Kelly Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her mother, Juanita Hu, worked as an engineering drafter, and her father, Herbert Hu, was both a salesman and exotic bird breeder. Following their divorce during her early years, Hu was raised primarily in Honolulu. She is a native Hawaiian of Chinese, English, and Hawaiian descent.
Hu attended Maʻemaʻe Elementary School and later went on to Kamehameha Schools, an institution known for educating Native Hawaiian children. From a young age, Hu expressed interest in the performing arts, including dancing, singing, and martial arts. Inspired by a cousin who was a successful model in Japan, she pursued a modeling career as a teenager.
Hu's breakthrough in the public eye came when she was crowned Miss Hawaii Teen USA, subsequently winning Miss Teen USA in 1985. She was the third person to hold the national title and notably became the first Asian American to win the pageant. In 1993, she added another title by winning Miss Hawaii USA.
Kelly Hu gained recognition in Japan and Italy through her modeling work. In Japan, she appeared in a popular advertisement for Philadelphia Brand cream cheese, in which she portrayed a schoolgirl named Kaori. These international modeling opportunities helped to further establish her in the entertainment industry.
Hu moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career in 1987. Her initial success came with guest appearances on television series such as Growing Pains, 21 Jump Street, Melrose Place, Tour of Duty, and Night Court. She gained more prominent TV roles soon after, including playing Dr. Rae Chang on the soap opera Sunset Beach and Michelle Chan in the police drama Nash Bridges.
Kelly Hu's film credits include roles in The Scorpion King, Cradle 2 the Grave, The Tournament, and the indie drama White Frog. On television, she had a recurring role as China White in the CW series Arrow, part of the Arrowverse franchise, as well as a guest role as Abigail Cho on Syfy’s Warehouse 13. She voiced Stacy Hirano in the acclaimed animated series Phineas and Ferb.
| Birth Date: | 13 Feb, 1968 |
| Age: | 52 yrs |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Honolulu |
| residence: | Los Angeles |
| Education: | Pepperdine University Kamehameha Schools |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American actress and model |
| Twitter Id: | KellyHu |
| Net Worth 2021: | 10 million |
