Ep 156. Awkwafina

Ep 156. Awkwafina

From Off Camera with Sam Jones by Sam Jones

December 3, 2020 · 1h 3m · Episode 220

About this episode

Awkwafina discusses her rise to fame, the challenges of being an Asian-American actress/rapper, and the impact of her viral success.

Awkwafina (also known as Nora Lum) is having quite a moment. She’s a part of the impressive cast of female icons (Sandra Bullock, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, and more) in Ocean’s 8, and she’s so hilarious in Crazy Rich Asians that you’ll barely hear her next line over the sound of your own laughter. What does this moment in the spotlight feel like? Awkwafina likens it to this: “I compare it to a wall opening up and transporting you to an alternate dimension where there is no gravity, and everything is weird.” Her initial shock isn’t so strange when you consider the fact that she never allowed herself to dream of a career in the arts, and there weren’t exactly any female Asian-American actress/rapper hybrids to pave the road to possibility. Awkwafina tried to follow the path that her friends took after college, but living the buttoned-up office life of a publicity assistant in Manhattan wasn’t really her thing. When her boss made her choose between her music and her unfulfilling job, it wasn’t much of a contest—not only because she got fired, but especially because her identity was at stake. As she explains, “If I didn’t have my music, then I didn’t have an identity.” With nothing to…

People in this episode

Guest: Awkwafina

Topics covered

  • entertainment
  • music
  • film
  • identity
  • Asian-American representation

Keywords

  • Ocean's 8
  • Crazy Rich Asians
  • My Vag
  • viral success
  • identity
  • female icons
  • Asian-American actress
  • music career

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Ocean’s 8, Crazy Rich Asians, My Vag

Places: Manhattan, Hollywood

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