Kelly Hu
Encyclopedia
Kelly Ann Hu is an American
actress and former fashion model
. She was Miss Teen USA 1985
and Miss Hawaii USA 1993
.
Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii
, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter
for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during Hu's childhood. Her brother, Glenn, is a Resource Manager at the United States Army
. She is of Hawaiian
, Chinese
and English
descent. She attended Maemae Elementary School and Kamehameha Schools
in Honolulu, Hawaii. She graduated from Pepperdine University
in Malibu, California
.
Hu has held a lifelong interest in singing and dancing and has also been interested in martial arts
since her early childhood. Hu's cousin was a successful model in Japan
, and Hu decided to follow her example. Kelly Hu won the title of Miss Hawaii Teen USA
and competed in the 1985 Miss Teen USA
pageant, becoming the Miss Teen USA
pageant
's third titleholder in history and its first Asian American
winner. Hu has mentioned in interviews that her mother had told her America was not ready for an Asian as such a prominent role model. Ironically enough, she discovered after winning that she was prohibited from appearing in non-contest related activities for the year of her reign, this rule soon changed later on the coming years.
Hu modeled in Japan
and Italy
, and became well known in the latter as the star of a series of television advertisements for Philadelphia brand
cream cheese
, playing a young Japanese college student named Kaori. Hu moved to Los Angeles
and began her acting career in 1987, with a guest starring role as Mike Seaver's Hawaiian love interest on the sitcom Growing Pains
. Hu followed this with appearances on various TV series, including Night Court
, Tour of Duty
, 21 Jump Street
, and Melrose Place. Her first movie role was in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
. Hu also won the title of Miss Hawaii USA
in 1993, becoming the first former Miss Teen USA
to win a Miss USA
state title. In the 1993 Miss USA
pageant, held in Wichita, Kansas
, Hu entered the top 10 in second place, after winning the preliminary interview competition and placing second and third, respectively, in swimsuit and evening gown. She then made the top 6 ranked second, winning the top 10 evening gown competition and placing second in swimsuit. She was eliminated in 4th place after the judges' questions, just two hundredth
s of a point from the final three.
In 1995, Hu played an undercover
police officer in the movie No Way Back. She was then cast as Dr. Rae Chang on Sunset Beach
for six months in 1997. Afterwards, Hu was cast as police officers Michelle Chan in the television series Nash Bridges
(1997–1998), Pei Pei "Grace" Chen on Martial Law
(1998–2000), and Agent Mia Chen on the last three episodes of the television series Threat Matrix
(2004). Her subsequent movie appearances include The Scorpion King
(2002), Cradle 2 the Grave
(2003) and X2
(2003). She provided voice talents for the popular video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords as Visas Marr, the Sith
woman who joins the Jedi Exile's party. Hu has been featured twice in Maxim
magazine (May 2002 and May 2005).
In January 2007, Hu began appearing in a full time role on the TV series
In Case of Emergency
. She plays Kelly Lee, a Korean American
woman who accidentally reunites with her high school
classmates and realizes none of them grew up according to their high school plans.
During the first quarter of 2007, she completed filming the film Stilletto, and after that, Farmhouse
.
In April 2009, Hu developed the character JIA for Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology
. In July, she appeared at Comic-Con International
in San Diego to sign copies of Secret Identities alongside her collaborator, DC Comics
artist Cliff Chiang
. In the fall of 2009, she appeared in the film The Tournament
as Lai-Lai Zhen. She was the first guest actor to cross over between the television series NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS
, playing Lee Wuan Kai in a two-episode arc within both series.
In spring of 2010, Kelly Hu played Pearl, a vampire, on the CW
television show Vampire Diaries.
In fall of 2010, Kelly Hu began a recurring role on the CBS television show Hawaii Five-0.
, California
. She is single. She is an avid poker
fan and has frequently taken part in competitions such as the World Series of Poker
and World Poker Tour
, including the WPT Celebrity Charity match on March 3, 2008. She was part of HollywoodPoker.com's "Celebrity Poker Night" on May 30, 2006, and in July 2006 placed in the top 200 in the World Series of Poker Ladies Tournament, besting nearly 1,000 other competitors.
In 2007 Hu was a driver in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race a national fund-raising program supporting children’s hospitals throughout the United States.
