Kelly Hu
A versatile actress who broke ground for Asian-American representation, moving from soap operas to blockbuster action roles with sharp presence.
Born 1968 (age 58)·American actress·Birthday: February 13·Generation X
Biography
Kelly Hu began her career in the public eye as a teen model and beauty queen, winning Miss Teen USA in 1985. She quickly pivoted to acting, determined to be more than a face. Her early work on daytime soap 'Sunset Beach' gave way to a defining turn as the lethal assassin Lady Deathstrike in 'X2,' where she performed her own intricate fight sequences. Hu carved a niche in action and genre films, from 'The Scorpion King' to 'The Tournament,' bringing a cool, capable physicality to her roles. Simultaneously, she voiced major characters in animated series like 'Phineas and Ferb' and 'The Batman,' showcasing her range. Her career represents a persistent navigation of Hollywood's landscape, securing spaces for Asian-American women as both formidable fighters and complex characters.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Kelly was born in 1968, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kelly Was Born
The biggest hits of 1968
#1 Movie
2001: A Space Odyssey
Best Picture
Oliver!
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Kelly's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1968Born
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1973Started school
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1981Became a teenager
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Could drive
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1986Could vote
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Turned 21
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1998Turned 30
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 40
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 50
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 58 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first person of Asian descent to win the Miss Teen USA pageant in 1985.
- Played the mutant villain Lady Deathstrike in the major superhero film 'X2: X-Men United'.
- Voiced the character of Cheshire in the popular animated series 'Young Justice'.
- Starred as China White, a recurring antagonist, in the first two seasons of The CW's 'Arrow'.
- Had a leading voice role as Stacy Hirano on the long-running Disney series 'Phineas and Ferb'.
Did You Know?
She is of Chinese, Hawaiian, and English descent.
Hu is a trained martial artist, holding black belts in karate and kenpo, which she used in her film roles.
She provided the voice for the female version of the 'Street Fighter' character Juri in the video game 'Teppen'.
Before acting full-time, she worked as a model and appeared in music videos for artists like Johnny Gill.
“I think the most important thing is to just keep working, to keep honing your craft, and the right roles will come.”
