tomita made her film debut in The Karate Kid, Part II in 1986, had a recurring role on Santa Barbara for a year till 1988, and had a recurring role on The Burning Zone for a year till 1997.
She also had a recurring on JAG for a year till 2003, was on General Hospital for six episodes for a year till 2009, was on Law & Order: LA for ten episodes for a year till 2011, and was on Day of Our Lives in 2012.
Tomita guest starred on Glee for three episodes for a year till 2012, and guest starred on True Blood in 2013.
Her album, "Sweet Surprise," was released in 1991.[4]
Tomita joined the Season 3b cast of Teen Wolf in 2014. She portrays Noshiko Yukimura, the mother of Kira - Scott McCall's love interest - and has appeared in seventeen episodes between 3b and Season 6a.
Filmography[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Karate Kid, Part II | Kumiko | |
1987 | Tour of Duty | VC Peasant Woman | ("Sitting Ducks") |
Hawaiian Dream | Karren Saito | ||
Santa Barbara | Ming Li/Lily Murakami | 1987 - 1988 (31 episodes) | |
1988 | To Heal a Nation | Maya Ying Lin | TV movie |
Hiroshima Maiden | Miyeko | TV movie | |
1990 | Come See the Paradise | Lily Yuriko Kawamura/McGann | |
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes | Sally | TV movie | |
Vietnam, Texas | Lan | ||
1992 | Raven | Kim Tanaka | ("Return of the Black Dragon") |
Quantum Leap | Tamlyn Matsuda | ("Temptation Eyes - February 1, 1985") | |
1993 | The Joy Luck Club | Waverly - The Daughter | |
Babylon 5: The Gathering | Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima | TV movie | |
1994 | Notes on a Scale | ||
Murder, She Wrote | Det. Sharon Matsumoto | ("Death in Hawaii") | |
Vanishing Son IV | Lanchi | TV movie | |
Living Single | Mary | ("Bristle While You Work") | |
Highlander | Midori Koto | ("The Samurai") | |
One West Waikiki | Taylor Chun | ("'Til Death Do Us Part") | |
Vanishing Son II | Lanchi | TV movie | |
Picture Bride | Kana | ||
Time Trax | ("Return of the Yakuza") | ||
1995 | Sisters | Kiri Adams | ("A Perfect Circle" and "Renaissance Woman") |
Four Rooms | Wife | segment ("The Misbehavers") | |
Vanishing Son | Lan Chi | ("Single Flame") | |
1996 | The Burning Zone | Dr. Kimberly Shiroma | 1996 - 1997 (11 episodes) |
Chicago Hope | Jennifer Watanabe Tina, Sutton's Ex #3 |
1996 - 1998 ("Ex Marks the Spot" and "McNeil and Pray") | |
1997 | Raven: Return of the Black Dragons | Kim Tanaka | TV movie |
The Sentinel | Suzanne Tomaki | ("Smart Alec") | |
Touch | Prosecutor | ||
The Killing Jar | Diane Sanford | ||
1998 | Living Out Loud | Bob's Wife | |
Soundman'" | Butch's Wife | ||
Hundred Percent | Thaise | ||
1999 | Will & Grace | Naomi | ("I Never Promised You an Olive Garden") |
Seven Days | Michelle | ("Walter") | |
The Last Man on Planet Earth | Agent Kara Hastings | TV movie | |
Life Tastes Good | Julie Sado | ||
2000 | The Michael Richards Show | Ming | ("USA Toy") |
Betty Anderson | Detective Miyamoto | short | |
Nash Bridges | Amy Chin | ("ManHunt" and "Blow Out") | |
Requiem | Fong | short | |
Runaway Virus | Monique Chao | TV movie | |
2001 | Crossing Jordan | Dr. Grace Yakura | ("The Dawn of a New Day", "You Can't Go Home Again" and "Digger: Part 1") |
Providence | Mary Cassidy | ("Civil Unrest") | |
Walking Shadow | Rikki Wu | TV movie | |
FreakyLinks | Emma Reed | ("Subject: The Final Word") | |
Destiny | TV movie | ||
2002 | 007: Nightfire | Makiko Hayashi | voice and video game |
For the People | Dr. Chaney | ("Come Blow Your Whistle") | |
The Shield | Wanda Higoshi | ("Pilot") | |
JAG | Lt. Cmdr. Tracy Manetti | 2002 - 2003 (7 episodes) | |
24 | Jenny Dodge | 2002 - 2003 (5 episodes) | |
2003 | Threat Matrix | Special Agent Nicole Hill | ("Under the Gun") |
The Agency | Elizabeth - Female Kidnapper | ("Our Man in Korea" and "Our Man in Washington") | |
Robot Stories | Marcia | ||
2004 | Strong Medicine | Dr. Nash | ("Goodbye/Rest in Peace") |
The Day After Tomorrow | Janet Tokada | ||
The Perfect Party | Mom | ||
North Shore | Xao | 2004 - 2006 ("Illusions" and "The End") | |
2005 | True Love & Mimosa Tea | Rebecca Nakasone | short |
