from karate kid 2 to picture pride to joy luck club to?
History:
TAMLYN TOMITA
first made her debut in media entertainment when she played "Kumiko" in
The Karate Kid: II (1986). Since then, she's starred in seven other films,
the most well-recognized of which are The Joy Luck Club (as "Waverly"),
Come See the Paradise (as "Lily Kawamura"), Picture Bride (as "Kana"), and
Four Rooms.
Tamlyn has also made numerous television appearances
on shows such as Babylon 5, Chicago Hope, Vanishing Son, Livin' Single,
Sisters and Santa Barbara. Until recently, she was also a star on the
UPN show The Burning Zone but has since left to pursue other career interests.
Tamlyn's recent project is Hundred Percent, a comedy
film depicting a group of Generation X Asian-Americans, which also stars
(among others) Garrett Wang.
Click on the pictures to visit the other websites that
feature additional information on this hard-working actress as she seek
roles that doesn't stereotypes people's impression of her. Check out the
films that she has participates in by attending the movies and/or purchasing
the films that features her (i.e. Picture Bride, Joy Luck Club Hundred
Percent, Karate Kid: II, Come See the Paradise, etc.) To do so, just check
out the respective film's description within this website and click on
the picture's logo to purchase the vhs/dvd online. If you want to discover
some secrets about Tamlyn, enter her " FORBIDDEN
TERRITORY".
INTERVIEW: Tamlyn Tomita tells it like it is. In this exclusive interview,
she takes APA (and its readers) to task on WWII, being sucky, and the
adrenaline rush that theater provides.
When
meeting Tamlyn Tomita, one is tempted to use a whole bunch of F- words
to describe her: Fiery. Feisty. Fun. Fantastic. Lucky for us, Tamlyn lets
her acting do the talking. And really, a quick peek at her exhaustive
profile reveals a little something for everyone: she's got the halcyon
days of our youth covered (Karate Kid Part II). She's done her share of
female-empowering family sagas (The Joy Luck Club). She knows how to walk
the tightrope between big-budget, blow-em-up blockbusters (The Day After
Tomorrow) and the little guys tucked away in some corner of indie-ville.
(Greg Pak's Robot Stories.) So is it any surprise that the woman who has
it all holds absolutely nothing back when she's onstage, no more than
a few feet from the closest audience member, giddy with the idea that
by the end of her performance, she has left you bleary-eyed and slack-
jawed?
Well,
no. Because, to loosely paraphase her, it's what actors live for. More
importantly, it's what guides her fearless (wouldn't you know it: another
f-word) instincts and drive for self-betterment. And if all else fails?
Well, she just hopes that she doesn't f*** it all up. -- Chi Tung
To read the rest of her interview with UCLA's Asia Arts - click HERE
Theatrical Films:
Soundman(1998)Tamlyn has a small and possibly uncredited cameo in this independent
film about a sound recordist who loses touch with reality.
Living Out Loud(1998)Tamlyn has a brief appearance in this Holly Hunter movie as "the
other woman" whom Hunter's husband leavesher for.
hundred percent(1997)as Thaise - This film has received numerous glowing reviews but has
yet, to my knowledge, to see any release beyond film festivals.
Touch(1997)
- Tamlyn makes a brief appearance in this Paul Schrader-directed
movie from an Elmore Leonard novel as an attorney who goes up against
star Tom Arnold.
The Killing Jar(1996)as Diane Sanford - A man accused of a shocking murder must search
through his nightmares and repressed memories to reveal the truth and
clear his name. Meanwhile, more cadavers are popping up.
Four Rooms "The Misbehavers"(1995)as the mother - Parents leave their two children in a hotel room
in the unsatisfactory care of a the hotel's bellboy. Chaos ensues.
Picture Bride (1994)
as Kana - A young woman travels from Japan to Hawaii for an arranged
marriage with a man she has never met. She finds that her new husband
and her new life are not what she expected. Directed by Kayo Hatta.
The Joy Luck Club(1993)as Waverly - An excellent ensemble film based on the Amy Tan novel
about the lives of several Chinese women and their daughters. Directed
by Wayne Wang.
Come See the Paradise(1990)as Lily Kawamura - A world War II-era story of a union activist and
his Japanese-American wife who, along with her family, is relocated
to an internment camp during the war. Directed by Alan Parker.
Vietnam Texas(1990)as Lani - Vietnam vet-turned-priest, father Thomas, thought he had
left his past behind him. But when an old war buddy tells him of the
sighting of the priest's Vietnamese daughter in Houston's Little Saigon
and that she is in the custody of the powerful gangster wong, he plunges
into battle again.
Orange Curtain(Character unknown)
Hawaiian Dream(Character unknown)
The Karate Kid Part II(1986)as Kumiko - A karate student accompanies his teacher to his ancestral
home in Okinawa where he learns about culture, conflict and love. Directed
by John G. Avildsen
Short Films:
Notes On a Scale(1994)A 10 minute short film directed by Ken Kashima.
Television:
The Sentinal "Smart Alec" (1997)
- as Suzanne Tomaki
PBS Storytime(1996)
- Tamlyn read THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES and DUCKAT in show #123 of
this children's storytelling program
Burning Zone(1996)
- series regular as Dr. Kimberly Shiroma
Chicago Hope(1996)
- recurring role as the ex-wife of a series regular
Sisters(1995)
- as Kiri
Vanishing Son:
"Single Flame"
(1995) - as Lanchi
Highlander "The Samurai"(1994) -
as Midori Koto
One West Waikiki(1994)
- Premiere episode as Taylor
Vanishing Son II(1994)
- as Lanchi
Vanishing Son IV(1994)
- as Lanchi
Babylon 5 "The Gathering"(1993)
- as Lt. Cmdr. Laurel Takashima in the Pilot episode
Raven "Return of the Black Dragons"
(1992)
- as Kim Tanaka
Quantum Leap "Temptation Eyes"(1992)
- as San Francisco psychic Tamlyn Matsuda
Time Trax
Livin' Single
- as ad agency executive, Mary
Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes(1990 TV Movie)
- as Sally Togawa
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill(1990)
To Heal the Nation(1988 TV Movie)
- as Vietnam Memorial architect Maya Lin
