Arts & Entertainment
Forest Hills Native Awkwafina Makes Golden Globes History
Awkwafina is the first woman of Asian descent to win a Golden Globe for lead actress in a comedy or musical, for her role in "The Farewell."
FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — Forest Hills-born actress and rapper Awkwafina made Golden Globes history Sunday night, when she was won the award for best actress in a comedy or musical motion picture for her role in the movie "The Farewell."
She is the first woman of Asian descent to win in that category, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
"I actually just heard that fact and it was pretty mind-blowing," she told the entertainment news outlet and other reporters. "It is incredible, but there is this other feeling that you want there to be more."
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In "The Farewell," Awkwafina plays the role of Billi, whose family hides news of a terminal diagnosis from her grandmother, the family matriarch.
Born Nora Lum, the 31-year-old Forest Hills native attended LaGuardia High School for the performing arts and started rapping as a teenager.
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She starred in the 2018 summer blockbusters "Crazy Rich Asians" and "Ocean's Eight" and has her own television show, "Nora From Queens," premiering later this month on Comedy Central.
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