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Tamlyn Naomi Tomita (born January 27, 1966) is a Japanese-born American actress. She has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series. Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in 1990. Tomita is a graduate of Granada Hills High School in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. She is one-quarter Filipino (her mother is Filipino mestizo: half Filipina, half Japanese). Before becoming an actress, she won the title of Queen at the Nisei Week... MORE

Tamlyn Naomi Tomita (born January 27, 1966) is a Japanese-born American actress. She has appeared in many Hollywood films and television series. Tomita was born in Okinawa, the daughter of Shiro and Asako Tomita. Her father then later became a Los Angeles Police Officer, rising to the rank of sergeant. He succumbed to cancer in 1990. Tomita is a graduate of Granada Hills High School in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. She is one-quarter Filipino (her mother is Filipino mestizo: half Filipina, half Japanese). Before becoming an actress, she won the title of Queen at the Nisei Week Pageant in Los Angeles in 1984, and Miss Nikkei International in 1985. In 1986, Tomita made her acting debut in The Karate Kid, Part II, playing Ralph Macchio's character's love interest, Kumiko. On the film's set, she met Nobu McCarthy, herself a former beauty queen. McCarthy became a role model, mentor and close friend to Tomita, making it especially difficult when, in 2002, McCarthy died unexpectedly while on location in Brazil with Tomita, filming Gaijin 2 - Ama-me como sou. In 1987 Tomita made her Japanese singing debut on the label Polydor. She released a single and an album. Polydor DX-1515 LESS