---
name: "Awkwafina"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/awkwafina"
fi1m_id: "awkwafina"
imdb_id: "nm5377144"
tmdb_id: 1625558
wikidata_id: "Q15306031"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "2 June 1988"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 14
average_fi1m_score: 66
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 14
updated: "2026-10-22T02:17:12.457266+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Awkwafina

## Identity

Awkwafina

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/awkwafina
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** awkwafina
- **IMDb ID:** nm5377144
- **TMDB ID:** 1625558
- **Wikidata ID:** Q15306031
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awkwafina, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15306031, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5377144/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1625558

Actor. Born 2 June 1988 in Stony Brook, Brookhaven, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 2 June 1988, Stony Brook, Brookhaven, New York, USA
- **Active:** 2016–present
- **Also known as:** Nora Lum
- **Frequently works with:** [Jack Black](https://film.one/person/jack-black.md), [Dwayne Johnson](https://film.one/person/dwayne-johnson.md), [Jake Kasdan](https://film.one/person/jake-kasdan.md), [Jeff Pinkner](https://film.one/person/jeff-pinkner.md), [Karen Gillan](https://film.one/person/karen-gillan.md), [Kevin Hart](https://film.one/person/kevin-hart.md), [Mahershala Ali](https://film.one/person/mahershala-ali.md), [Scott Rosenberg](https://film.one/person/scott-rosenberg.md)
- **Golden Globes:** 1 Golden Globe (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 66, as actor, over 14 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2010s 68 (7), 2020s 64 (7)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 66 to 67 across 14 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 5 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 10 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 9, Fantasy 7, Adventure 5, Family 4, Action 3, Animation 2
- **Screen time:** 24 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $3,236m across 10 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awkwafina, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q15306031, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5377144/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1625558

## Coming up

- *The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina* (2026-11-06), Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/awkwafina-the-unlikely-cook.md)
- *The Man with the Bag* (2026-12-02) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-bag.md)
- *Jumanji: Open World* (2026-12-23), as Ming — [page](https://film.one/film/jumanji-open-world.md)

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings*](https://film.one/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings.md) (66), [*The Little Mermaid*](https://film.one/film/the-little-mermaid.md) (58)
- **Apple TV:** [*Swan Song*](https://film.one/film/swan-song.md) (71)
- **Hulu:** [*Jumanji: The Next Level*](https://film.one/film/jumanji-the-next-level.md) (65)
- **HBO Max:** [*Ocean's Eight*](https://film.one/film/oceans-eight.md) (60)
- **Peacock:** [*Renfield*](https://film.one/film/renfield.md) (58)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Kung Fu Panda 4*](https://film.one/film/kung-fu-panda-4.md) (54)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Awkwafina

> Awkwafina’s quick timing makes her a good comic partner when the writing gives her someone to play against. We rate her most highly in *The Farewell*, where she lets the discomfort linger without forcing the sadness.

In *The Farewell* (2019), Awkwafina’s Billi cannot quite join in with the family’s determined cheerfulness. She makes an ordinary conversation uncomfortable without pushing the sadness to the front. We were moved by her difficulty in being present with Nai Nai while everyone was already preparing to miss her. Lulu Wang gets the best out of her by allowing that unease to remain small and unforced.

That restraint marked a turn after the supporting comedy parts in *Ocean's 8* (2018) and *Crazy Rich Asians* (2018). Her low, raspy voice is immediately recognisable, and her timing can make a short exchange worth keeping. Since then, she has combined animation and supporting blockbuster roles with *Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens* (2020–2023), which she co-created and starred in. The danger is that a recognisable voice can become all a film asks of her.

*Kung Fu Panda 4* (2024) shows what the comic voice needs: somebody worth answering back to. As Zhen, she is dry, quick and a beat ahead of Jack Black’s Po, whose delight gives her impatience something to work against. The film lacks the feeling beneath the slapstick, but their exchanges have a workable rhythm. In *The Little Mermaid* (2023), Scuttle talks fast and then raps; speed alone does not make that a pleasure.

*Renfield* (2023) gives her a different problem as Rebecca, a traffic cop whose crime story takes time away from Nicolas Cage’s Dracula and Nicholas Hoult’s familiar. She is game, but Chris McKay keeps sending the film back to corrupt colleagues and the Lobo family when its more interesting relationship is elsewhere. We found ourselves waiting for Cage to return. Her willingness cannot make the two stories fit.

