Story | Connie Li Photography | Antoine Verglas
One of the most successful Asian-American actresses of all time, Kelly Hu, is a Hawaiian native and fourth generation Chinese. Her father is Cantonese born and raised in Hawaii, while her mother is of Chinese, English and Hawaiian lineage. Her stunning looks caught the attention of a modelling agency in her teen years, and aspiring to a career as a model and actor, her agent told her that beauty pageants could be the fast track to such a profession and heeding this advice, she entered the Miss Hawaii Teen USA pageant in 1985.
Hu says she never expected to win, but win she did, and then went on to capture the Miss Teen USA title, becoming the first Asian-American Miss Teen USA in history, and in 1993 was crowned Miss Hawaii.
Using this success as a springboard to pursue her ultimate goals and after modelling in Japan and Italy, she moved to Los Angeles in 1987, and was cast in the major sitcom Growing Pains. In the decades to follow, she has worked constantly—starring in multiple TV series, with highlights including The Vampire Diaries, Martial Law and Arrow, as well as Hollywood blockbuster movies The Scorpion King, Cradle 2 the Grave and as the iconic ‘Lady Dealthstrike’ in the second X-Men movie, X2. Hu has also forged a successful career as a voice over artist for animation and video games including the critically acclaimed Batman and Star Wars franchises.
Whilst Hu concedes that the beauty pageants launched her career, saying, “Winning the Teen USA pageant changed the trajectory of my life and gave me an opportunity to pursue my acting career after graduating high school.” She also notes that, as a beauty queen, it is very easy to be typecast into “decorative” roles, or told you’re “too pretty” for certain roles.
“I think everyone is always worried about being typecast,” she says. “Sometimes it works to your advantage and sometimes it doesn’t. I think the key is to work hard and get past appearances, so that you can continue to work after looks fade.
“I’ve had hundreds, if not thousands, of auditions over my 30-year career. I’m sure my appearance played a role in several of those castings. However, I’d like to think that my hard work and talent also played a part.”
In her latest starring role as Detective Jin in the TV series Black Mafia Family (BMF), she won over a horde of fans. She was offered the role without auditioning, which she sees as a “real gift” and recognition of her hard work and talent.
From playing a young Hawaiian girl in Growing Pains, to a seasoned detective, Hu has matured—both professionally and visibly, her dark locks now streaked with grey. She decided to stop dyeing her hair during the pandemic and to let her grey show through.
“I’ve saved so much money and time, and saved myself from all those chemicals that probably leech into my scalp,” she says. “I love how my grey hair is coming in. I think it sets me apart.”
When shooting the first season of BMF, she reminded the producer that dyeing Detective Jin’s hair black will be “a pain,” so the detective kept her natural colour.
“I get compliments on it all the time. I like being 55 and I’m not trying to be 35. I wear my grey hair like a badge of honour. Now I’m less concerned about my appearance and more concerned with the quality of my work.”
Since picking up the role of Detective Jin, she has immersed herself in the detective’s world. “There was so much going on in Detroit in the 1980s in regards to the Asian community and also the police community. Detective Jin has such a great backstory. I get a lot to work with there.”
Hu uses her story to build the character, but has also researched the history of that period. “I find the more research I do, the easier it is to understand and better connect with the character,” she says. “Jin‘s character is very complicated and has a difficult family history.
“I think there’s a lot of myself in Jin and vice versa. I love making connections with other humans and with the characters I play. It’s my obsession.”
During the interview with eliteGen, Hu was busying filming the second season of BMF, as well as playing a major role in the CBS series East New York and in the adult animated fantasy series The Legend of Vox Machina. Off those sets, she does voiceovers for video games and other animation.
When Michelle Yeoh, also a former beauty queen, won the Academy Award for Best Actress this year in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once. Hu cheered for her.
“Her winning was monumental for the entire (Asian actor) community,” she says. “I’m a firm believer that when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.”
Many who saw the promotional videos for BMF are amazed by how little Hu’s looks have changed over 30 years, and how she still has the same contagious laugh.
“I get both compliments and criticism about my laugh,” she says. “My mother still tries to quiet my loud laugh to this day. Not sure why she’d think I’d change at this point.
“I’m unapologetically joyful and my laugh is a result of that. Having a positive outlook, confidence and gratitude is a definite plus in this crazy career I’ve chosen to pursue, as well as in life.”
In Hu’s world, good health, integrity, drive, luck and almost everything in life is more important than appearance. As well, letting go of what other people think of you is the way to finding self-confidence.
That’s why she doesn’t go for any particular brands of skincare, nor does she keep a special skincare routine, apart from washing her face thoroughly every night and getting a good night’s sleep.
Hu took dance and competed in rollerskating when she was young. Now, she does weight training and aerobic exercises to build muscle strength and keep her body strong. She also maintains a healthy diet and recently turned vegan.
“I don’t fear aging as much as other people do,” she says. “I see life as having a time limit, so I’m more focused on cramming in as many great experiences as possible into this short life than worrying about keeping my looks.
“Detective Jin keeps her natural hair colour to send a message: do not fear aging; older women with self-confidence are no less beautiful than youthful beauty.”
Hu recalls a question she was asked in the Miss Teen USA pageant—“As Miss Teen USA, you would be representing teenagers from all over the nation. What would you tell them?”
“My answer was ‘I would tell them that beauty comes from inside. There are a lot of beautiful girls here tonight in the pageant, but true beauty is not just about a pretty face or a nice figure. It’s who you are inside.’ ”
That answer, which she gave at the age of 17, has become her life-long motto.