In January 2008, Hu participated in a video for Barack Obama
produced by will.i.am
called "Yes We Can
". She campaigned for Obama in Hawaii in the run-up to the February 19, 2008 Democratic caucuses
.
In February 2008, Hu also appeared in another viral video
in support of Obama, "Sí Se Puede Cambiar
", written and performed by Andrés Useche
, directed by Eric Byler
. She was the emcee of the Asian American Action Fund
's annual fundraiser on June 10, 2008.
Ms Hu has been active to protect the Hawaiian ecology. She supported Reef Check Hawaii by running in and successfully completing the Honolulu Marathon to raise awareness for the organization. She also gave support to the Shark Fin Ban which took effect in Hawaii July 2010. This made it illegal to possess, sell, or distribute shark fins in Hawaii.
In April 2011 Hu was a celebrity host for Save the Children's "Caring for Japan's Keiki" a benefit for Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims. Also in 2011 she hosted a Celebrity Poker Tournament in support for Best Buddies International, a charity to which she has given support for several years
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and former fashion model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. She was Miss Teen USA 1985
Miss Teen USA 1985
Miss Teen USA 1985, the 3rd Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the James L. Knight International Center Arena in Miami, Florida on 22 January 1985...
and Miss Hawaii USA 1993
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
.
Early life
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during Hu's childhood. Her brother, Glenn, is a Resource Manager at the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. She is of Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
, Chinese
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
and English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
descent. She attended Maemae Elementary School and Kamehameha Schools
Kamehameha Schools
Kamehameha Schools , formerly called Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate , is a private co-educational college-preparatory institution that specializes in Native Hawaiian language and cultural education. It is located in Hawaii and operates three campuses: Kapālama , Pukalani , and Keaau...
in Honolulu, Hawaii. She graduated from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...
in Malibu, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Hu has held a lifelong interest in singing and dancing and has also been interested in martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
since her early childhood. Hu's cousin was a successful model in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and Hu decided to follow her example. Kelly Hu won the title of Miss Hawaii Teen USA
Miss Hawaii Teen USA
The Miss Hawaii Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss Teen USA pageant.Although Hawaii has made the cut fewer times than many states, they have achieved a number of high placings. They are ranked seventh in terms of placements won...
and competed in the 1985 Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA 1985
Miss Teen USA 1985, the 3rd Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the James L. Knight International Center Arena in Miami, Florida on 22 January 1985...
pageant, becoming the Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
pageant
Pageant
A medieval pageant is a form of procession traditionally associated with both secular and religious rituals, often with a narrative structure. Pageantry was an important aspect of medieval European seasonal festivals, in particular around the celebration of Corpus Christi, which began after the...
's third titleholder in history and its first Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
winner. Hu has mentioned in interviews that her mother had told her America was not ready for an Asian as such a prominent role model. Ironically enough, she discovered after winning that she was prohibited from appearing in non-contest related activities for the year of her reign, this rule soon changed later on the coming years.
Career
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and became well known in the latter as the star of a series of television advertisements for Philadelphia brand
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
cream cheese
Cream cheese
Cream cheese is a soft, mild-tasting, white cheese with a high fat content. Traditionally, it is made from unskimmed milk enriched with additional cream....
, playing a young Japanese college student named Kaori. Hu moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and began her acting career in 1987, with a guest starring role as Mike Seaver's Hawaiian love interest on the sitcom Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
. Hu followed this with appearances on various TV series, including Night Court
Night Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
, Tour of Duty
Tour of Duty (TV series)
Tour of Duty is an American drama television series on CBS. It ran for three seasons from September 1987 to April 1990 as 58 one–hour episodes. The show was created by Steve Duncan and L. Travis Clark, and produced by Zev Braun....
, 21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street
21 Jump Street is an American police procedural crime drama television series that aired on the Fox Network from April 12, 1987, to April 27, 1991, with a total of 103 episodes. The series focused on a squad of youthful-looking undercover police officers investigating crimes in high schools,...
, and Melrose Place. Her first movie role was in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is a slasher film released on July 28, 1989. It is the eighth film in the Friday the 13th film series, and deals with Jason Voorhees stalking a group of high school graduates on a ship en route to New York City, and was the last film in the series...
