Ally Maki Matsumura[2] (born December 29, 1986),[3][4] 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.
Ally Maki | |
|---|---|
 Maki in 2021 | |
| Born | Ally Maki Matsumura December 29, 1986 Kirkland, Washington, U.S. |
| Other names | Ally Matsumura |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Children | 1[1] |
| Musical career | |
| Formerly of | The Valli Girls |
Early life
editMaki was born and raised in Kirkland, Washington.[5] She has two older brothers.[2]
Maki is a fourth-generation Japanese American, or Yonsei.[5] Her grandmother was held in the Japanese internment camp at Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming during World War II.[3][6] Her grandfather was a part of the 442nd infantry regiment, a unit consisting of primarily Japanese American soldiers.[3] One of her great-grandparents was a sharecropper in Mountain View, California.[5]
Career
editMaki 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.[7] As part of her training, she took DJ lessons at Freakbeat Records.[3]
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.[8]
Between 2016 and 2018, she starred as Jess Kato in the TBS comedy series Wrecked.[9] 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.[10][11]
Personal life
editIn April 2024, Maki revealed she is pregnant, expecting her first child with fiancé Travis Atreo.[12] On August 1, 2024, she gave birth to a daughter.[13]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 80's Ending | Japanese Girl | Short film |
| Rogues | Choir | ||
| 2010 | Step Up 3D | Jenny | |
| The Prankster | Kassandra Yamaguchi | ||
| 2011 | Recess Court | Cassie | Short film |
| The Family Tree | Shauna | ||
| 2012 | Beach Bar | Ireene Saki Zbeitnefski and Merbaby | |
| Music High | Ally | ||
| 2013 | Geography Club | Min | |
| Amelia's 25th | Ally | ||
| 2019 | Toy Story 4 | Giggle McDimples (voice) | [14][15] |
| 2020 | Lamp Life | Short film[15] | |
| 2021 | Home Sweet Home Alone | Mei | [16] |
| 2022 | Dealing With Dad | Margaret | |
| Doula | Katherine | [17] | |
| 2023 | Shortcomings | Miko | [18] |
| Seagrass | Judith | [19] | |
| TBA | 5 Years Apart | Olivia | Post-production |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | My Wife and Kids | Sasha | Episode: "Samba Story" |
| 2003 | ER | Missy | Episode: "No Strings Attached" |
| 2003 | That's So Raven | Student #2 | Episode: "Campaign in the Neck" |
| 2003 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Japanese girl | Episode: "Chosen" |
| 2007 | Subs | Alexa Tanaka | Unsold FX pilot |
| 2008 | Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles | Student | Episode: "Queen's Gambit" |
| 2008 | Miss Guided | Michelle | Episode: "High School Musical" |
| 2008 | Privileged | Breckyn | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2008 | iCarly: iGo to Japan | Kyoko | Television film |
| 2009 | Bones | Dr. Haru Tanaka | Episode: "The Girl in the Mask" |
| 2009–2010 | 10 Things I Hate About You | Dawn | Recurring role; 16 episodes |
| 2009 | Greek | Hot Renaissance fair girl | Episode: "See You Next Time, Sisters!" |
| 2010 | The Big Bang Theory | Joyce Kim | Episode: "The Staircase Implementation" |
| 2011 | Workaholics | Brenanda | Episode: "We Be Ballin'" |
| 2011 | Franklin & Bash | Tonia | Guest role; 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Shake It Up | Keiko Ishizuka | Episode: "Made in Japan" |
| 2012 | Hot in Cleveland | Brooke | Episode: "Method Man" |
| 2013 | 2 Broke Girls | June | Episode: "And the Girlfriend Experience" |
| 2015 | NCIS | Marie Manna | Episode: "Lockdown" |
| 2016 | New Girl | Kumiko | Episode: "No Girl" |
| 2016–2018 | Wrecked | Jess | Main role; 30 episodes[20] |
| 2017–2019 | Dear White People | Ikumi | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2018–2019 | Marvel's Cloak & Dagger | Mina Hess | Recurring role; 8 episodes[21] |
| 2018–2022 | Robot Chicken | Wanda Li (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Into the Dark | Allison | Episode: "My Valentine"[22] |
| 2020–2023 | The Owl House | Viney (voice) | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2021–present | Hit-Monkey | Haruka (voice) | Main role; 9 episodes[23] |
| 2023 | The Big Door Prize | Hana | Main role[24] |
| 2024 | Exploding Kittens | Greta Higgins | Main role; 9 episodes |
| 2024 | Universal Basic Guys | Andrea | Main role |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Janelle (voice) | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
Web series
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Crazy/Sexy/Awkward | Rosemary | Episode: "The Wingwoman" |
| 2012 | Company Car | Ally | Episode: "He Said She Said" |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Beyond Blue | Ren | [15] |
| 2022 | We Are OFK | Itsumi Saito, Anime Hero, Virtual Streamer | [15] |
References
edit- ^ "Instagram".