Gaijin - Ama-me Como Sou | Maria Yamashita Salinas | ||
Jane Doe: Now You See It, Now You Don't | Helen Morriston | TV movie | |
2006 | Peace | Sandy Sakai | short |
Independent Lens | Vivian | documentary ("My Life... Disoriented") | |
Stargate SG-1 | Shen Xiaoyi | ("The Scourge" and "Crusade") | |
Only the Brave | Mary Takata | ||
Commander in Chief | Randy | ("No Nukes Is Good Nukes") | |
Stargate: Atlantis | Chinese Ambassador Shen Xiaoyi/Shen Xiaoyi | 2006 ("No Man's Land") 2008 ("Remnants") | |
Eureka | Kim Anderson/Kim Yamazaki | 2006 - 2009 (5 episodes) | |
2007 | Women's Murder Club | Sachiko Johannes | ("Maybe Baby") |
Pandemic | Melissa Lo | TV movie | |
2008 | Finding Madison | Beth | |
Twenty Good Years | ("Come Fly with Me") | ||
Saving Grace | Tori Chen | ("Have a Seat, Earl") | |
The Eye | Mrs. Cheung | ||
Two Sisters | Shakti | TV movie | |
General Hospital | Giselle | 2008 - 2009 (6 episodes) | |
Heroes | Ishi Nakamura | 2008 - 2010 ("Chapter Twelve 'Our Father" and "Chapter Fifteen 'Pass/Fail'") | |
2009 | Private Practice | Katie's Lawyer | ("Strange Bedfellows") |
CSI: Miami | Dr. Sarah Fordham | ("Seeing Red") | |
Criminal Minds | Dr. Linda Kimura | ("Amplification") | |
The Mentalist | Lauri Medina | ("Bloodshot") | |
Why Am I Doing This? | Donna | ||
Monk" | Eileen Hill | ("Mr. Monk Fights City Hall") | |
2010 | Nómadas | ||
Memphis Beat | Noreen Drake | ("I Want to Be Free") | |
The Mikado Project | Viola | ||
Tekken | Jun Kazama | ||
Super Duper Exotic Erotic Fetish Sexy Must See Story... A Tragedy of Oriental Proportions! | Helen | short | |
Starlight Inn | Grace Kim | short | |
Law & Order: LA | Miwako Nishizawa | 2010 - 2011 (10 episodes) | |
2011 | The Protector | Katrina | ("Bangs") |
The Chicago Code | Prosecutor | ("Bathhouse & Hinky Dink") | |
The Charles Kim Show | Tamlyn Tomita | short | |
Glee | Julia Chang | 2011 - 2012 ("Asian F", "The First Time" and "Goodbye") | |
2012 | Hollywood Heights | Sarah Medeiros | ("Jetsetter" and "Fresno") |
Touch | Kazuko Osugi | ("Gyre, Part 1") | |
White Room: 02B3 | Five | short | |
Make It or Break It | ("Listen to the Universe") | ||
Days of Our Lives | Dr. Ellen Yu | (8 episodes) | |
2013 | True Blood | Ms. Suzuki | ("Who Are You, Really?" and "Dead Meat") |
Bones | Dr. Alice Crawford | ("The Doll in the Derby") | |
2014 | Teen Wolf | Noshiko Yukimura | 2014 - 2017 (17 episodes) |
Operation Marriage | Lee | ||
Resurrection | Dr. Toni Willis | (5 episodes) | |
Teacher of the Year | Vivian Lew | ||
Awesome Asian Bad Guys | Tamlyn/Pamlyn | ||
NCIS: Los Angeles | Homeland Security Agent Shana Rollins | ("Leipei") | |
How to Get Away with Murder | Judge Carol Morrow | 2014 - 2015 ("He Deserved to Die" and "Hello Raskolnikov") | |
2015 | Chasing Life | Dr. Mae Lin | (5 episodes) |
Daddy | Sharlene Hong | ||
Zoo | Minako Oz | ("The Silence of the Cicadas") | |
2016 | Berlin Station | Sandra Abe | (10 episodes) |
Seppuku | Linda | short | |
The Unbidden | Lauren Lee | ||
The Good Neighbor | Heather Cromwell | ||
2017 | Gay Hollywood Dad | ("San Diego Asian Film Festival") | |
The Ningyo | Kiyohime Bikuni | short | |
Real Artists | Anne Palladon | ||
The Oak Tree and Onigiri | |||
The Good Doctor | Allegra Aoki | 2017 - 2019 (37 episodes) | |
2018 | Counterpart | Doctor | ("Love the Lie") |
First World Problems | TV movie | ||
The Man in the High Castle | Tamiko Watanabe | 2018 - 2019 (6 episodes) | |
2019 | The Living Worst | Chita Montague | |
2020 | I Will Make You Mine | Julia | |
DuckTales | Inspector Tezuka | voice ("Astro B.O.Y.D.!") | |
Star Trek: Picard | Commodore Oh | (6 episodes) |
Trivia[]
- She is the fourth Glee actor to make an appearance on True Blood. The first being Kevin McHale (Artie Abrams), and the second being Patrick Gallagher (Ken Tanaka), and the third being Anna Camp (Candace Dystra).
- Tomita would have scenes with Anna on True Blood in the sixth season. They didn't have any scenes together on Glee.
- She is the second Glee actor to make an appearance on Teen Wolf. The first being Ivonne Coll (Alma Lopez), followed by Aaron Hendry (Darren) then Dylan Sprayberry (young Cooper Anderson).