Suzy Nakamura

Last updated
Suzy Nakamura
Suzy Nakamura on Sidewalks.jpg
Nakamura interviewed on Sidewalks in 2017
Born (1968-12-02) December 2, 1968 (age 55)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1994–present
SpouseHarry Hannigan (divorced)

Suzy Nakamura (born December 2, 1968) [1] is an American actress and improv comedian. She is known for her many guest appearances on sitcoms such as According to Jim , Half and Half , 8 Simple Rules , Curb Your Enthusiasm and How I Met Your Mother and her recurring role in the early seasons of the drama The West Wing as assistant to the Sam Seaborn character, as well as Dr. Miura in the ABC sitcom Modern Family and Karen in the Netflix series Dead to Me . She had leading roles in the television shows Dr. Ken and Avenue 5 .

Contents

Early life

Nakamura was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to parents of Japanese descent. [2] Her father was an English teacher for the Chicago Public Schools. [3] Her parents died within a year of each other when she was in her twenties. [4] She has one older brother. Nakamura attended Lane Technical College Prep High School. [5] After graduation, she joined the Asian-American theater company, MinaSama-No. [3]

Nakamura studied theater at Columbia College Chicago from 1987 to 1989. [3] She would attend every other semester as she had to finance her education herself. [3] In 1991, Nakamura was the first Asian American woman to join The Second City improvisational comedy troupe. [3] [6] She remained a part of the troupe for five years. [7]

Nakamura worked at Crate & Barrel prior to working as an actor. [8]

Career

Nakamura has acted in various films, television shows, commercials, web-series, and stage plays throughout her career, in addition to performing improv comedy. [8] [9]

She cofounded The Second City Detroit in 1993. [10]

Nakamura got her first film role as a troubled teen in Rea Tajiri's Chicago-based film, Strawberry Fields (1997). [11] It was an official selection at the 54th Venice International Film Festival. [9] [12]

On May 7, 2015, ABC picked up Ken Jeong's Dr. Ken starring Jeong as a fictional version of himself and Nakamura as his wife for its 2015–16 Fall Season. Jeong had previously gotten Nakamura a role in Judd Apatow's Funny People , but the scene was ultimately cut. [7] [13]

She was an honoree at the East West Players' 52nd Visionary Award in 2018. [2]

In August 2018, it was announced that Nakamura had joined HBO's television comedy Avenue 5 as Iris Kimura, the assistant to Josh Gad's billionaire character, Herman Judd. [14] [15] The series premiered on January 19, 2020. [16]

She had a recurring role as investigative reporter Irene Abe on FX's crime drama television series Snowfall. [17]

Personal life

Nakamura was married to Harry Hannigan. [18] They separated in 2018 and have since divorced. [19]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 Strawberry Fields Irene Kawai
1998 Deep Impact Jenny's Assistant
1999 Treasure Island Yo-Ji
1999 8mm Computer Wizard
2000 Timecode Connie Ling
2002 Stark Raving Mad Betty ShinCredited as Suzi Nakamura
2002 Barrier Device Serena
2003 Malibu's Most Wanted Soon-Yee Baxter Hernandez
2004 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Gordon's Wife
2005 Must Love Dogs Mai
2005 The 40-Year-Old Virgin Speed Dater (uncredited)
2006 For Your Consideration First AC
2007 American Zombie Judy
2007 Evan Almighty Staffer
2008 Spy School Ms. Bleckner
2011 The Little Engine That Could Teacher (voice)Direct-to-video
2014 Horrible Bosses 2 Kim
2023 Knox Goes Away Emily Ikari

