Sophie Oda will guest-star on the next episode of “NCIS: Los Angeles,” which will air on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 9 p.m. on CBS.
The actress and singer, who grew up in the Bay Area and recently graduated from UC Irvine with a BFA in fine arts, has appeared in several stage musicals and is now focusing on TV and film.
“On ‘NCIS: LA’ I play a teenage computer hacker,” she said. “I had a great time working on the show. LL Cool J, or Todd, is so much fun to work with. He’s just an all-around wonderful person to be around. This was the first time I had worked on a single-camera drama, and it was a great learning experience for me.”
The episode, titled “Big Brother,” is about a 15-year-old suspect whose hacking skills have compromised anti-terrorist missions.
Oda also appeared in an episode of the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” that aired on Sept. 26. “I had a small scene with Kunal Nayyar, who plays Raj,” she said. “Kunal is crazy funny and very real in real life. The actors and crew were extremely nice and made the time I spent there comfortable and exciting.”
Being on “Big Bang Theory” “was like returning home to an environment like that of ‘The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,’” she added. Oda had a recurring role as Barbara Brownstein on the Disney Channel sitcom and its spinoff, “The Suite Life on Deck.”
This year marks a decade since Oda, then 11 years old, appeared on “Star Search,” singing “Don’t Rain on My Parade” (from the musical “Funny Girl”) and winning high praise from host Arsenio Hall.
Her extensive stage credits include “Annie,” “The Sound of Music,” “The Three Penny Opera,” “Flower Drum Song,” “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” and “Into the Woods.”
Although she is not currently doing musicals, Oda said, “Anything can happen. I would do a musical if the timing was right and the show was something I wanted to do.”
She added, “I’m focusing on TV and film and a transition from Disney into more mature material. I’m growing up, and I want my body of work to reflect that. Figuring out my place as an Asian American actor, singer, and 22-year-old person in entertainment is and will continue to be a challenge that excites me.”
For more information, visit her website, www.sophieoda.com.
— J.K. YAMAMOTO