Tamlyn Tomita made her screen debut as Kumiko in “The Karate Kid, Part II” with Ralph Macchio and Pat “Noriyuki” Morita and has since appeared in numerous feature films, television and theatre projects. She is perhaps known for her roles as Waverly in Wayne Wang’s “The Joy Luck Club” and as Kana, a Hawaii plantation worker in the early 1900’s in Kayo Hatta’s “Picture Bride”, and starred opposite Dennis Quaid in Alan Parker’s “Come See the Paradise”, a film exploring the lives of a Japanese-American family and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II. Tamlyn has also appeared in several stage productions including the world premiere of Chay Yew’s “A Distant Shore” (Kirk Douglas Theatre); “Question 27, Question 28” (East West Players/ Japanese American National Museum); “Don Juan: A Meditation” (Mark Taper Forum’s Taper, Too) and “Winter Crane” (Fountain Theatre) for which she received a Drama-Logue Award.

Tamlyn will be appearing in “Tekken” and “The Mikado Project” and recently appeared in “Two Sisters” opposite Yun Jin Kim and directed by Margaret Cho. On television, Tamlyn is in recurring roles on “Law and Order: Los Angeles” and “Chicago Code” and had recurring roles on “JAG” and “24”.

Keeping herself busy in an industry that has been slow to receive actors of an ethnic demographic, Tamlyn is selective in the roles she chooses, steering away from images that perpetuate stereotypes. She is always searching for ways to create or balance images and stories about Asian Americans and to explore with others in and outside the film and television industry on issues she is concerned about. Having worked on a variety of Asian American projects such as “Starlight Inn”, “The Charles Kim Show”, “My Life…Disoriented”; “Day of Independence”; “Hundred Percent”; “Life Tastes Good”; “Four Fingers of the Dragon”; “Soundman”; “Requiem” and “Notes on a Scale”, Tamlyn proudly supports Asian American filmmakers and artists in the pursuit of giving the world a gallery of portraits from a golden perspective.

Tamlyn also is an activist in political and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. Tamlyn led a celebrity effort to film the first Asian American targeted-PSA for Asian & Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) and has continued to advocate for the political and civic empowerment of all communities. She has also been a spokesperson and advocate for many organizations like the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) and the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS).

A resident of Los Angeles, she is always ready to lend her support to community events and organizations, and keeps her life simple, focusing on love, work and family.