For anyone tired of the quick-talking parts, Wang is the director to start with. *The Farewell* sometimes explains its family dilemma too tidily, but Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen make the deception difficult to dismiss. It is the performance to try before deciding that the rasp and the rapid delivery tell us all we need to know. Another comedy willing to let her be quiet for a while would be welcome.

## Biography

Awkwafina, born Nora Lum, is an American actress, rapper and comedian. She rose to prominence in 2012 with the viral YouTube rap song "My Vag" and released her debut album Yellow Ranger in 2014. She appeared on the MTV series Girl Code (2014–2015) before moving into film roles.

Her film credits include supporting parts in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016), Ocean's 8 (2018), Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). She starred in The Farewell (2019), for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Voice roles include Scuttle in The Little Mermaid (2023), Zhen in Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) and Rebecca in Renfield (2023).

She co-created, wrote and executive produced the Comedy Central series Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens (2020–), in which she also stars. For producing the television film Quiz Lady (2023), she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (14)

- *Wildwood* (2026), Fi1m 85, as Septima (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/wildwood.md)
- *IF* (2024), Fi1m 56, as Bubble (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/if.md)
- *Kung Fu Panda 4* (2024), Fi1m 54, as Zhen (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/kung-fu-panda-4.md)
- *Renfield* (2023), Fi1m 58, as Rebecca — [page](https://film.one/film/renfield.md)
- *The Little Mermaid* (2023), Fi1m 58, as Scuttle (voice) — [page](https://film.one/film/the-little-mermaid.md)
- *Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings* (2021), Fi1m 66, as Katy — [page](https://film.one/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings.md)
- *Swan Song* (2021), Fi1m 71, as Kate — [page](https://film.one/film/swan-song.md)
- *Between Two Ferns: The Movie* (2019), Fi1m 62, as Awkwafina — [page](https://film.one/film/between-two-ferns-the-movie.md)
- *Jumanji: The Next Level* (2019), Fi1m 65, as Ming — [page](https://film.one/film/jumanji-the-next-level.md)
- *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance* (2019), Fi1m 76, as skekLach (The Collector) (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-dark-crystal-age-of-resistance.md)
- *The Farewell* (2019), Fi1m 84, as Billi — [page](https://film.one/film/the-farewell.md)
- *Crazy Rich Asians* (2018), Fi1m 74, as Peik Lin Goh — [page](https://film.one/film/crazy-rich-asians.md)
- *Ocean's Eight* (2018), Fi1m 60, as Constance — [page](https://film.one/film/oceans-eight.md)
- *Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising* (2016), Fi1m 58, as Christine — [page](https://film.one/film/neighbors-2-sorority-rising.md)

## Complete filmography (52)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Jumanji: Open World* (2026), as Ming — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/jumanji-open-world.md)
- *The Man with the Bag* (2026), Actor — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/the-man-with-the-bag.md)
- *The Unlikely Cook with Awkwafina* (2026), series, Executive Producer — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/tv/awkwafina-the-unlikely-cook.md)
- *Wildwood* (2026), as Septima (voice) — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/film/wildwood.md)
- *Descendants: Wicked Wonderland* (2026), as Chessy the Cat (voice)
- *Marvel Zombies* (2025), series, as Katy Chen (voice)
- *The Bad Guys 2* (2025), as Tarantula (voice)
- *The Bad Guys: Little Lies and Alibis* (2025), as Tarantula (voice)
- *Jackpot!* (2024), as Katie Kim
- *IF* (2024), as Bubble (voice) — Fi1m 56, [page](https://film.one/film/if.md)
- *Dueling Dumplings* (2024), as Zhen (voice)
- *Kung Fu Panda 4* (2024), as Zhen (voice) — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/kung-fu-panda-4.md)
- *Fly Hard* (2024), as Chump (voice)
- *Migration* (2023), as Chump (voice)
- *Once Upon a Studio* (2023), as Sisu (voice)
- *Quiz Lady* (2023), as Anne Yum · Producer
- *The Little Mermaid* (2023), as Scuttle (voice) — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/the-little-mermaid.md)
- *Renfield* (2023), as Rebecca — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/renfield.md)
- *Poker Face* (2023), series, as Maddy Saint Marie — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/poker-face.md)
- *Maraschino Ruby* (2022), as Tarantula (voice)
- *The Bad Guys* (2022), as Tarantula (voice)
- *The Boys Presents: Diabolical* (2022), series, as Sky / Areola / Turd (voice) · Writer
- *Swan Song* (2021), as Kate — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/film/swan-song.md)
- *Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings* (2021), as Katy — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/shang-chi-and-the-legend-of-the-ten-rings.md)
- *Raya and the Last Dragon* (2021), as Sisu (voice)
- *Breaking News in Yuba County* (2021), as Mina
- *The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run* (2020), as Otto (voice)
- *Call Your Mother* (2020), Actor
- *Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens* (2020), series, as Nora Lin · Writer, Executive Producer, Director, Creator
- *Jumanji: The Next Level* (2019), as Ming — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/film/jumanji-the-next-level.md)
- *Between Two Ferns: The Movie* (2019), as Awkwafina — Fi1m 62, [page](https://film.one/film/between-two-ferns-the-movie.md)
- *The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance* (2019), series, as skekLach (The Collector) (voice) — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-dark-crystal-age-of-resistance.md)
- *Paradise Hills* (2019), as Yu
- *The Angry Birds Movie 2* (2019), as Courtney (voice)
- *The Farewell* (2019), as Billi — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/the-farewell.md)
- *Weird City* (2019), series, as Charlotta
- *Crazy Rich Asians* (2018), as Peik Lin Goh — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/crazy-rich-asians.md)
- *Ocean's Eight* (2018), as Constance — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/film/oceans-eight.md)
- *Dude* (2018), as Rebecca Voller
- *Future Man* (2017), series, as Woman at Video Game Store
- *Storks* (2016), as Quail (voice)
- *Mary + Jane* (2016), series, as Gina
- *Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising* (2016), as Christine — Fi1m 58, [page](https://film.one/film/neighbors-2-sorority-rising.md)
- *Animals.* (2016), series, as Annie (voice)
- *Black Mirror* (2011), series, as Kimmy — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/black-mirror.md)
- *Regular Show* (2010), series, as Apple / Waitress #1 (voice)
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Carmen (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *The Bad Guys 3*, as Tarantula (voice)
- *Kung Fu Panda 5*, as Zhen (voice)
- *Thumb*, Actor
- *Kaet Might Die*, as Kaet
- *The Baccarat Machine*, as Cheung Yin 'Kelly' Sun

