Nakamura was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to parents of Japanese descent. Her father was an English teacher for the Chicago Public Schools. Her parents died within a year of each other when she was in her twenties. She has one older brother. Nakamura attended Lane Technical College Prep High School. After graduation, she joined the Asian-American theatre company, MinaSama-No.
Nakamura studied theater at Columbia College Chicago from 1987 to 1989. She would attend every other semester as she had to finance her education herself. In 1991, Nakamura was the first Asian American woman to join The Second City improvisational comedy troupe. She remained a part of the troupe for five years.
Nakamura worked at Crate & Barrel prior to working as an actor.

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