. Hu also won the title of Miss Hawaii USA
Miss Hawaii USA
The Miss Hawaii USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Hawaii in the Miss USA pageant.Hawaii is the most recent state to start competing at Miss USA, as it first competed in 1962. Prior to this delegates were sent to Miss Universe...
in 1993, becoming the first former Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA
Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
to win a Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
state title. In the 1993 Miss USA
Miss USA 1993
Miss USA 1993, the 42nd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on 19 February 1993.At the conclusion of the final competition, Kenya Moore of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Shannon Marketic of California...
pageant, held in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, Hu entered the top 10 in second place, after winning the preliminary interview competition and placing second and third, respectively, in swimsuit and evening gown. She then made the top 6 ranked second, winning the top 10 evening gown competition and placing second in swimsuit. She was eliminated in 4th place after the judges' questions, just two hundredth
Hundredth
In arithmetic, a hundredth is a single part of something that has been divided equally into a hundred parts. For example, a hundredth of 675 is 6.75.A hundredth is the reciprocal of 100....
s of a point from the final three.
In 1995, Hu played an undercover
Undercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
police officer in the movie No Way Back. She was then cast as Dr. Rae Chang on Sunset Beach
Sunset Beach (TV series)
Sunset Beach was an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on January 6, 1997, and last airing on December 31, 1999. The show followed the loves and lives of the people living in a fictional coastal city named Sunset Beach, on the coast of California...
for six months in 1997. Afterwards, Hu was cast as police officers Michelle Chan in the television series Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of...
(1997–1998), Pei Pei "Grace" Chen on Martial Law
Martial Law (TV series)
Martial Law was a TV crime drama that ran on CBS from 1998 to 2000, and was created by Carlton Cuse. The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US.The show was a...
(1998–2000), and Agent Mia Chen on the last three episodes of the television series Threat Matrix
Threat Matrix
Threat Matrix is a 2003 American drama television series. It lasted 16 episodes. The plot consisted of the events in a United States Homeland Security anti-terrorism unit, led by Special agent John Kilmer....
(2004). Her subsequent movie appearances include The Scorpion King
The Scorpion King
The Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
(2002), Cradle 2 the Grave
Cradle 2 the Grave
Cradle 2 the Grave is a 2003 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak featuring martial artist Jet Li and rapper DMX.-Plot:...
(2003) and X2
X2 (film)
X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
(2003). She provided voice talents for the popular video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords as Visas Marr, the Sith
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
woman who joins the Jedi Exile's party. Hu has been featured twice in Maxim
Maxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
magazine (May 2002 and May 2005).
In January 2007, Hu began appearing in a full time role on the TV series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
In Case of Emergency
In Case of Emergency (TV series)
In Case of Emergency was a half-hour comedy television series shown on ABC in the United States. The series follows a group of high school acquaintances whose lives have not turned out as they hoped...
. She plays Kelly Lee, a Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
woman who accidentally reunites with her high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
classmates and realizes none of them grew up according to their high school plans.
During the first quarter of 2007, she completed filming the film Stilletto, and after that, Farmhouse
Farmhouse (film)
Farm House is an American psychological thriller film. The film is directed by George Bessudo and written by Daniel P. Coughlin .-Plot:...
.
In April 2009, Hu developed the character JIA for Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology
Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology
Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology is a comics anthology edited by Jeff Yang, Parry Shen, Keith Chow, and Jerry Ma that brings together leading Asian American creators in the comics industry—including Gene Yang , Bernard Chang , Greg Pak , and Christine Norrie Secret...
. In July, she appeared at Comic-Con International
Comic-Con International
San Diego Comic-Con International, also known as Comic-Con International: San Diego , and commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con, was founded as the Golden State Comic Book Convention and later the San Diego Comic Book Convention in 1970 by Shel Dorf and a group of San Diegans...
in San Diego to sign copies of Secret Identities alongside her collaborator, DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
artist Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang is an American comic book artist. Formerly an assistant editor at DC Comics, he is now an illustrator, best known for his work on Human Target, Beware the Creeper and Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre. A recent project has been the Dr...
. In the fall of 2009, she appeared in the film The Tournament
The Tournament (film)
The Tournament is a 2009 British independent action film, marking the directorial debut of local filmmaker Scott Mann. The film was conceived by Jonathan Frank and Nick Rowntree while at the University of Teesside with Mann...
as Lai-Lai Zhen. She was the first guest actor to cross over between the television series NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS
NCIS (TV series)
NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
, playing Lee Wuan Kai in a two-episode arc within both series.
