{{Short description|American actress (born 1983)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Sara Tomko | image = Sara Tomko.jpg | image_size = | alt = selfie of Sara Tomko wearing a light brown, low-cut top under a dark, flowery, sheer top, smiling directly at camera, standing in a residential basement, with artwork on the wall behind her. | caption = Tomko in 2024 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|10|19}} | birth_place = Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, US | occupation = Actress | years_active = 2008–present | known_for = ''Resident Alien'' | spouse = {{marriage|Theodore Pederson|2021}} | children = | parents = | height = | website = }}
'''Sara Tomko''' (born October 19, 1983) is an American actress known for playing Asta Twelvetrees in the science-fiction comedy series ''Resident Alien''.
==Early life== Tomko was born in 1983 on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, into a military family,<ref name=Salon>{{Cite web |first=Alison |last=Stine |title="Resident Alien" star Sara Tomko on otherness and relationships: "It's so hard to be human |website=Salon |date=February 26, 2022 |url=https://www.salon.com/2022/02/26/resident-alien-sara-tomko/ |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref> and is of Polish, Slovak, and Native American descent,<ref name=Syfy>{{Cite web |first=James |last=Grebey |title=What to Know About Resident Alien Star Sara Tomko's Acting Career |website=Syfy |date=March 6, 2024 |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/resident-alien-star-sara-tomko-career-acting |access-date=October 20, 2024}}</ref> though she is not enrolled in any specific tribe.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Josh |last=Weiss |title='Resident Alien' cast & producers on importance of authentic Indigenous representation |website=Syfy |date=March 3, 2022 |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/syfy-resident-alien-cast-producers-discuss-indigenous-representation |access-date=October 20, 2024}}</ref> She grew up in Manassas, Virginia,<ref name=JMU>{{cite web |first=Jen |last=Kulju |title=CVPA Spotlight Series: Meredith Garretson and Sara Tomko |publisher=James Madison University |date=November 2, 2023 |orig-date=April 13, 2021 |url=https://www.jmu.edu/news/arts/2021/04-13-meredith-garretson-sara-tomko.shtml |access-date=February 4, 2025}}</ref> and was classically trained as a singer<ref name=Salon/> and attended James Madison University in Virginia, graduating with a B.A. in theatre and dance.<ref name=JMU/>
==Career== Tomko is known for her role as Asta Twelvetrees on Syfy's ''Resident Alien''<ref>{{Cite web |first=Liz Shannon |last=Miller |title='Resident Alien': Sara Tomko Breaks Down Season 1's Emotional Ending and How Often Alan Tudyk Was Actually in the Alien Costume |website=Collider |date=April 1, 2021 |url=https://collider.com/resident-alien-season-1-finale-ending-explained-season-2/ |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref> and several episodes as Tiger Lily in seasons six and seven of ABC's ''Once Upon a Time''<ref>{{Cite web |first=Matt |last=Webb Mitovich |title='Once Upon a Time' Sneak Peek: Tiger Lily Comes to Hook's... Rescue? |work=TVLine |date=April 14, 2017 |url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/once-upon-time-sneak-peek-144701814.html |access-date=March 16, 2023 |via=Y! Entertainment}}</ref>—returning for the series finale.<ref>{{Cite magazine |first=Natalie |last=Abrams |title='Once Upon a Time' Bosses Tease 'Satisfying' Finale |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=May 8, 2017 |url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/05/08/once-upon-time-season-6-finale-spoilers/ |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref> She has also appeared in ''S.W.A.T.'', ''The Leftovers'',<ref>{{Cite magazine |first=Maureen |last=Ryan |title=Damon Lindelof on 'Leftovers' Season 2 Finale, That Wild Cavewoman Opener, Twitter |magazine=Variety |date=December 2, 2015 |url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/features/leftovers-season-2-finale-damon-lindelof-cavewoman-scene-1201649945/ |access-date=March 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727121734/https://variety.com/2015/tv/features/leftovers-season-2-finale-damon-lindelof-cavewoman-scene-1201649945/ |archive-date=July 27, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''Heartbeat'', ''Sneaky Pete'', and more.<ref name=TVGuide>{{Cite web |title=Sara Tomko |work=TV Guide |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/sara-tomko/credits/3030031139/ |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref> She has additionally had roles in the films ''The Terminators'' (2009), ''Extracted'' (2012), and ''400 Days'' (2015), among others.<ref name=TVGuide/><ref>{{Cite web |first=Alex |last=Billington |title=Wil Daniels Stars in Odd Dark Comedy 'Suicide for Beginners' Trailer |website=firstshowing.net |date=April 22, 2022 |url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2022/wil-daniels-stars-in-odd-dark-comedy-suicide-for-beginners-trailer/ |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Tomko has been in a relationship with director Theodore "TJ" Pederson since November 2015, and the couple became engaged in November 2020;<ref>{{Cite magazine |first=Julie |last=Jordan |title='Resident Alien'{{'}}s Sara Tomko Got Engaged When President Biden was Elected: 'It Was a Big Week' |magazine=People |date=February 10, 2021 |url=https://people.com/tv/resident-alien-star-sara-tomko-is-newly-engaged/ |access-date=March 16, 2023}}</ref> they married in May 2021.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |first=Sara |last=Tomko |user=saratomko19 |postid=CW6pNALvAoi |date=November 30, 2021 |title=Hey @tj_pederson remember when we got married & it was sunny out? #zoomcaptured @dgarcon tested #motherapproved ••• 📸: @suze.slade ••• 5.18.21 |access-date=February 5, 2025}}</ref>
==Selected filmography== <!-- Rowspans are only allowed for the "Year" column, per WP:FILMOGRAPHY -->
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Sronly|List of film appearances, with year, title, and role shown}} ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |rowspan=2|2008 | ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' | Betsy Case | |- | ''2012: Doomsday'' | Wakanna | |- | 2009 | ''The Terminators'' | Pallas | |- | 2012 | ''Extracted'' | Minnie | |- | 2015 | ''400 Days'' | reporter | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ {{Sronly|List of television appearances, with year, title, and role shown}} ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2015 | ''The Leftovers'' | The Woman | Episode: "Axis Mundi" |- | 2016 | ''Heartbeat'' | Dr. Blackhorse | Episode: "The Inverse" |- |rowspan=2|2017 | ''The Son'' | Lena | Episode: "Honey Hunt" |- | ''Once Upon a Time'' | Tiger Lily | 4 episodes |- |rowspan=2|2018 | ''S.W.A.T.'' | Officer Donna Gentry | Episode: "Contamination" |- | ''Sneaky Pete'' | Suzanne | 2 episodes |- | 2021–2025 | ''Resident Alien'' | Asta Twelvetrees | 44 episodes |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tomko, Sara}} Category:Living people Category:1983 births Category:21st-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Ohio Category:American film actresses Category:American people of Polish descent Category:American people of Slovak descent Category:American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent Category:American television actresses Category:James Madison University alumni