Tamlyn Naomi Tomita is a Japanese-American actress and singer. She made her screen debut in a leading role in The Karate Kid Part II, and later was leading and supporting roles in films Come See the Paradise, The Joy Luck Club, Picture Bride, Four Rooms, Robot Stories, The Day After Tomorrow and . Tomita also has played several recurring roles on television series, include 24, Glee, Teen Wolf and How to Get Away with Murder. She starred on the Epix drama series Berlin Station, and in 2017 began starring in the ABC medical drama The Good Doctor.
Early life
Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father was a Japanese-American who was interned at Manzanar, California, during part of 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. Her father was in the U.S. Army stationed in Okinawa between the Korean and Vietnam war where he met her mother. Her mother was of Filipino descent being born in Manila and had emigrated to Okinawa after World War II. Her father died of cancer in 1990. Tomita graduated from Granada Hills High School in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. Before becoming an actress, Tomita won the title of Queen at the Nisei Week Pageant in Los Angeles in 1984, and Miss Nikkei International in 1985. In 1987, Tomita made her Japanese singing debut on the label Polydor. She released a single and an album.
Career
Film
In 1984, Tomita got her big break by traveling as Queen of Nisei Week to Hawaii, where 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. She later had major roles in a number of independent movies. Her biggest role was in the 1990 drama film Come See the Paradise. In 1993, she co-starred opposite Ming-Na Wen in the ensemble cast drama The Joy Luck Club and the next year she had a role in the 1994 independent film Picture Bride. In 1995 Tomita appeared alongside Antonio Banderas in the Robert Rodriguez-directed segment of the vignetteanthology comedy Four Rooms. In the 21st Century, Tomita has had roles in other independent films and co-starred in several major Hollywood productions, including playing Janet Tokada in The Day After Tomorrow. In 2005, she starred in the Brazilian drama film and also had leading roles in the independent films Robot Stories in 2003 and Only the Brave in 2006. Tomita also appeared in The Eye and Tekken.
Television
Tomita appeared as a character named Ming Li on the NBC daytime soap operaSanta Barbara from May to September 1988. In 1994, she guest-starred in the first episode of season 3 of '. In 2008, she made her return to daytime soaps with a recurring role on the ABC's General Hospital. In 2012 she had another recurring role on NBC's Days of Our Lives. From 1996 to 1997, Tomita was regular cast member in the short-lived UPN drama series, The Burning Zone as well as the pilot movie for Babylon 5. During her career she guest starred on Seven Days, Quantum Leap, Living Single, Murder, She Wrote, Chicago Hope, Will & Grace, Nash Bridges, The Shield, Strong Medicine, Stargate SG-1, ', The Mentalist, Private Practice, True Blood,Zoo, Tour of Duty,Criminal Minds, and many other dramas and comedies. She had recurring roles on Crossing Jordan, JAG, 24, Eureka, Heroes, ', Glee, Teen Wolf, Resurrection, How to Get Away with Murder, and Chasing Life. In 2016, Tomita played a series regular role on the Epix drama series Berlin Station. The following year she began starring as a series regular on the ABC medical drama The Good Doctor. Tomita began a recurring role as Commodore Oh on the CBS All Accessweb television series ' in 2020.
