Patti Yasutake, who is best known for her role as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa in the Star Trek franchise, has passed away following a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 70 years old.
Her death was confirmed to Deadline by her manager and friend, Kyle Fritz. “Patti was my first client when I began over 30 years ago,” Fritz said. “We enjoyed every day we got to work together, and I will miss her spirit talent, and tenacity but most of all her friendship.”
Patti Yasutake first started acting in 1985, with a role in the show T.J. Hooker. The actress joined the Star Trek franchise in 1994’s The Next Generation series. She also appeared in Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: Armada II. She went on to be in other various TV series, including ER and Cold Case.
Her most recent role was in Netflix’s new series Beef, which premiered on the streaming service’s platform last spring. The role earned her two nominations at the International Online Cinema Awards.
Yasutake died of a rare form of T-cell lymphoma at the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, on Monday, Aug. 5. She is preceded in death by her parents, Michael and Jean Yasutake; and her sister, business executive Irene Hirano Inouye.
The actress is survived by siblings Linda Hayashi and Steven Yasutake; a large extended family of nephews and nieces; and a family of friends and colleagues including Fritz and Jonathan Del Arco.
Patti Yasutake Opens Up About the Memories She Had Working in the ‘Star Trek’ Franchise
During a 2013 interview, Patti Yasutake opened up about her time in the Star Trek franchise and her most cherished memories.
“Feeling humbled by spandex! Not so much the padded bras, but definitely the spandex,” Yasutake joked about the memories. “ When they realized I was coming back often enough to warrant a personal uniform – zipper in the back, not in front anymore – I got such a custom fit, I almost passed out the first day I worked in it.”
“I also remember it became my own curiosity to see how many other places besides sick bay my character would appear,” she continued. “I never got transported, but maybe I would’ve ended up the one who didn’t come back, so perhaps just as well.”
Patii Yasutake also reflected on her first day on the Star Trek set. “I’ll always remember my first day working on that show,” she said. “When I entered the soundstage, even though I first saw all the sets from behind.”
“It was still wondrous and exciting to walk around to the front of them,” she added. “And realize I was on the Enterprise.”