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Crazy Rich Asians
CultureFilm & TV

Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina on life, laughs and Lucy Liu at Sundance Film Festival

  • The 30-year-old Asian-American rapper, writer, YouTube sensation and actress is one of biggest names at the Sundance Film Festival
  • We talk to her about her two high-profile films at the festival, her role in the next Jumanji film, and why her grandma made her who she is today

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Awkwafina at the Sundance Film Festival this week promoting the film The Farewell. Photo: AP
Helen Barlow

Crazy Rich Asians star Awkwafina, aka Nora Lum, may be one of the funniest and most talented women on the planet.

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In showbiz parlance the 30-year-old Asian-American rapper, writer, YouTube sensation and actress is red hot, and is one of the biggest names at the Sundance Film Festival with two high-profile films in the programme.

When we met for this interview at Sundance, held annually in Park City, Utah, Japan’s Naomi Osaka has just risen to become the No 1 women’s tennis player in the world after winning the Australian Open – in the process rivalling Lum’s status as the Asian woman on everyone’s lips.

“Wow, one of my people! That’s awesome,” the distinctively deep-voiced Lum says enthusiastically, insisting the more prominent Asian women there are, the better.

Awkwafina (centre) with writer and director Lulu Wang (left) and actress Diana Lin (right) at the premiere of The Farewell during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on January 25. Photo: AP
Awkwafina (centre) with writer and director Lulu Wang (left) and actress Diana Lin (right) at the premiere of The Farewell during the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on January 25. Photo: AP
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A fascinating mix of New York street and Asian heritage, Lum was born and raised in Brooklyn and in her comedy routine she draws on both. Last October she became only the second Asian woman to host US television show Saturday Night Live after Lucy Liu compèred 18 years ago.

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