Netflix's Beef and Star Trek actress Patti Yasutake passes away at 70

Actress Patti Yasutake, who was best known for starring in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek Generations, and Netflix's hit series Beef, passed away at the age of 70, on August 5, 2024, after a long battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her friends and family in her final moments.

Patti Yasutake's passing was confirmed by her manager Kyle Fritz in a statement to Deadline on August 6. Talking about the late star, Fritz remembered her fondly. He shared how Yasutake was his first client 30 years ago and how he will miss her friendship.

“Patti was my first client when I began over 30 years ago. We enjoyed every day we got to work together, and I will miss her spirit talent and tenacity but most of all her friendship," said Fritz.

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Late actor Patti Yasutake's life and career explored

Patti Yasutake was born on September 6, 1953, in Los Angeles and raised in Gardena and Inglewood. The late actress studied at UCLA and graduated with honors in theater as well. Her career began at the East West Players, which was the longest-running Asian-American theater at the time in America and also a major career boost for her as she directed there.

Her first film was Ron Howard's 1986 directorial comedy flick, Gung Ho, where she starred as Umeki, a Japanese wife who traveled to America and tried to fit in with the culture. The character brought Yasutake significant popularity and later she went on to reprise the role in the ABC sequel series of the same name.

Before her film debut, Patti Yasutake also had a small stint on television. Her television debut came as a small role in an episode of T.J. Hooker in 1985. Her big break came in 1988 when she starred in the film The Wash directed by Michael Toshiyuki Uno. It followed a Japanese couple who were in the middle of their separation, and the film earned her an Independent Spirit Award as well.

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Patti Yasutake's most famous roles include Star Trek and Beef

Patti Yasutake also received major recognition after she appeared in 16 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the film Star Trek Generations. She played the role of Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, a Starfleet officer on the USS Enterprise-D, and she was a head nurse as well. This would quickly go on to become one of her most famous roles.

However, Yasutake would receive a late-career breakthrough as well after appearing in the hit Netflix show Beef. Playing the role of Fumi Nakai, George's mother, she received acclaim for her performance, and this also became her last on-screen role. On being cast in the series, Yasutake had this to say via Netflix in April 2023:

"It was like the clouds parted and the sun came through. I didn’t believe this gem of a series would suddenly land there in my lap.”

Aside from that, Yasutake also provided the voice for the character Akane Kishida in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth. The late actress is survived by her siblings and an extended family.