Veteran actress Patti Yasutake has died aged 70 following a “journey with cancer,” People confirmed, citing her manager and friend, Kyle Fritz.
“Patti was not only a client but a ‘chosen family member,’” Fritz told the magazine. “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.”
According to People, Yasutake was born in California and immersed in the theater world, participating in many plays during her more than three-decade career.
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While Yasutake had 62 credits to her name, she was best known for her roles as Nurse Ogawa in the Star Trek franchise. She played this role first on the 1990s series Star Trek: The Next Generation and in subsequent movie sequels, Star Trek: Generations and Star Trek: First Contact.
She also guest-starred on popular shows including Picket Fences, Living Single, ER, and more. She received one Independent Spirit Award nomination for her role as Marsha in 1988’s The Wash, a drama about a Japanese family.
More recently she starred on the small screen as Fumi Nakai in Netflix’s Beef. The show, starring Ali Wong, follows two people consumed by a road rage encounter. Yasutake plays Wong’s mother-in-law. The show would go on to win eight Emmy awards and three Golden Globes.
Her final role before her death was voicing Akane Kishida in the video game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth.