In spring of 2010, Kelly Hu played Pearl, a vampire, on the CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
television show Vampire Diaries.
In fall of 2010, Kelly Hu began a recurring role on the CBS television show Hawaii Five-0.
Personal life
Hu resides in Brentwood, Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She is single. She is an avid poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
fan and has frequently taken part in competitions such as the World Series of Poker
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
and World Poker Tour
World Poker Tour
The World Poker Tour is a series of international poker tournaments and associated television series broadcasting the final table of each tournament. It was started in the United States by attorney/television producer Steven Lipscomb, who served as CEO of WPT Enterprises , the firm that...
, including the WPT Celebrity Charity match on March 3, 2008. She was part of HollywoodPoker.com's "Celebrity Poker Night" on May 30, 2006, and in July 2006 placed in the top 200 in the World Series of Poker Ladies Tournament, besting nearly 1,000 other competitors.
Activism
Hu has supported the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment and in 2004 stared in a public service announcement for them entitled "The Least Likely" to encourage young Asian Americans to register and vote.In 2007 Hu was a driver in the Toyota Pro/Celebrity Race a national fund-raising program supporting children’s hospitals throughout the United States.
In January 2008, Hu participated in a video for Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
produced by will.i.am
Will.i.am
William James Adams, Jr. , better known by his stage name will.i.am and occasionally by his other stage name Zuper Blahq, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter, singer, actor and producer...
called "Yes We Can
Yes We Can
"Yes We Can" is the first single from Change Is Now: Renewing America's Promise, a compilation album organised and produced by Black Eyed Peas frontman Will.I.Am...
". She campaigned for Obama in Hawaii in the run-up to the February 19, 2008 Democratic caucuses
Hawaii Democratic caucuses, 2008
The 2008 Hawaii Democratic Presidential Caucuses took place on February 19, 2008, with 20 pledged delegates at stake. The winner in each of Hawaii's two congressional districts was awarded all of that district's delegates, totaling 13. Another seven delegates were awarded to both candidates at the...
.
In February 2008, Hu also appeared in another viral video
Viral video
A viral video is one that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, typically through video sharing websites, social media and email...
in support of Obama, "Sí Se Puede Cambiar
Sí Se Puede Cambiar
"Sí, Se Puede Cambiar" is a song and music video created in support of Sen. Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. However, the video has no official ties to the Obama campaign. The song was written by Andres Useche...
", written and performed by Andrés Useche
Andres Useche
Andrés Useche is an award-winning writer, film director, graphic artist and singer/songwriter.-Early life:...
, directed by Eric Byler
Eric Byler
Eric Byler is an American film director, screenwriter and political activist. He identifies as hapa biracial, born to a Chinese American mother and a white American father. He grew up in Virginia, Hawaii , and California. He graduated from Wesleyan University in 1994, majoring in film...
. She was the emcee of the Asian American Action Fund
Asian American Action Fund
The Asian American Action Fund is a Washington, D.C.-based Democratic political action committee and 501 non-profit organization founded in 1999. AAAF's goal is to increase the voice of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in every level of local, state and federal government in the United States...
's annual fundraiser on June 10, 2008.
Ms Hu has been active to protect the Hawaiian ecology. She supported Reef Check Hawaii by running in and successfully completing the Honolulu Marathon to raise awareness for the organization. She also gave support to the Shark Fin Ban which took effect in Hawaii July 2010. This made it illegal to possess, sell, or distribute shark fins in Hawaii.
In April 2011 Hu was a celebrity host for Save the Children's "Caring for Japan's Keiki" a benefit for Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims. Also in 2011 she hosted a Celebrity Poker Tournament in support for Best Buddies International, a charity to which she has given support for several years
Film roles
- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes ManhattanFriday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes ManhattanFriday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is a slasher film released on July 28, 1989. It is the eighth film in the Friday the 13th film series, and deals with Jason Voorhees stalking a group of high school graduates on a ship en route to New York City, and was the last film in the series...
(1989) – Eva Watanabe - American Eyes (1990) – Emily
- The DoorsThe Doors (film)The Doors is a 1991 biopic about the 1960s-1970s rock band of the same name which emphasizes the life of its lead singer, Jim Morrison. It was directed by Oliver Stone, and stars Val Kilmer as Morrison, Meg Ryan as Pamela Courson , Kyle MacLachlan as Ray Manzarek, Frank Whaley as Robby Krieger,...
