Suzy Nakamura (born December 2, 1968) 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.
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Early life
Nakamura was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to parents of Japanese descent. Her father was an English teacher for the Chicago Public Schools. Her parents died within a year of each other when she was in her twenties. She has one older brother. Nakamura attended Lane Technical College Prep High School. After graduation in 1985, she joined the Asian-American theater company, MinaSama-No.
Nakamura studied theater at Columbia College Chicago from 1987 to 1989. She would attend every other semester as she had to finance her education herself. In 1991, Nakamura was the first Asian American woman to join The Second City improvisational comedy troupe. She remained a part of the troupe for five years.
Nakamura worked at Crate & Barrel prior to working as an actor.
Career
Nakamura has acted in various films, television shows, commercials, web-series, and stage plays throughout her career, in addition to performing improv comedy. She cofounded The Second City Detroit in 1993.
Her first film role was as a troubled teen in Rea Tajiri's Chicago-based film, Strawberry Fields (1997). It was an official selection at the 54th Venice International Film Festival.
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. She played a recurring role as investigative reporter Irene Abe on FX's crime drama television series Snowfall. In August 2018, it was announced that Nakamura had joined HBO's television comedy Avenue 5 as Iris Kimura, the assistant to billionaire Herman Judd (played by Josh Gad). The series premiered on January 19, 2020.
Honors and awards
She was an honoree at the East West Players' 52nd Visionary Award in 2018.
Personal life
Nakamura was married to Harry Hannigan. They separated in 2018 and have since divorced.
Filmography
Theater
An Infinite Ache
The Showatorium
Coptors
Shogun's Heroes
Coed Prison Sluts – The Musical
The Armando Diaz Experience
The Deconstruction Derby
The Zodiac Thrillers
The Dickie Bell Twist Dance Party
Pen to Paper
The Second City Alumni Jam
The Powerhouse Variety Show
The Redwood Curtain
Power to the People Mover
National Touring Company (The Second City – Chicago)
POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (Shubert Theatre – Broadway) as Jean