## Gallery

- ![Awkwafina](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-b795010ae3d1.jpg) Awkwafina — Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Awkwafina_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg/1280px-Awkwafina_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Anne Hathaway at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, Washington, DC USA, September 15, 2018](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-e093397e2ef6.jpg) Anne Hathaway at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, Washington, DC USA, September 15, 2018 — Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Anne_Hathaway_%40_2018.09.15_Human_Rights_Campaign_National_Dinner%2C_Washington%2C_DC_USA_06194_%2843805104245%29.jpg/1280px-Anne_Hathaway_%40_2018.09.15_Human_Rights_Campaign_National_Dinner%2C_Washington%2C_DC_USA_06194_%2843805104245%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Anne Hathaway at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, Washington, DC USA, September 15, 2018](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-289d2b3fb79c.jpg) Anne Hathaway at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, Washington, DC USA, September 15, 2018 — Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Anne_Hathaway_%40_2018.09.15_Human_Rights_Campaign_National_Dinner%2C_Washington%2C_DC_USA_06194_%2843805104245%29_%28cropped_3%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Anne Hathaway at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, Washington, DC USA, September 15, 2018](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-82e5d99f85cc.jpg) Anne Hathaway at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner, Washington, DC USA, September 15, 2018 — Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Anne_Hathaway_%40_2018.09.15_Human_Rights_Campaign_National_Dinner%2C_Washington%2C_DC_USA_06195_%2843805106995%29.jpg/1280px-Anne_Hathaway_%40_2018.09.15_Human_Rights_Campaign_National_Dinner%2C_Washington%2C_DC_USA_06195_%2843805106995%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Awkwafina](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-fee9916a45e8.jpg) Awkwafina — Image via TMDB
- ![Awkwafina](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-fbf3624b787b.jpg) Awkwafina — Image via TMDB
- ![Awkwafina](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-c9d3fc61b54f.jpg) Awkwafina — Image via TMDB
- ![Awkwafina, in 2018.](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-b740a9e7b468.jpg) Awkwafina, in 2018. — Casi Moss, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/ba/Awkwafina%2C_2018_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Awkwafina%2C_2018_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Awkwafina, Jack Black & Karen Gillan in interview for Jumanji: The Next Level in 2019 (2020)](https://film.one/media/person/11829/gallery-73c14df36eee.jpg) Awkwafina, Jack Black & Karen Gillan in interview for Jumanji: The Next Level in 2019 (2020) — QUE TAL UM CINEMINHA?, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Awkwafina%2C_Jack_Black_%26_Karen_Gillan_in_2019.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 2020: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/awkwafina