(1991) – Dorothy - Harley Davidson and the Marlboro ManHarley Davidson and the Marlboro ManOther songs in the film, but not included on the soundtrack are "Stop the World" by The Screaming Jets, "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi, and "Work to Do" and "The Better Part of Me" by Vanessa Williams.-See also:* List of American films of 1991*...
(1991) – Suzie - Surf NinjasSurf NinjasSurf Ninjas is a 1993 American comedic family film involving martial arts, directed by Neal Israel and written by Dan Gordon. The film stars Ernie Reyes Jr., Rob Schneider, Nicolas Cowan, and Leslie Nielsen...
(1993) – Ro-May - No Way Back (1995) – Seiko Kobayashi
- Strange DaysStrange Days (film)Strange Days is a 1995 cyberpunk science fiction film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and produced and co-written by James Cameron and Jay Cocks, starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Michael Wincott and Vincent D'Onofrio. Despite positive reviews, the film was a...
(1995) – Anchor Woman - Star CommandStar Command (film)Star Command is a 1996 made-for-TV film written by Melinda M. Snodgrass and directed by Jim Johnston.-Plot Outline:A crew of space navy cadets on a training mission find themselves forced to fight an enemy fleet for real. They lose their senior officers in the opening battle, then through luck and...
(1996) – Ens. Yukiko Fujisaki - Fakin' da FunkFakin' Da FunkFakin' Da Funk is a 1997 comedy film starring Pam Grier and Dante Basco about a Chinese son adopted by black parents who relocates to South Central Los Angeles. A second story involves Mai-Ling, an exchange student played by Margaret Cho, who by another twist, gets sent to the wrong 'hood'...
(1997) – Kwee-Me - The Scorpion KingThe Scorpion KingThe Scorpion King is a 2002 American action film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Kelly Hu, Grant Heslov, and Michael Clarke Duncan...
(2002) – Cassandra - Cradle 2 the GraveCradle 2 the GraveCradle 2 the Grave is a 2003 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak featuring martial artist Jet Li and rapper DMX.-Plot:...
(2003) – Sona - X2X2 (film)X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men. Directed by Bryan Singer, it is the second film in the X-Men film series...
(2003) – Yuriko Oyama/Lady DeathstrikeLady DeathstrikeLady Deathstrike , occasionally spelled "Deathstryke", is a Marvel Comics supervillain, a foe of the X-Men, especially Wolverine.Her father Lord Dark Wind created the adamantium-bonding process that was forced on Wolverine... - The Librarian: Quest for the SpearThe Librarian: Quest for the SpearThe Librarian: Quest for the Spear is the first in The Librarian franchise of movies which was originally released on American cable channel TNT in December 2004, directed by Peter Winther and starring Noah Wyle in the title role....
(2004) – Lana - UnderclassmanUnderclassmanUnderclassman is a 2005 action comedy film directed by Marcos Siega, and stars Nick Cannon, Shawn Ashmore, Roselyn Sánchez, Kelly Hu, Hugh Bonneville, and Cheech Marin...
(2005) – Lisa Brooks - AmericaneseAmericaneseAmericanese is a 2006 American independent film acquired by IFC Films but not yet released. It is a romantic drama about the break-up of a couple, about love and memory, and how race plays into the lives of contemporary Asian Americans and Hapa/mixed-race Americans.- Background :The film was...
(2006) – Brenda Nishitani - UndoingUndoing (film)Undoing is a 2006 neo-noir drama directed by Chris Chan Lee. The movie is set in the streets of Los Angeles' Koreatown and follows the story of Samuel Kim who returns after a mysterious one-year absence to find redemption from his past...
(2006) – Vera - Devil's Den (2006) – Caitlin
- The Air I BreatheThe Air I BreatheThe Air I Breathe is the 2008 directorial film debut of Korean-American filmmaker Jieho Lee, who co-wrote the script with Bob DeRosa. It stars Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emile Hirsch, and Forest Whitaker...
(2007) – Jiyoung - Shanghai KissShanghai KissShanghai Kiss is a 2007 direct-to-DVD romantic drama comedy. The film was released on DVD on October 9, 2007.Hayden Panettiere won the Feature Film Award at the Newport Beach Film Festival for her role as Adelaide.- Synopsis :...
