Emily Keiko Kuroda (born October 30, 1952) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Mrs. Kim on TV's Gilmore Girls, but she has had a long career on stage and screen and is a veteran of East West Players,Asia Pacific Arts magazine interview with Emily Kuroda Los Angeles's premier Asian American theater group.
Early life and education Kuroda, a Japanese American, was born in Fresno, California on October 30, 1952, the daughter of Kay and William Kuroda. She began acting and directing in high school and majored in drama at California State University, Fresno before launching her career on stage and screen.
Career Kuroda has performed in numerous plays including Luis Alfaro's Straight as a Line at Playwrights' Arena, directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, Chay Yew's Red at East West Players,Los Angeles Times, A Place She Can Call Home, September 30, 2001 Winter People at the Boston Court, and Ken Narasaki's Innocent When You Dream at the Electric Lodge,Program for Innocent When You Dream, Timescape Arts Group which was directed by her husband, Alberto Isaac. She appeared in Narasaki's No-No Boy at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica CA, also directed by Isaac, alongside her Gilmore Girls daughter, Keiko Agena. Other theatres include New York's Public Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Singapore Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, LA Women's Shakespeare Company, Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival, and Lodestone Theatre Ensemble.
Kuroda completed seven years as Mrs. Kim in Warner Brothers’ Gilmore Girls as well as the Netflix revisit in 2016. She also played opposite Flavor Flav in 13 episodes of Under One Roof. Recent television credits include a recurring role on Drop Dead Diva (as Margaret Cho's mother), Medium, Grey's Anatomy, In Case of Emergency, Six Feet Under, The King of Queens, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Practice, General Hospital, Port Charles, L.A. Law, ER, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Division, The Agency, Presidio Med, Arliss, and the television special About Love (Emmy nominated). Feature films include RED, PEEP WORLD, Minority Report, Stranger Inside, 2 Days in the Valley, Dad, Broken Words, Worth Winning and Shopgirl. She has also appeared in independent Asian American films, including The Sensei, Yellow and Stand Up for Justice.
She is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Actors' Equity Association.
Personal life Kuroda is married to actor Alberto Isaac.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role NotesSource1986American GeishaKikusen1989SoloTakiShortWorth WinningCory ChuDadVicki1990Why Me?News Anchorwoman1991Late for DinnerNurse Ruth1993Broken WordsGrandmother1998YellowMrs. Lee1999The SuburbansMrs. Lee Lee2001Stranger InsideMin2003Day of IndependenceChoir MemberShort2004Stand Up for JusticeMrs. Matsuoka2005Pawns of the KingKeikoShopgirlJapanese Woman2006My Prince, My AngelShen's Mother2008The SenseiFlora Nakano2009Hotel for DogsSocial Worker Aussie and Ted's Great AdventureMei MeiLove 10 to 1Ma2010The Man Who Invented the WordsShortPeep WorldNail Salon OwnerREDMrs. ChanA Super Duper Exotic Erotic Fetish Sexy Must See Story... A Tragedy of Oriental Proportions!Short2011Lost RitesJun-Li2012Family RestaurantFemale Customer/Still Photographer2013Family GatheringCo-producerYellow FaceGish JenUncle BartMrs. ParkShort2014Alec Mapa: Baby DaddySpecial ThanksDocumentary2015Maybe SomedayMrs. Kibble2016Justice AngelFang2017Take the 10Patti2022KimiDr. Sarah BurnsStrange WorldRo (voice)2026The End of Oak StreetMrs. Valcourt
