Early life

Hill was born in Deadwood, South Dakota, to Ayoko Yoneoka Hill (1914-2008) and Archie Russell Hill, a Finnish American who died after an automobile accident in 1979. She became an acclaimed actress working with the famed Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco, California. Hill is also known in the theatre world as a respected performance artist, having written and performed a number of one-woman shows, including the trilogy of Tokyo Bound, Reunion, and Beside Myself.

Career

Hill first became noticed in the industry for her involvement on Margaret Cho's short-lived sitcom All-American Girl in the role of grandmother Yung-Hee, better known as Grandma or Grandma Kim. Through the run of the show her character eventually became the show's breakout character and this was noted in the show's 2006 DVD release in an interview with Hill and former co-star Margaret Cho. Her first appearance became memorable when she put some English muffins in the toaster and had to answer the door and told the visitor, "excuse me, I must finish preparing the muffins of your people."

A little after All-American Girl was cancelled she would later be cast in the role of Kay Ohara on Maybe This Time, which would eventually lead her to working and co-starring with TV legend Betty White and former All American Girl co-star Ashley Johnson.

Some of her notable films that she starred in are Max Keeble's Big Move, Big Fat Liar, The Cat in the Hat, Let's Go To Prison, Lilo & Stitch, and as Dr. Barrenbottom in 2013's Big Gay Love, but her most notable film role was as Sue in the film 50 First Dates.

She has had many notable guest starring roles on shows such as Night Court, Six Feet Under, Desperate Housewives, King of the Hill, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Sarah Silverman Program, and My Wife & Kids. She has had many notable recurring roles on TV shows as well, such as the lesbian daughter of D. L. Hughley's neighbor (played by Pat Morita) on The Hughleys, the upstairs neighbor of Monica and Rachel on Friends, Mrs. DePaulo on That's So Raven, Mama Tohru on Jackie Chan Adventures, Mrs. Hasagawa on Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Penny Candy on The Puzzle Place, Mah Mah the adopted mother of Francine on American Dad!, Dr. Lauren Brown on General Hospital, and Suji on The Naked Truth. In the final episode of season six of Seinfeld, she played the part of Frank Costanza's long lost girlfriend during his Korean War service.

She also had notable regular roles on Strip Mall and one of her better known roles as "Ah-Mah" Jasmine Lee on The Life and Times of Juniper Lee. Hill has a recurring role as Beverley on Mom.

Awards and nominations

• Hill was nominated for a regional Emmy (Los Angeles Area) as writer/host of Get Real, an Asian American teen talkshow on KSCI.

Personal Life

She also has an adopted daughter named Penelope Hill and they have performed in numerous shows together across the United States.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]