Selena Du

Selena Du is an actress and TV host. She also holds the 2012 Miss Asia US Division title. Du highly values charity causes and engage herself in public social activities. She has visited more than 30 countries around the world. Du has modeled for a number of brands. After appearing on several major Asian TVs and magazines, Du is well-known among the Asian population across the world.

Early life
Born in Milan, Italy, Selena Du of Russian descent spent her childhood in Europe before her move to the US. Since her childhood Du liked to sing and dance. She was enthusiastic when performing in front of others. Du was outgoing and energetic as a child. Her mother was a professional Ballerina who received Ballet training in Russia, under the tutelage of Ulanova. Du has long been cultivated in the edification of dance. When she was six years old, she began her Ballet training at the Beijing Dance Academy in China. Her mother insisted that she keep up with Ballet. Du’s Mother believed that no matter what Du will be doing in the future—even if it has nothing to do with dance, that learning Ballet was essential because it would ultimately benefit her in the long run. Since Du’s mother had the expertise in Ballet, Du listened to her mother.

Du has showed interest in performing art at a very young age. At the age of seven, she was admitted into both the Beijing Television (BTV) Youth Performing Troupe and the China Central Television (CCTV) Galaxy Troupe. She started her trainings in vocal music and acting, meanwhile, she appeared in a variety of TV productions and shows. She has performed solo in many major international events and national performances. The Chinese famous music conductor Nie Zhongming once commended on Du’s voice: “Selena Du has beautiful voice, her voice is unique, and it’s very hard to find among her peers since most people don’t have that kind of voice.”

Du was also athletic. She was selected into the China National Swim Team. However, soon after she entered the team, she left China with her family due to her father’s work.

Family background
Selena Du was born in a diplomat family. Her parental grandfather was a military strategist of the former Soviet Union under Khrushchev. Her maternal grandfather came from a family of doctors and was Feng Yuxiang's military surgeon. All of Du’s family members are highly educated. Du’s father graduated from Princeton, and Du's brother is a student at Harvard Law School.

Du’s father is a diplomat, so Du had the privilege to travel the world with her parents. She enjoyed traveling the world with the family, and having the opportunity to experience the cultures from different countries. Du had been to over twenty countries before the age of ten.

Childhood
Du’s parents were strict, they emphasized the necessary of education. Her academic performance has been very good, she was always the outstanding student among her classmates. She was in the school softball team and cross-country running team.

Du likes to read novels, and she especially interested in language courses. She wants to learn more languages, which will contribute to the barrier-free communication with more people. When Du was a child, she wanted to be a pediatrician. She likes to work with children and help people.

Involvement in Charities
Du has given support to many charities, from volunteering at local libraries, YMCA and schools, to traveling the world visiting orphanages, women’s shelters and natural disaster survivors’ shelters. She has also spent a large amount of time at the Oakland Senior Center in California often volunteering during major holidays.

As UN Goodwill Ambassador, Du went to visit children in Africa and the Central Americas. She used her remuneration from her recent film “A Time in Aba” to sponsor 9 children to enroll in school. The children are now able to receive an education with Du’s support.