(2007) – Micki Yang - Succubus: Hell Bent (2007) – Detective Pei
- FarmhouseFarmhouse (film)Farm House is an American psychological thriller film. The film is directed by George Bessudo and written by Daniel P. Coughlin .-Plot:...
(2008) – Lilith - Stiletto (2008) – Detective Hanover
- Dead Space: DownfallDead Space: DownfallDead Space: Downfall is an animated film, a prequel to the game Dead Space and takes place during the events of Dead Space: Extraction, while the Necromorphs invade the USG Ishimura after it receives the Red Marker...
(2008) – Shen (voice) - Dim Sum FuneralDim Sum FuneralDim Sum Funeral is a 2008 comedy/drama film. It was directed by Anna Chi and stars Kelly Hu, Bai Ling, Russell Wong, Steph Song and Talia Shire.- Plot :After their mother dies, four Chinese-American siblings return to their Seattle home...
(2008) – Cindy - The TournamentThe Tournament (film)The Tournament is a 2009 British independent action film, marking the directorial debut of local filmmaker Scott Mann. The film was conceived by Jonathan Frank and Nick Rowntree while at the University of Teesside with Mann...
(2009) – Lai Lai Zhen - Almost Perfect (2011 film) – Vanessa ("Van")
- What Women WantWhat Women Want (2011 film)What Women Want is a 2011 Chinese romantic comedy film remake of the 2000 American film What Women Want. Film stars Andy Lau and Gong Li. It was released in China on 3 February 2011, which is Chinese New Year....
(2011) – Girl in Lotto Commercial
Live-action roles
- Growing PainsGrowing PainsGrowing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
(1987–1988) – Melia (3 episodes) - Sunset BeachSunset Beach (TV series)Sunset Beach was an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on January 6, 1997, and last airing on December 31, 1999. The show followed the loves and lives of the people living in a fictional coastal city named Sunset Beach, on the coast of California...
(1997) – Rae Chang (63 episodes) - Nash BridgesNash BridgesNash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of...
(1997–1998) – Insp. Michelle Chan (23 episodes) - Martial LawMartial Law (TV series)Martial Law was a TV crime drama that ran on CBS from 1998 to 2000, and was created by Carlton Cuse. The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US.The show was a...
(1998–2000) – Chen Pei Pei (Grace Chen) (44 episodes) - BoomtownBoomtownA boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
(2003) - Rachel Durrel (2 episodes) - Threat MatrixThreat MatrixThreat Matrix is a 2003 American drama television series. It lasted 16 episodes. The plot consisted of the events in a United States Homeland Security anti-terrorism unit, led by Special agent John Kilmer....
(2004) – Agent Mia Chen (3 episodes) - Mayday (2005) – Sharon Crandall (TV movie)
- CSI: NYCSI: NYCSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
(2005–2006) – Detective Kaile Maka (4 episodes) - In Case of EmergencyIn Case of Emergency (TV series)In Case of Emergency was a half-hour comedy television series shown on ABC in the United States. The series follows a group of high school acquaintances whose lives have not turned out as they hoped...
(2007) – Kelly Lee (13 episodes) - Law & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
(2008) – Kelly Sun (1 episode) - Army WivesArmy WivesArmy Wives is an American drama series that follows the lives of four army wives, their families, and an army husband whose wife is in the army. The series, shot at ABC Studios, premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007...
(2008–2009) – Major Jordana Davis (4 episodes) - In Plain SightIn Plain SightIn Plain Sight is an American dramatic television series on USA Network. The series revolves around Mary Shannon , a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico office of the Federal Witness Security Program , more commonly known as the Federal Witness Protection Program...
(2009) – Ahn Li (1 episode) - NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) – Lee Wuan Kai (1 episode)
- NCISNCIS (TV series)NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
(2009) – Lee Wuan Kai (1 episode) - Dark ShadowsDark ShadowsDark Shadows is a gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. The show was created by Dan Curtis. The story bible, which was written by Art Wallace, does not mention any supernatural elements...
– Dr. Julia Hoffman (Unaired) - The Vampire DiariesThe Vampire Diaries (TV series)The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith. The series premiered on The CW Television Network on September 10, 2009, and is currently in its third season that...
