Sumalee Montano
Description
Sumalee Montano is an American actress and voice actress who has built an extensive career in animation, video games, and live-action television. Born on August 3, 1972 in Columbus, Ohio, she is of Filipina and Thai descent. Before pursuing acting, Montano graduated from Harvard University as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar and worked as an investment banking analyst in New York City and Hong Kong. She transitioned to entertainment in the late 1990s, with her first voice acting role appearing in the 1999 music-rhythm game Space Channel 5.
Montano has become a prolific voice artist, having lent her voice to nearly 200 animated roles across film, television, and video games. One of her most significant early voice roles was Arcee in the animated series Transformers: Prime, which aired from 2010 to 2013. This role marked a breakthrough in her animation career, allowing her to bring depth to the resilient Autobot warrior. Another notable anime-related role is Katana, also known as Tatsu Yamashiro, in the 2013 series Beware the Batman. Her filmography also includes voice work for the Netflix animated series Voltron: Legendary Defender as Admiral Sanda, Cannon Busters as 12welve, and Trese as Ramona.
In the 2024 anime series Terminator Zero, which moves the Terminator franchise's action to Japan, Montano voices the character Misaki. Misaki is introduced as a housekeeper and the sweet, protective babysitter for scientist Malcolm Lee's three children, though she has a mysterious past that gradually unfolds throughout the series. The English voice cast also includes André Holland as Malcolm Lee and Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko, a resistance soldier.
Beyond these anime-focused roles, Montano's voice acting spans numerous major franchises. She has provided voices for video games including Ghost of Tsushima as Yuna, Mass Effect 3 as Nyreen Kandros, Saints Row IV as the President, Dragon Age: Inquisition as the female Inquisitor, and Starfield as Supervisor Lin. Her animation credits also include The Casagrandes and The Loud House as Maria, The Ghost and Molly McGee as Sharon McGee, and Love, Death & Robots. She has appeared extensively in live-action television series such as ER, The West Wing, Boston Legal, Bones, This Is Us, Star Trek: Picard, and the Peacock series The Lost Symbol as Inoue Sato.
Montano works regularly with major animation and video game studios, including collaborations on multiple titles within franchises like Skylanders, Transformers, and Star Wars. She has worked under the direction of notable voice directors, including Andrea Romano on several projects. Beyond performing, Montano is a producing partner at LinLay Productions, which focuses on developing culturally resonant stories, and she advocates for multicultural representation in media both in front of and behind the camera. Her work extends to judging film festivals and promoting narratives that highlight Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
Montano has become a prolific voice artist, having lent her voice to nearly 200 animated roles across film, television, and video games. One of her most significant early voice roles was Arcee in the animated series Transformers: Prime, which aired from 2010 to 2013. This role marked a breakthrough in her animation career, allowing her to bring depth to the resilient Autobot warrior. Another notable anime-related role is Katana, also known as Tatsu Yamashiro, in the 2013 series Beware the Batman. Her filmography also includes voice work for the Netflix animated series Voltron: Legendary Defender as Admiral Sanda, Cannon Busters as 12welve, and Trese as Ramona.
In the 2024 anime series Terminator Zero, which moves the Terminator franchise's action to Japan, Montano voices the character Misaki. Misaki is introduced as a housekeeper and the sweet, protective babysitter for scientist Malcolm Lee's three children, though she has a mysterious past that gradually unfolds throughout the series. The English voice cast also includes André Holland as Malcolm Lee and Sonoya Mizuno as Eiko, a resistance soldier.
Beyond these anime-focused roles, Montano's voice acting spans numerous major franchises. She has provided voices for video games including Ghost of Tsushima as Yuna, Mass Effect 3 as Nyreen Kandros, Saints Row IV as the President, Dragon Age: Inquisition as the female Inquisitor, and Starfield as Supervisor Lin. Her animation credits also include The Casagrandes and The Loud House as Maria, The Ghost and Molly McGee as Sharon McGee, and Love, Death & Robots. She has appeared extensively in live-action television series such as ER, The West Wing, Boston Legal, Bones, This Is Us, Star Trek: Picard, and the Peacock series The Lost Symbol as Inoue Sato.
Montano works regularly with major animation and video game studios, including collaborations on multiple titles within franchises like Skylanders, Transformers, and Star Wars. She has worked under the direction of notable voice directors, including Andrea Romano on several projects. Beyond performing, Montano is a producing partner at LinLay Productions, which focuses on developing culturally resonant stories, and she advocates for multicultural representation in media both in front of and behind the camera. Her work extends to judging film festivals and promoting narratives that highlight Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
All Characters
- EnglishAnime overview: Terminator Zero