Ally Maki

Last updated
Ally Maki
Ally Maki.jpg
Maki in 2021
Born
Ally Maki Matsumura

(1986-12-29) December 29, 1986 (age 37)
Other namesAlly Matsumura
Occupations
  • Actress
  • model
  • singer
Years active2002–present
Musical career
Formerly ofThe Valli Girls

Ally Maki Matsumura [1] (born December 29, 1986), [2] [3] known professionally as Ally Maki, is an American actress and former musician. She portrayed Jess Kato in the TBS comedy series Wrecked and was the voice of Giggle McDimples in Toy Story 4 .

Contents

Early life

Maki was born and raised in Kirkland, Washington. [4] She has two older brothers. [1]

Maki is a fourth-generation Japanese American, or Yonsei. [4] Her grandmother was held in the Japanese internment camp at Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming during World War II. [2] [5] Her grandfather was a part of the 442nd infantry regiment, a unit consisting of primarily Japanese American soldiers. [2] One of her great-grandparents was a sharecropper in Mountain View, California. [4]

Career

Maki was scouted at 14 by a talent agent in Seattle. In 2001, she moved to a communal home for artists in Santa Clarita, California. From there, she was recruited by Columbia Records to form the girl band The Valli Girls, for whom she played the keytar. [6] As part of her training, she took DJ lessons at Freakbeat Records. [2]

Maki performed in the television film iCarly: iGo to Japan (2008) as well as many cameo appearances in films and television series such as Step Up 3D (2010) and The Big Bang Theory (2010). She had supporting roles in the comedy-drama films The Family Tree (2011) and Geography Club (2013).

From 2009 to 2010, Maki had a recurring role as Dawn in the comedy-drama series 10 Things I Hate About You . She made a guest appearance in a season 4 episode of the TV series Bones as Dr. Tanaka, a forensic specialist from Japan. Maki was in the final considerations to play the role of Alice in the 2012 drama film The Perks of Being a Wallflower , which eventually went to Erin Wilhelmi. [7]

Between 2016 and 2018, she starred as Jess Kato in the TBS comedy series Wrecked . [8] From 2018 to 2019, she had a recurring supporting role in Marvel's Cloak & Dagger on Freeform.

In 2018, Maki founded the Asian American Girl Club, a lifestyle and apparel brand. [9] [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
200380's EndingJapanese GirlShort film
RoguesChoir
2010 Step Up 3D Jenny
The Prankster Kassandra Yamaguchi
2011Recess CourtCassieShort film
The Family Tree Shauna
2012Beach BarIreene Saki Zbeitnefski and Merbaby
Music HighAlly
2013 Geography Club Min
Amelia's 25thAlly
2019 Toy Story 4 Giggle McDimples Voice role
2020Lamp LifeVoice role (short film)
2021 Home Sweet Home Alone Mei
2022Dealing With DadMargaret
2023 Shortcomings Miko
Seagrass Judith
TBA5 Years ApartOliviaPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 My Wife and Kids SashaEpisode: "Samba Story"
2003 ER MissyEpisode: "No Strings Attached"
2003 That's So Raven Student #2Episode: "Campaign in the Neck"
2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Japanese girlEpisode: "Chosen"
2007SubsAlexa TanakaUnsold FX pilot
2008 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles StudentEpisode: "Queen's Gambit"
2008 Miss Guided MichelleEpisode: "High School Musical"
2008 Privileged BreckynRecurring role; 4 episodes
2008 iCarly: iGo to Japan KyokoTelevision film
2009 Bones Dr. Haru TanakaEpisode: "The Girl in the Mask"
2009–2010 10 Things I Hate About You DawnRecurring role; 16 episodes
2009 Greek Hot Renaissance fair girlEpisode: "See You Next Time, Sisters!"
2010 The Big Bang Theory Joyce KimEpisode: "The Staircase Implementation"
2011 Workaholics BrenandaEpisode: "We Be Ballin'"
2011 Franklin & Bash ToniaGuest role; 2 episodes
2012 Shake It Up Keiko IshizukaEpisode: "Made in Japan"
2012 Hot in Cleveland BrookeEpisode: "Method Man"
2013 2 Broke Girls JuneEpisode: "And the Girlfriend Experience"
2016 New Girl KumikoEpisode: "No Girl"
2016–2018 Wrecked JessMain role; 30 episodes
2017–2019 Dear White People IkumiRecurring role; 5 episodes
2018–2019 Marvel's Cloak & Dagger Mina HessRecurring role; 8 episodes
2018–2022 Robot Chicken Wanda Li (voice)Episodes: "We Don't See Much of That in 1940s America", "May Cause Bubbles Where You Don't Want 'Em"
2020 Into the Dark AllisonEpisode: "My Valentine"
2020–2023 The Owl House Viney (voice)Recurring role; 5 episodes
2021–present Hit-Monkey Haruka (voice)Main role; 9 episodes
2023 The Big Door Prize HanaMain role

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2010Crazy/Sexy/AwkwardRosemaryEpisode: "The Wingwoman"
2012Company CarAllyEpisode: "He Said She Said"

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References

  1. 1 2 "Angry Reader of the Week: Ally Maki" . Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Stiefel, Steven (2018-10-09). "Meet Wrecked actress Ally Maki and discover her favorite Valley haunts". Ventura Blvd. Archived from the original on 2020-01-03. Retrieved 2020-01-03.
  3. @allymaki (December 29, 2019). "1 year older. Thank you guys so much for the endless love it's because of all of you that I feel the strength and fire to keep pushing. 2019 was a year of momentous growth in all the tiniest places. To get to a place where I finally feel like I really WANT to be me. For anyone out there who feels out of their own skin drowning by pressures and standards that live inside and outside of yourself just know that I am excited for those cool lil moments when you see how beautifully awesome you are when you're just you. Love you all so much 💫🦋" via Instagram.
  4. 1 2 3 "Angry Reader of the Week: Ally Maki" . Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  5. Maki, Ally (2023-05-26). "Ally Maki: A Letter to My Grandma and the Women Who Paved the Way".
  6. "So-Cal Teen Prodigies The Valli Girls Launch Pop-Rock Campaign". sony.com. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  7. Hickey, Timothy (June 22, 2017). "Five Things You Didn't Know about Ally Maki". TV Overmind. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  8. Andreeva, Nellie (January 26, 2015). "TBS Deserted Island Comedy Pilot 'Wrecked' Sets Ensemble Cast". Deadline Hollywood .
  9. Yaptangco, Ariana (2020-09-02). "At Ally Maki's Asian American Girl Club, All Are Welcome". Elle.com. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  10. "Ally Maki | The History at the Heart of It All". www.flaunt.com. Retrieved 2024-01-11.