Television Year Title Role NotesSource1982Remington SteeleAkemiEpisode: "Your Steele the One for Me"1983Tales of the Gold MonkeyGeisha Girl Episode: "Naka Jima Kill"1985CBS StorybreakVoiceEpisode: "Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China"1987Gung HoYukiko Saito2 episodes1988MatlockReceptionistEpisode: "The Investigation: Part 1"MacGyverKaren MatsugaEpisode: "The Spoilers"1988–89L.A. LawRonnie Page6 episodes1989The Preppie MurderReporterTV movie1990LifestoriesRoom NurseEpisode: "Don Chapin"Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream ZoneVoice13 episodesShe Said NoReginaTV movieDonorICU Nurse1990–91Knots LandingWoman/Cleaning Lady/Banker3 episodes1991ColumboLindaEpisode: "Caution: Murder Can Be Hazardous to Your Health"Life Goes OnDr. KitoEpisode: "Dr. Kito"Dynasty: The ReunionNurse LinTV movie1991–92Doogie Howser, M.D.Anesthesiologist/Janet Masuda2 episodes1992SistersReporter/NurseLadykillerJack's SecretaryTV movie1992–93The Jackie Thomas ShowWaitress2 episodes1993ShadowhunterADR Loop GroupTV movieAbout LoveJeannette KimMelrose PlaceNurseEpisode: "Carpe Diem"1994A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal LifestyleDr. Nancy LeeTV movie1995Awake to DangerNever Say Never: The Deidre Hall StoryO.R. Nurse1996ERDottie, Hospital Day-Care WorkerEpisode: "Take These Broken Wings"Party GirlMikotoEpisode: "Pilot"1997HeartlessDr. Alice MorisakiTV movie1998ProfilerDr. GarsonEpisode: "Bloodlust"The Young and the RestlessNurse Candice Katsumoto6 episodes1999WorkingExecutive Storyteller #3Episode: "Romeo and Julie"Party of FiveNurse WolfeEpisode: "Rings of Saturn"L.A. HeatMrs. KwanEpisode: "F Is for Framed"The PracticeMiss Hines - Dental HygienistEpisode: "Free Dental"SnoopsKDLA ReporterEpisode: "The Grinch"2000Chicago HopeDr. BatesEpisode: "Simon Sez"Shasta McNastyNurseEpisode: "The Sugar Pill"Family LawDr. BraunEpisode: "Affairs of the State"2000–07Gilmore GirlsMrs. Kim43 episodes2001The King of QueensLilyEpisode: "Sight Gag"Curb Your EnthusiasmRestaurant EmployeeEpisode: "The Shrimp Incident"2001–02The Agency3 episodes2003The HandlerDr. Kim AndersonEpisode: "Under Color of Law"2004Six Feet UnderDr. KeyEpisode: "Grinding the Corn"2006Clark and MichaelDriving Range Woman2007In Case of EmergencyMrs. TuckmanEpisode: "Forbidden Love"State of MindDoctorEpisode: "Passion Fishing"2007–14The Bold and the BeautifulDr. Kimborough/Archive Footage6 episodes2008-2009Under One RoofSu Ho13 episodes2009Grey's AnatomyKendall SullyEpisode: "Stand By Me"2010MediumMorgue AttendantEpisode: "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day"2010–11Drop Dead DivaMrs. Lee2 episodes2012DakotaCleaning WomanEpisode: "Down $1,170"BFFsJessica's Mother2 episodesSlantedAuntie LindaEpisode: "Paying Your Dues"ScruplesCecileTV movie2013BloodlineGloria2014SequesteredRufang12 episodes2014–15Just Us GuysMrs. K5 episodes2016Gilmore Girls: A Year in the LifeMrs. KimEpisode: "Spring"2018The ResidentPenny OhEpisode: "The Germ"2019 The Good DoctorSunny LeeEpisode: "Xin"2021All RiseDr. JohnsonEpisode: "Safe to Fall"2022Baymax!Kiko (voice)2 episodes2023The PowerSister VeronicaRecurring role
Video games Year Title RoleNotes Source2026Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark TiesAdditional voices
Theatre Year Title Role NotesStraight as a Line Red East West Players Winter People Boston CourtInnocent When You DreamElectric LodgeNo-No BoyMiles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California
Awards and other recognitions Year Award Category Nominated work Result Drama-Logue Awards Ikebana, The Maids, Minimata, The Golden Gate, and Visitors from Nagasaki City of Los Angeles Commendation About Love Back Stage West Garland Award Outstanding Performance Straight as a Line 1999 Los Angeles Times Top 10 2000 Los Angeles Ovation Award Best Lead Actress in a Play 2001 Los Angeles Times Top 10 Red 2004 Entertainment Today Award Best Actress Winter People 2006 East West Players' Rae Creevey Award Playbill, July 24, 2006 Playwrights' Arena Award Outstanding Contribution to Los Angeles Theatre
References
External links
Interview with UCLA International Institute