(2010) – Pearl (7 episodes) - Hawaii Five-0(2010-2011) – Laura Hills (3 episodes)
- CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
(2011) - Angie Salinger (1 episode)
Voice roles
- Robot ChickenRobot ChickenRobot Chicken is an American stop motion animated television series created and executive produced by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. Green provides many voices for the show...
(2005–2007) – Additional Voices (5 episodes) - Afro SamuraiAfro Samurai, also written AFRO SAMURAI, is a Japanese seinen dōjinshi manga series written and illustrated by manga artist Takashi Okazaki. It was originally serialized irregularly in the avant-garde dōjinshi manga magazine Nou Nou Hau from September 1999 to May 2000...
(2007) – Okiku - Phineas and FerbPhineas and FerbPhineas and Ferb is an American animated television comedy series. Originally broadcast as a preview on August 17, 2007, on Disney Channel, the series follows Phineas Flynn and his English stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation. Every day the boys embark on some grand new project, which...
(2007-present) – Stacy Hirano (? episodes) - The Spectacular Spider-Man (2009) – Sha Shan Nguyen (5 episodes)
- Scooby-Doo and the Samurai SwordScooby-Doo and the Samurai SwordScooby-Doo! and the Samurai Sword is the thirteenth of a series of direct-to-video animated films based upon the Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It, along with The Goblin King, was produced and completed in 2008, but Goblin King was released first for the Halloween season. It was released on...
(2009) – Miyumi/Miss Mirimoto - Batman: Under the Red HoodBatman: Under the Red Hood# "A Death in the Family" # "Main Titles" # "Mob Boss Meeting" # "Amazo" # "Batwing" # "Batmobile to Arkham" # "Interrogation" # "Rooftop Chase" # "Flashback" # "Black Mask Strikes Back"...
(2010) – Ms. Li, Female assassin - Young JusticeYoung Justice (TV series)Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck's Young Justice comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe with a focus on young...
(2011) – CheshireCheshire (comics)Cheshire is a DC Comics villain that first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2 .-Fictional character biography:Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery...
, Paula CrockPaula BrooksPaula Brooks is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. She is one of many characters to use the names Tigress and Huntress. Brooks first appeared in Sensation Comics #68 as the Huntress, seeking to add the superhero Wildcat to her collection of big game hunting trophies...
(3 episodes) - Green Lantern: Emerald KnightsGreen Lantern: Emerald KnightsGreen Lantern: Emerald Knights, is an animated film that tells various stories featuring members of Green Lantern Corps, including Abin Sur, Laira, Kilowog, and Mogo It was released on June 7, 2011...
(2011) – LairaLaira (comics)Laira Omoto is a fictional character in comic books from DC Comics. Laira is originally introduced as a female humanoid Green Lantern with purple skin and auburn hair. She first appeared in Green Lantern Corps Quarterly #6 in the story entitled "What Price Honor?"-Early years:Laira is born on the...
Video game roles
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II The Sith Lords (2004) – Visas Marr
- Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 is a 2008 real-time strategy video game developed by EA Los Angeles and published by Electronic Arts. Announced on February 14, 2008, it was released on October 28, 2008 in the United States for Microsoft Windows-based PCs and three days later in Europe. A version for...
(2008) – Suki Toyama - Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3: Uprising (2009) – Suki Toyama AI
- Ninja BladeNinja Bladeis a video game developed and published by From Software for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The game has been categorized as a "cinematic action game," combining a mixture of hack and slash elements with context-sensitive commands....
(2009) – Ryoko Kurokawa - Terminator SalvationTerminator Salvation (video game)Terminator Salvation is a third-person shooter action video game, released on May 19, 2009 to coincide with the release of the film of the same name on the same week. It is developed by the Halcyon Company's gaming subsidiary, Halcyon Games, along with GRIN and published by Equity Games and Evolved...
(2009) – Wells - Afro SamuraiAfro Samurai (video game)Currently the Metacritic score is 65. GameSpot gave it a 7.0 and IGN gave it a 6.6. Namco Bandai posted on its fiscal year report that the game sold 420,000 copies across all platforms in the US and Europe.-External links:* * at The Internet Movie Database...
(2009) – Okiku, Osachi
Other
- The Least Likely PSAPublic service announcementA public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
(2004)