34 Facts About Awkwafina

Awkwafina rose to prominence in 2012 when her rap song "My Vag" became popular on YouTube.

Awkwafina then released her debut album, Yellow Ranger, and appeared on the MTV comedy series Girl Code.

Awkwafina expanded to films with supporting roles in the comedies Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Ocean's 8, Crazy Rich Asians, and Jumanji: The Next Level.

Since 2020, Awkwafina has served as co-creator, writer, and executive producer of the Comedy Central series Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, in which she plays a fictionalized version of herself.

Awkwafina has performed voice roles in the animated films The Angry Birds Movie 2, Raya and the Last Dragon, and The Bad Guys.

Awkwafina was born in Stony Brook, Long Island, New York, to a Chinese American father and a Korean American mother.

Awkwafina's mother, Tia, was a painter who immigrated with her family to the United States from South Korea in 1972.

Awkwafina grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, and attended Fiorello H LaGuardia High School, where she played the trumpet and was trained in classical music and jazz.

Awkwafina majored in journalism and women's studies at the University at Albany, State University of New York and graduated in 2011.

Awkwafina got her start producing music with GarageBand but eventually learned Logic Pro and Ableton.

Awkwafina was fired from her job at a publishing house when her employer recognized her in the video.

In 2014, Awkwafina appeared in six episodes of the third and fourth seasons of Girl Code.

Awkwafina was part of the lineup at Tenacious D's Festival Supreme on October 25,2014.

Awkwafina is profiled in the 2016 documentary Bad Rap, an official selection at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival.

Awkwafina hosted the short-form talk show web series Tawk for the digital production company Astronauts Wanted from 2015 to 2017.

Awkwafina was among the principal cast in Ocean's 8, the all-female spinoff to the Ocean's Trilogy.

Awkwafina then co-starred in the film Crazy Rich Asians, directed by Jon M Chu, playing Goh Peik Lin, a Singaporean college friend of lead character Rachel Chu.

Awkwafina had a recurring role in the Hulu original series Future Man in 2017.

Awkwafina hosted the October 6,2018, episode of Saturday Night Live, becoming the second East Asian-American woman to host the show.

Awkwafina did an impression of Sandra Oh, who later in the season became the first East Asian-Canadian woman to host an SNL episode and the third East Asian woman to host overall.

In 2019, Awkwafina starred in the film The Farewell, directed by Lulu Wang.

Awkwafina played Billi, a writer who visits her ill grandmother in China.

In July 2019, Awkwafina was cast as Katy in Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings alongside actors Simu Liu and Tony Leung Chiu-wai.

Awkwafina won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Shang-Chi.

Awkwafina improvised much of her dialogue for the film, drawing comparisons to Robin Williams' performance as the Genie in Aladdin.

Awkwafina has said that Charles Bukowski, Anais Nin, Joan Didion, Tom Waits and Chet Baker were early influences.

Awkwafina has advocated for more female directors and against the stereotyping of Asians in media.

Awkwafina was featured in Gap's "Logo Remix" campaign, which featured up-and-coming artists who "are remixing creative culture on their own terms," such as SZA, Sabrina Claudio and Naomi Watanabe.

Awkwafina was honored as Kore Asian Media's Female Breakout of the Year in 2017.

Awkwafina spoke about her upbringing in Queens, where her family owned a Cantonese restaurant.

Awkwafina has developed a profile as a fashion model, appearing regularly on magazine covers, which she re-posts on her Instagram account.

Awkwafina has faced criticism for alleged cultural appropriation of AAVE and mannerisms stereotypic of the African-American community.

Awkwafina was honored as Kore Asian Media's Female Breakout of the Year in 2017.

Awkwafina received a nomination for the BAFTA Rising Star Award.