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996 Common Law Suzy Yamamoto2 episodes
1997The PlayerRobbie LawlessUnsold pilot
1998 The Closer Beverly Andolini10 episodes
1999–2000 The West Wing Cathy9 episodes
2000 Daddio Holly Martin14 episodes
2002 Imagine That Rina Oh6 episodes
2002I Got YouUnsold pilot
2002 Curb Your Enthusiasm Assistant manager5 episodes
2002–2006 Half & Half Tina10 episodes
2003 Abby CarolEpisode: "Ted & Carol & Will & Abby"
2003 All of Us Teacher #1
2004 Good Morning, Miami Carol
2004 The King of Queens MollyEpisode: "Name Dropper"
2004–2005 8 Simple Rules Mrs. Krupp
2005Confessions of a DogUnsold pilot
2005 According to Jim Yoki HirasakiEpisode: "The Competition"
2006Worst Week of My LifeMeganUnsold pilot
2006–2007 The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman Carol Rinaldi4 episodes
2006–2007 Help Me Help You Inger12 episodes
2007InsatiableUnsold pilot
2008 Grey's Anatomy Jenn SmithEpisode: "Here Comes the Flood"
2008 My Name is Earl Phyllis WoohooEpisode: "Joy in a Bubble"
2008 True Jackson, VP CricketEpisode: "Pilot"
2008 The Mentalist NurseEpisode: “His Right Red Hand”
2009 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia TabithaEpisode: "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention"
2009–2010 10 Things I Hate About You Principal Holland6 episodes
2009–2010 Modern Family Dr. MiuraEpisodes: "Run for Your Wife", "Fears"
2009 Private Practice Margaret DelhomEpisode: "Sins of the Father"
2010–2011 Men of a Certain Age Elissa3 episodes
2010 Bones Carrie TurnerEpisode: "The Death of the Queen Bee"
2010 Castle Jennifer WongEpisode: "Food to Die For"
2011 How I Met Your Mother Dr. KirbyEpisode: "A Change of Heart"
2012–2013 Go On Yolanda22 episodes
2013 Melissa & Joey ElyseEpisode: "Something Happened"
2014Liv and MaddieTammyEpisode: "Switch-a-Rooney"
2014 Bad Teacher Mrs. HuEpisode: "A Little Respect"
2014–2018 The Goldbergs Mrs. Kim4 episodes
2015 Togetherness XanEpisode: "Kick the Can"
2015 Bob's Burgers YukiEpisode: "Hawk & Chick"
2015–2019 Veep AnnaEpisodes: "Mommy Meyer"
"Discovery Weekend" & "Veep"
2015Whole Day DownSaint Anne6 episodes
2015–2017 Dr. Ken Allison ParkMain role (44 episodes)
2017How to Beat Your Sister-in-Law (at everything)SuzyEpisode: "Puppy Love"
"Flyered Up the Ass"
2017 9JKL Casting DirectorEpisode: "TV MD"
2018 Black-ish Dr. ImaEpisode: "Dream Home"
"Fifty-Three Percent"
2018 Station 19 SusanEpisode: "Every Second Counts"
2018 Elementary Dr. Bridget TanakaEpisode: "Through the Fog"
2018 All About the Washingtons Mrs. ChadwickEpisode: "Papa Said Log You Out"
2019–2022 Dead to Me KarenRecurring role
2019 Harley Quinn Realtor (voice)Episode: "Being Harley Quinn"
2019–2023 Tacoma FD Linda PriceRecurring role
2020–2022 Avenue 5 Iris KimuraMain cast
2020 The Neighborhood Dr. ChenEpisode: "Welcome to Couples Therapy"
2021 Snowfall Irene AbeRecurring role (season 4)
2021 Ten Year Old Tom Amanda (voice)Episode: "Tom Urinates on Boston/First Responder"
2021–2022 Inside Job Tamiko Ridley (voice)Recurring role
2024 Exploding Kittens Abbie (voice)Post-production

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2022 Ghostwire: Tokyo Woman B, Woman D

Theater

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References

  1. ↑ "Today in Entertainment History". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
  2. 1 2 Wood, Ximon. "East West Players' 52nd Anniversary Visionary Awards Dinner and Silent Auction". East West Players. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Columbia College Chicago, "Columbia Chronicle (05/6/1991)" (May 6, 1991). Columbia Chronicle, College Publications, College Archives & Special Collections, Columbia College Chicago.
  4. ↑ Ko, Nalea (2012-12-13). "FUNNY LADY SUZY NAKAMURA TALKS COMEDY THERAPY" (PDF). Pacific Citizen. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  5. ↑ Zwecker, Bill (2017-03-22). "Chicago stage skills pay off for Suzy Nakamura on 'Dr. Ken'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  6. ↑ Elber, Lynn. "For Suzy Nakamura, 'Dr. Ken' means diversity". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  7. 1 2 "Interview: Dr. Ken's Suzy Nakamura Talks Performing Comedy While Asian and Female". www.themarysue.com. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  8. 1 2 "Suzy Nakamura Keeps Auditions About the Words". www.backstage.com. 2016-09-15. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  9. 1 2 "Life with 'Dr. Ken' Suzy Nakamura discusses her new ABC sitcom » Nichi Bei". www.nichibei.org. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  10. ↑ Seham, Amy E. (2001). Whose Improv Is it Anyway? Beyond Second City. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. 229. ISBN   9781604737592.
  11. ↑ "'Strawberry Fields' Rooted in Painful Past". Los Angeles Times. 1999-06-04. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  12. ↑ "REA TAJIRI". 25th Anniversary Asian Arts Initiative. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  13. ↑ "For Suzy Nakamura, 'Dr. Ken' has not just diverse actors, but diverse stories". Omaha.com. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  14. ↑ Petski, Denise (2018-08-24). "Suzy Nakamura Joins Hugh Laurie In Armando Iannucci's HBO Comedy Pilot 'Avenue 5'". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  15. ↑ "Avenue 5's Josh Gad and Suzy Nakamura on stupidity and success". TV Club. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  16. ↑ "Curb Your Enthusiasm returns and Avenue 5 takes flight". TV Club. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  17. ↑ Rudolph, Ileane. "'Snowfall' EP Says 'Gang Wars Are Ramping Up,' Plus He Teases a New Moral Center". TV Insider. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  18. ↑ "Suzy Nakuamura Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved January 25, 2022.
  19. ↑ @SuzyNakamura (September 8, 2021). "Hi @Wikipedia, I've been separated since 2018 and I'm divorced" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 8, 2021 – via Twitter.
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