Born in Romania to a Chinese father and Romanian mother, Delia Niya is an actress, writer, and model whose multicultural background shapes her work across film and theatre. She left Romania at sixteen to study acting in London, where she received classical training and performed in stage productions including The Comedy of Errors, before continuing her career in Los Angeles.
Delia has appeared on stage in Code Pink at LOFT Ensemble Theatre and on screen in the short film Dr. Tag. She also wrote and starred in the short Girls’ Guide to the City. Trained in Wushu martial arts and fluent in multiple languages, she also walked for Art Hearts Fashion at Miami Fashion Week 2025 and appeared in the Lexus x 88 Rising Lunar New Year 2026 campaign.
In early 2026, Delia secured a lead role in an upcoming feature film from the producer behind Mortal Kombat and True Lies, marking the next step in her international career.
Your multicultural roots have been central to your journey. How has living and working between different cultures shaped the kind of stories you feel compelled to tell on screen?
As the first Romanian Chinese actress I know of pursuing this path and coming to the United States to build a career in film, my journey has always been about bridging cultures, and moving to Los Angeles felt like the natural place to bring those worlds together. What I love about America is that it embraces diversity and encourages artists to bring their full cultural background into the stories they tell.
I’ve explored this idea in my upcoming short film Under the Sun, which I wrote, directed, and starred in. My character moves almost like a viper—resilient, focused, and strong. The strength and discipline behind her reflect influences from my cultural background, and I wanted to portray a woman who is strategic, powerful, and unapologetically determined, qualities I hope to see represented more on screen.
You’ve spoken about discipline from Wushu and expressiveness from theatre—two very different forms of training. How do those worlds come together when you perform today?
Training in Wushu Kung Fu taught me discipline, precision, and how to stay fully present in my body, while theatre, especially in the intense training environment in London, taught me emotional depth.
I experienced that balance while working on my short film Under the Sun, where I coordinated and performed a fight sequence. My martial arts training helped with the focus and precision of the choreography, while my theatre background allowed me to bring emotional intention to every movement.
Having both physical and emotional training is a huge advantage, and it reflects the blend of discipline and storytelling that comes from my cultural roots.
As someone who’s written and acted in your own short films, what did these experiences teach you about creative independence and leadership on set?
Working on my own projects taught me that leadership on set is about understanding, respect, collaboration, and most importantly, kindness. Film sets can be stressful, and not everyone is always ready in the moment, so creating a supportive environment is essential.
I experienced this while shooting my short Girl’s Guide to the City. Our director called off at the last minute, and with only about 20 minutes before shooting on a tight schedule, we had to find a solution quickly. One of the crew members contacted an acting teacher who came to set and directed the scene as if he had been there from day one.
Moments like that reminded me that staying positive and kind, even under pressure, helps everyone feel comfortable and step up for the project.
Hollywood is in a period of redefining what “international storytelling” means. Where do you see yourself fitting into—or challenging—that transformation?
I see myself as part of the bridge between worlds. With my multicultural background, I’d love to contribute as much as possible to this shift. Times have changed, and Hollywood is increasingly embracing diversity and international storytelling. Audiences have been wanting to see that bridge for a long time, and many American films today are inspired by stories and cultures from all over the world, like the global impact of Everything Everywhere All at Once, which showed how powerful multicultural storytelling can be.
Recently, I also experienced this firsthand through a collaboration with Lexus for a Lunar New Year campaign in Hollywood, where I was able to celebrate and represent my Chinese heritage and even highlight my Chinese zodiac sign. Moments like that remind me how meaningful it is to share authentic cultural perspectives on a global stage.
Modeling often communicates emotion through silence and movement. Do you find parallels between the confidence of the runway and the focus required for acting on camera?
Modeling taught me that every pause, every movement, carries meaning. You’re essentially a mannequin telling the story of the designer, guided by their vision. The same principle applies to acting. As an actor, you’re guided by the director, and your job is to bring that vision to life.
I experienced this at Miami Fashion Week, walking for Maribel JD at Art Hearts Fashion. Before stepping on stage, she gathered all the models and said, “Be focused, strong, straight, and vogue-like—no smile, no commercial.”
Standing still, emotionless, and intentional is actually much harder than being expressive, and it commands attention. That pressure, performing for the camera with only one take, parallels acting on set and makes you sharper, more focused, and ready to bring that same presence to film.
You’ve mentioned embracing strength and vulnerability equally in your work. How do you personally stay grounded and emotionally open in such a demanding industry?
Staying grounded and open comes from taking risks and trusting myself, never giving up, and being confident in my work. I try to be kind to myself, avoid unnecessary self-doubt, and not let pressure dictate my choices. That mindset has helped me stay emotionally present and ultimately led to securing a role in an upcoming feature. It’s about balancing strength with vulnerability and embracing every opportunity as a chance to grow.
When you imagine your ideal next project, what kind of role or story would push you to evolve even further as an artist?
My next project is a feature film, and my character is both physically and mentally demanding, which really pushes me as an actor. I love exploring new, unique characters that also have cool, specialized skills, like sword fighting or gymnastics. At the same time, I’d love to do something comedic, where I can let my personality shine and let my looks contradict my comedic abilities.