Maya Okamoto is a Japanese voice actress, actress, and singer born on February 3, 1967, in Tokyo. She began her career training at the Katsuta Voice Actor Academy while in high school and made her professional debut in 1985 with a small role in the OVA Megazone 23. Immediately following her debut, she was cast in her first major and career-defining role as Emma Sheen in the television anime Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, also in 1985.

Her early career was marked by a series of prominent roles throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s. In 1986, she landed her first leading role as Patty in the television series Maple Town Stories. That same year, she also began working extensively in Japanese dubs of foreign television series and films, a field in which she remains active. Her other significant roles from this period include Nova in Grey: Digital Target, Mariko Okazaki in Circuit Angel: Resolving Starting Grid, Mari in Violence Jack, and Fanna in Armored Dragon Legend Villgust. She continued to build her portfolio in the early 1990s with roles such as Saiko Yuki in the Silent Möbius films, Harumi Nakagawa in The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, and the lead role of Jacqueline Ross in the World Masterpiece Theater series The Bush Baby. She also took on the role of Megumi Amano in the controversial Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend series during this time.

The mid-to-late 1990s were an exceptionally active period for Okamoto, during which she took on many roles that would become hallmarks of her career. She voiced Ramia in the Magical Project S and Magical Girl Pretty Sammy series, Reiko Hosokawa in Idol Defense Force Hummingbird, Tequila in Knights of Ramune, and Lin-Lin in Night Warriors - Darkstalkers' Revenge. She also appeared in series such as B'T X, Burn-Up Excess, and Martian Successor Nadesico as Haruka Minato. A particularly significant role from this era is Orihime Soletta in the multimedia franchise Sakura Wars, for which she provided the voice in the games, anime adaptations, and even participated in the live musical stage shows.

In 1999, Okamoto moved to the United States to study English and acting, first in New York and later in Los Angeles after the events of September 11, 2001. During this time, her voice acting work in Japan became less frequent, and some ongoing roles were recast. She returned to Japan around 2006 and gradually resumed her career. Post-return roles include Dominique Miller in Ginban Kaleidoscope, Ane in Gintama, and supporting parts in series like Speed Grapher and Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid. Following 2010, her activity was again limited due to health issues, but she made a full recovery and has continued to work since 2018. Later roles include Irene von Claude in The Wise Man's Grandchild and a return to the role of Diana in Lupin the Third: Part 5.

Throughout her career, Okamoto has been recognized for her rich mezzo-soprano voice. Beyond anime, she has an extensive career in voice-over work for foreign films and television, and she is known as the official Japanese dubbing voice for actress Julie Delpy. She has also contributed as a singer, performing theme songs for various anime and character albums, and has been involved in self-produced projects. Over the decades, she has been affiliated with several talent agencies and has worked as a freelancer.