Actor Patti Yasutake, known for her roles in “Beef,” “Star Trek” and a host of other screen and stage roles, has died. She was 70.
Kyle Fritz, her manager and friend of 30 years, said the cause of death was cancer.
“Patti was not only a client but a ‘chosen family member’,” Fritz said in a statement to People. “She was the very first actress I ever signed, and a friendship of over 30 years ensued. It was an honor to know her, work with her and love her.”
Born Sept. 6, 1953, Yasutake grew up in California and earned a theater degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. She started out working with renowned Japanese actor Mako at the East West Players theater company before moving to the Los Angeles Theatre Center, South Coast Repertory and Westwood Playhouse, among others, according to Variety.
She also worked with Ron Howard in “Gung Ho,” the 1986 film about a Japanese wife trying to adjust to American society, and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for “The Wash” in 1988.
On the Netflix series “Beef” last year, the actress portrayed Fumi Nakai, George’s mother, in seven episodes, The Hollywood Reporter has noted. But Yasutake was perhaps best known as Ogawa in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” making her mark on 16 episodes from 1990-1994. She reprised the character in the movie versions, 1994’s “Star Trek Generations” and “Star Trek: First Contact” in 1996.
In May 2023, the website StarTrek.com gave Yasutake’s character props in conjunction with International Nurses Day and Asian America Pacific Islander Heritage Month, citing Ogawa’s arc over the course of the franchise as a counter to the “narrative scarcity” for Asian characters at the time.
Over the years Yasutake also guest-starred in series including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Bones,” “The Closer,” “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “Cold Case,” according to IMDBpro.
She is survived by a brother and a sister.
