Patti Yasutake,BeefandStar TrekActress, Dies at 70: 'A Chosen Family Member'

Mar. 15, 2025

Patti Yasutake.Photo:Sebastian Artz/GettyPatti Yasutake has died at the age of 70 following a journey with cancer.Loved ones are mourning the loss of the actress, who made a name for herself in Hollywood following her debut inRon Howard’s 1986 comedyGung Go.Her longtime manager Kyle Fritz confirmed the news to PEOPLE and remembered her with a sweet message.“Patti was not only a client but a ‘chosen family member,’” Fritz shared. “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.”Patti Yasutake.Amy Graves/WireImageYasutake, a California native, never left the acting scene upon entering. She studied acting in college at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she graduated with a degree in theater.She was very involved in the East West Players theater, where she worked alongside co-founder Mako, who is a well-known Japanese-American actor. Her time in the theater space lasted thirty years, performing at numerous venues such as the New Mexico Repertory Theatre, American Southwest Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Repertory Theatre and The Westwood Playhouse (now The Geffen Playhouse).Shortly after taking on the role of a Japanese woman adapting to life in America inGung Go,her character Umeki appeared in an ABC spinoff of the film.Patti Yasutake.Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagicTwo years later, in 1988, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award Supporting Actress for a movie calledThe Wash.Never slowing down, she went on to appear inDrop Dead Gorgeous, Blind SpotandRoad to Galveston, along with series guest-star roles inThe Closer,Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, Flash Forward, The UnitandCold Case.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Most notably, Yasutake was in the hit Netflix limited seriesBeefas Fumi Nakai, whichwon best limited seriesat the 2024 Golden Globe awards, and Nurse Alyssa Ogawa onStar Trek: The Next Generationand in the filmsStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek Generations.

Patti Yasutake.Photo:Sebastian Artz/Getty

Sebastian Artz/Getty

Patti Yasutake has died at the age of 70 following a journey with cancer.Loved ones are mourning the loss of the actress, who made a name for herself in Hollywood following her debut inRon Howard’s 1986 comedyGung Go.Her longtime manager Kyle Fritz confirmed the news to PEOPLE and remembered her with a sweet message.“Patti was not only a client but a ‘chosen family member,’” Fritz shared. “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.”Patti Yasutake.Amy Graves/WireImageYasutake, a California native, never left the acting scene upon entering. She studied acting in college at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she graduated with a degree in theater.She was very involved in the East West Players theater, where she worked alongside co-founder Mako, who is a well-known Japanese-American actor. Her time in the theater space lasted thirty years, performing at numerous venues such as the New Mexico Repertory Theatre, American Southwest Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Repertory Theatre and The Westwood Playhouse (now The Geffen Playhouse).Shortly after taking on the role of a Japanese woman adapting to life in America inGung Go,her character Umeki appeared in an ABC spinoff of the film.Patti Yasutake.Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagicTwo years later, in 1988, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award Supporting Actress for a movie calledThe Wash.Never slowing down, she went on to appear inDrop Dead Gorgeous, Blind SpotandRoad to Galveston, along with series guest-star roles inThe Closer,Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, Flash Forward, The UnitandCold Case.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Most notably, Yasutake was in the hit Netflix limited seriesBeefas Fumi Nakai, whichwon best limited seriesat the 2024 Golden Globe awards, and Nurse Alyssa Ogawa onStar Trek: The Next Generationand in the filmsStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek Generations.

Patti Yasutake has died at the age of 70 following a journey with cancer.

Loved ones are mourning the loss of the actress, who made a name for herself in Hollywood following her debut inRon Howard’s 1986 comedyGung Go.Her longtime manager Kyle Fritz confirmed the news to PEOPLE and remembered her with a sweet message.

“Patti was not only a client but a ‘chosen family member,’” Fritz shared. “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.”

Patti Yasutake.Amy Graves/WireImage

Amy Graves/WireImage

Yasutake, a California native, never left the acting scene upon entering. She studied acting in college at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she graduated with a degree in theater.

She was very involved in the East West Players theater, where she worked alongside co-founder Mako, who is a well-known Japanese-American actor. Her time in the theater space lasted thirty years, performing at numerous venues such as the New Mexico Repertory Theatre, American Southwest Theatre, Los Angeles Theatre Center, San Diego Repertory Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Repertory Theatre and The Westwood Playhouse (now The Geffen Playhouse).

Shortly after taking on the role of a Japanese woman adapting to life in America inGung Go,her character Umeki appeared in an ABC spinoff of the film.

Patti Yasutake.Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic

Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic

Two years later, in 1988, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award Supporting Actress for a movie calledThe Wash.

Never slowing down, she went on to appear inDrop Dead Gorgeous, Blind SpotandRoad to Galveston, along with series guest-star roles inThe Closer,Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, Flash Forward, The UnitandCold Case.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Most notably, Yasutake was in the hit Netflix limited seriesBeefas Fumi Nakai, whichwon best limited seriesat the 2024 Golden Globe awards, and Nurse Alyssa Ogawa onStar Trek: The Next Generationand in the filmsStar Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek Generations.

source: people.com