1. Early Life
Ally Maki Matsumura was born on December 29, 1986, in Kirkland, Washington, where she was also raised. She grew up with two older brothers. Her early life in Washington laid the foundation for her later move to California to pursue a career in entertainment.
2. Heritage and Identity
Maki is a Yonsei, a fourth-generation Japanese American. Her family's history deeply influenced her identity and advocacy. Her grandmother was interned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming during World War II, a period of significant injustice for Japanese Americans. In contrast, her grandfather served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment, a highly decorated unit composed primarily of Japanese American soldiers. Additionally, one of her great-grandparents worked as a sharecropper in Mountain View, California. This rich and complex family history, marked by both hardship and service, has been a significant part of Maki's public identity and her commitment to cultural representation.
3. Career
Ally Maki's professional journey spans various facets of the entertainment industry, from her early beginnings in music to her extensive acting career and her entrepreneurial ventures.
3.1. Music Career
Maki was scouted by a talent agent in Seattle at the age of 14. In 2001, she relocated to Santa Clarita, California, living in a communal home for artists. Her musical career began when she was recruited by Columbia Records to join the girl band The Valli Girls. In the band, Maki played the keytar. As part of her training and development, she also took DJ lessons at Freakbeat Records.
3.2. Acting Career
Maki's acting career began with various guest appearances and supporting roles, gradually leading to more prominent parts in both film and television.
3.2.1. Major Works
Maki gained significant recognition for her starring role as Jess Kato in the TBS comedy series Wrecked, appearing in 30 episodes from 2016 to 2018. She lent her voice to the character Giggle McDimples in the critically acclaimed 2019 animated film Toy Story 4 and reprised the role in the 2020 short film Lamp Life. In television, she took on a main role as Haruka in the animated series Hit-Monkey, which premiered in 2021. More recently, she has been a main cast member in the 2023 Apple TV+ comedy series The Big Door Prize as Hana, and in the 2024 series Exploding Kittens as Greta Higgins and Universal Basic Guys as Andrea. She also had a recurring voice role as Janelle Johnson in Dream Productions in 2024.
3.2.2. Other Notable Roles
Maki' has appeared in numerous other films and television series throughout her career. Her early film appearances include 80's Ending and Rogues (both 2003), followed by roles in Step Up 3D (2010) as Jenny, The Prankster (2010) as Kassandra Yamaguchi, and supporting roles in the comedy-drama films The Family Tree (2011) as Shauna and Geography Club (2013) as Min. She also appeared in Home Sweet Home Alone (2021) as Mei, Doula (2022) as Katherine, Shortcomings (2023) as Miko, and Seagrass (2023) as Judith.
On television, Maki's early roles included appearances in My Wife and Kids (2002), ER (2003), That's So Raven (2003), and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2003). She had a recurring role as Dawn in the comedy-drama series 10 Things I Hate About You from 2009 to 2010, appearing in 16 episodes. Other notable television guest appearances include iCarly: iGo to Japan (2008) as Kyoko, Bones (2009) as Dr. Haru Tanaka, The Big Bang Theory (2010) as Joyce Kim, Shake It Up (2012) as Keiko Ishizuka, 2 Broke Girls (2013) as June, and New Girl (2016) as Kumiko. From 2018 to 2019, she had a recurring supporting role as Mina Hess in Marvel's Cloak & Dagger. She also voiced Wanda Li in Robot Chicken (2018-2022) and Viney in The Owl House (2020-2023).
3.3. Entrepreneurship
In 2018, Ally Maki founded the Asian American Girl Club, a lifestyle and apparel brand. This venture was created to foster a sense of community and pride among Asian American women, promoting cultural identity and empowerment through its products and platform. The brand serves as an extension of Maki's commitment to representation and advocacy for the Asian American community.
4. Personal Life
Ally Maki is engaged to Travis Atreo. In April 2024, she publicly announced her pregnancy, and on August 1, 2024, she gave birth to their daughter, Charlie Rei.
5. Social Impact and Reception
Ally Maki's work and public persona have had a notable impact, particularly in the realm of cultural representation and advocacy for the Asian American community.
5.1. Cultural Representation
As a fourth-generation Japanese American, Maki has actively used her platform to increase Asian American representation in Hollywood and challenge stereotypes. Through her acting roles, she has sought to portray diverse and authentic characters. Her founding of the Asian American Girl Club further solidifies her commitment to this cause. The brand aims to empower Asian American women, celebrate their heritage, and provide a space for community and dialogue, thereby contributing positively to cultural identity and social progress.
5.2. Public Reception
Ally Maki's performances have generally been well-received by audiences and critics, particularly her comedic timing in Wrecked and her voice work in Toy Story 4. Her entrepreneurial efforts with the Asian American Girl Club have garnered significant positive attention for their focus on cultural empowerment and community building, positioning her as a prominent voice in the Asian American community.
6. Filmography
Ally Maki has a diverse filmography across film, television, web series, and video games.
6.1. Film
| 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) | |
| 2020 | Lamp Life | Giggle McDimples (voice) | Short film |
| 2021 | Home Sweet Home Alone | Mei | |
| 2022 | Dealing With Dad | Margaret | |
| Doula | Katherine | ||
| 2023 | Shortcomings | Miko | |
| Seagrass | Judith | ||
| TBA | 5 Years Apart | Olivia | Post-production |
6.2. Television
| 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 |
| 2017-2019 | Dear White People | Ikumi | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
| 2018-2019 | Marvel's Cloak & Dagger | Mina Hess | Recurring role; 8 episodes |
| 2018-2022 | Robot Chicken | Wanda Li (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Into the Dark | Allison | Episode: "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 | Hana | Main role |
| 2024 | Exploding Kittens | Greta Higgins | Main role; 9 episodes |
| 2024 | Universal Basic Guys | Andrea | Main role |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Janelle Johnson (voice) | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
6.3. Web Series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Crazy/Sexy/Awkward | Rosemary | Episode: "The Wingwoman" |
| 2012 | Company Car | Ally | Episode: "He Said She Said" |
6.4. Video Games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Beyond Blue | Ren | |
| 2022 | We Are OFK | Itsumi Saito, Anime Hero, Virtual Streamer |
7. External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1280361/ Ally Maki at IMDb]