- ^ a b "Angry Reader of the Week: Ally Maki". Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ a b c d 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.
- ^ @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.
- ^ a b c "Angry Reader of the Week: Ally Maki". Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ Maki, Ally (2023-05-26). "Ally Maki: A Letter to My Grandma and the Women Who Paved the Way".
- ^ "So-Cal Teen Prodigies The Valli Girls Launch Pop-Rock Campaign". sony.com. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
- ^ Hickey, Timothy (June 22, 2017). "Five Things You Didn't Know about Ally Maki". TV Overmind. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 26, 2015). "TBS Deserted Island Comedy Pilot 'Wrecked' Sets Ensemble Cast". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Yaptangco, Ariana (2020-09-02). "At Ally Maki's Asian American Girl Club, All Are Welcome". Elle.com. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "Ally Maki | The History at the Heart of It All". www.flaunt.com. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ Telling, Gillian (April 17, 2024). "Actress Ally Maki Is Pregnant, Expecting Her First Baby: 'There's No Hiding It Anymore' (Exclusive)". People Magazine. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ @allymaki (2024-08-01). "Charlie Rei 🎀 Our sweetest baby girl has forever changed our lives. She was born to her daddy's music with the gentlest little personality and a full head of hair. There's not enough words to capture our love for her. Our beautiful little baby owl, we love you beyond the stars". Retrieved 2024-12-13 – via Instagram.
- ^ Anderton, Ethan (March 19, 2019). "Meet The New 'Toy Story 4' Characters Voiced By Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks & Ally Maki". SlashFilm. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Ally Maki (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 15, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (July 16, 2020). "Disney+ 'Home Alone' Reboot Adds Kenan Thompson, Ally Maki And Chris Parnell". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ DeVore, Britta (May 11, 2022). "'Doula' Trailer Spotlights Troian Bellisario in Quirky Pregnancy Comedy From Executive Producer Chris Pine". Collider. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (August 30, 2022). "Randall Park's Directorial Debut 'Shortcomings' to Star Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola and Ally Maki (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Wells, V. S. (August 4, 2023). "BC filmmaker Meredith Hama-Brown to premiere debut feature at TIFF". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 27, 2015). "TBS Deserted Island Comedy Pilot 'Wrecked' Sets Ensemble Cast". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Agard, Chancellor (June 21, 2018). "Exclusive: 'Cloak & Dagger' first look finally reveals Ally Maki's brilliant character". EW.com. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (February 8, 2020). "'Into The Dark' Sets Britt Baron, Anna Lore, Benedict Samuel, Anna Akana For Valentine's Day-Themed Installment Of Horror Anthology". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ "'Hit-Monkey' Premieres November 17 On Hulu". www.marvel.com. September 20, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Petski, Denise (February 7, 2022). "'The Big Door Prize': Djouliet Amara, Ally Maki & Crystal Fox Round Out Series Regular Cast For Apple TV+ Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved June 15, 2024.