Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo
Pretty, smart, kind and full of talent — Allison “Allie” Chu’s got it all. But there’s so much more to this local beauty than meets the eye.
Currently, you can find her in the Hallmark movie Sisterhood, Inc. streaming on Netflix, or on re-runs of Rescue: HI-Surf, Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. and Hawai‘i Five-0. As a model, her work is extensive — from a recent shoot for CoverGirl cosmetics to Target billboards, a Speedo campaign and McDonald’s commercial, plus ads for Reyn Spooner and Maui Divers Jewelry, the list goes on. She’s also a classically trained opera singer, was part of the Kaimukī High School Performing Arts Center since she was 7, and is a three-time Hawai‘i Music Awards winner.
“It’s funny because I was always a huge nerd and loved music and was really into my schooling,” says Chu, a Kalani High School valedictorian. “Modeling just happened. That was never really a goal of mine. I was always more of a theater kid and was in choir.”
Chu went on to study psychology, earning her bachelor’s degree from University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, while also completing her academic prerequisites for medical school. But coveted modeling and acting jobs kept coming her way, so she decided to put medical school on the back burner and shifted her career goals toward showbiz.
“Both of my parents are physicians, so I’ve always been interested in science and math and the medical field,” says Chu, who is a mix of Chinese, Spanish, Mexican, Native American, French, Irish and Italian. “My mom went back for her medical residency at the age of 40, a single mom with four kids. For her, she was like you can redefine your life whenever, it doesn’t matter how old you are. All these other opportunities for yourself are kind of on a time limit, so you have to seize them while you can. Medical school isn’t going anywhere, it’ll always be there.’”
Those golden moments include being crowned Miss Hawai‘i 2016 and Miss Hawai‘i USA 2021 (she’s the first person to win both titles), and signing with global premier agency Elite Model Management in New York, where she’s been working and living part-time since 2012.
Beyond the glitz and glamour though, Chu’s just a down-to-earth local girl trying her best to juggle life between the Big Apple and her island home, while also facing adversity. Last September, her husband, 30-year-old Hopena Pokipala, was tragically killed in an accident in Waimānalo.
“I feel like my life is so up in the air right now, and I’m not completely certain of what that looks like,” shares Chu. “I feel like (with) Hopena … I was so lucky. We were together for 10 years. Our lives were so intertwined, so it’s hard not to think about my life without thinking about his.
“I just know he’s always with me. We got married in secret last March. He was the best life partner I could have ever asked for and the best husband.”
Chu recalls meeting Pokipala for the first time in his backyard after mutual friends invited her to go canoeing with them. A year later, as fate would have it, they would meet again, this time as students in the same mahi‘ai kalo class at UH.
“I was like, ‘Hey, you’re Hopena,’” remembers Chu. “I always thought he was cute … he’s a huge nerd, too. That’s what drew me in …
“He doesn’t like the spotlight at all, but I feel like he just naturally had such a warm light to him that people just want to be his friend and get to know him. It’s interesting because me and him came from two different worlds — he was really into paddling and surfing, and very athletic his whole life; I came from a very performing arts world.
“We were kind of like yin and yang a little bit, but it worked.”
The couple’s affection for each other was evident to everyone around them. In 2025, their love was captured in a series of stunning photos by Carol Oliva and featured in a bridal campaign for British Vogue. They even started a business together — Oysters Hawai‘i, a mobile oyster catering company offering freshly shucked oysters with homemade sauces for weddings, corporate events, golf tournaments and other special occasions.
“Our slogan is, ‘Let’s have a good shucking time,’” says Chu, noting that the business has a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders, and its signature smoked ponzu sauce can be found in Foodland.
“Hopena went to school and double majored in international business and marketing, so he always had this entrepreneurial spirit. He always had so many great ideas and we just want to continue to keep his legacy alive … we’re working on some new, exciting stuff that we will announce soon.”
Looking toward the future, Chu says she’s trying to think positively. She still dreams of doing a Broadway musical one day and hopes to land a recurring role in a TV show. She’s also considering a new music album.
“I took a big break after everything just to kind of reset and figure out what I want to do,” she says. “I’ve been auditioning again. I feel like the arts is so healing, so I’ve just been focusing on my music again and acting. (Hopena) was my No. 1 support system. I could call him and always lean on him for everything. I can still do that now, just in a different way.
“I think life is really precious, so you have to be kind and live with love always because that’s what matters. All these material things and even successes don’t really mean much if you don’t have your family and the people you care about with you.”
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