Future Asian & Pacific History Month: Awkwafina's Loud & Proud Hollywood Come Up
Fuse is celebrating Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month by looking at a variety of rising forces who are creating Future Asian and Pacific History before our eyes. Awkwafina isn't particularly new to the scene—initially breaking out in 2012 with her viral, comedy-rap video "My Vag" before co-starring on MTV's Girl Code and launching her web show Tawk—but only recently has the New York City native started breaking out in bigger ways and doing so by being louder and prouder than ever.
Last spring, Awkwafina (neé Nora Lum) made her biggest Hollywood move to date by landing a role in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. Lum played Christine, a member of the Kappa Nu sorority with Chloë Grace Moretz, and joining the cast featuring Zac Efron, Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen. No doubt that helped her score a main role in Ocean's Eight featuring a dream cast of seven Hollywood heavy hitters including Rihanna, Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Sarah Paulson, Anne Hathaway and fellow 2017 Future Asian & Pacific History honoree Mindy Kaling. While those are some mighty bright stars to shine up next to, Awkwafina revealed how easily she was able to fit in with the A-listers. "As the most irrelevant one on the cast, I was really, really surprised by how much they just made me feel like I was their equal," she said in an interview. "They were so warm, and they were so welcoming, and I just felt safe with them. More so than I ever thought that I would."
21m
5m
21m
44m
22m
21m
23m
20m
20m
1m
44m
20m
41m
2m
2m
3m
1m
1h 42m
2m
20m
20m
2m
8m
6m
5m
20m
3m
24m
1m
24m
22m
20m
1m
22m
8m
20m
1m
1m
3m
56s
1m
1m
3m
1m
1m
1m
20m
44m
1h 25m
46m
21m
1m
2m
11m
54s
1m
1m
20m
21s
1m
21m
1m
6m
7m
9m
3m
3m
5m
9m
1m
36s
2m
20m
23m
40m
2m
55m
22m
22m
15m
45m
44m
22m
22m
1m
1m
1m
2m
21m
59m
22m
40m
20m
2m
22m
1h 17m