Patti Yasutake - Star Trek star turned 70
In "Star Trek: The Next Generation," she portrayed Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, and now, actress Patricia Sue Yasutake (1953-2024), known as Patti Yasutake, has passed away. The 70-year-old died in Santa Monica on Monday, August 5, after a long battle with cancer, as reported by industry magazine "The Hollywood Reporter," among others.
Her longtime manager, Kyle Fritz, shared the sad news and offered his condolences: "Patti was my first client when I started over 30 years ago. We cherished every day we got to work together. I will miss her spirit, her talent, and her tenacity, but most of all, her friendship."
Patti Yasutake's Last Role Was in "Beef"
The California native, who studied theater arts, was seen on screen as recently as a few years ago - most notably in Netflix's "Beef," alongside Ali Wong (42) and Steven Yeun (40). In the series, Yasutake played the role of Fumi Nakai, the mother of character George (Joseph Lee, 36).
Yasutake gained worldwide recognition for her recurring role as Alyssa Ogawa in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Apart from her appearances in the series from the fourth season onwards, she also reprised the role in the films "Star Trek: Generations" (1994) and "Star Trek: First Contact" (1996). Her other TV credits include roles in "The Closer" and the successful medical drama "Grey's Anatomy."
Patti Yasutake is survived by her siblings, Linda Hayashi and Steve Yasutake, according to U.S. reports.
Despite her battle with cancer, Patti Yasutake continued to act, appearing in Netflix's "Beef" as Fumi Nakai's mother. Regrettably, her fight against cancer proved to be her final role.
