Patti Yasutake, ‘Beef’, ‘Star Trek’ star, dies at 70

Patti Yasutake, a regular on Beef, who also played the role of Nurse Alyssa Ogawa on Star Trek: The Next Generation, died of cancer on Aug. 5, in Santa Monica. She was 70.

“Patti was my first client when I began over 30 years ago. We enjoyed every day we got to work together, and I will miss her spirit talent and tenacity but most of all her friendship,” her manager Kyle Fritz said.

Yasutake portrayed George’s mother Fumi Nakai on Netflix’s Beef. In the movies Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek Generations, the actress reprised her Star Trek role as Nurse Alyssa Ogawa.

She got nominated at Independent Spirit Awards for best supporting actress in 1988’s The Wash. Yasutake’s major feature debut was in Ron Howard’s 1986 comedy Gung Ho.

Her list of TV credits also included shows like The Closer, Grey’s Anatomy, Bones, and movie credits including Drop Dead Gorgeous, Blind Spot and The Road to Galveston.

She was born in Los Angeles, raised in Gardena and Inglewood and graduated UCLA with Honors in Theater.

Yasutake is survived by siblings Linda Hayashi and Steve Yasutake.