The Crazy Rich Asians actor has won over Sundance with a heartfelt film based on an episode of This
American Life
Last summer brought with it two films sharing two similarities: both starred Awkwafina and both wasted Awkwafina. The fast-talking comic dynamo cropped up in Ocean’s 8 and Crazy Rich Asians yet was sorely underused in both, showing us just enough to make us want much, much more, outperforming more seasoned co-stars with ease. Given her rising star (last year, she was also the first Asian woman to host
Saturday Night Live since 2000) one would expect the next project to be a flashy star vehicle, an Apatow
comedy, perhaps, something broad and multiplex-friendly.
But neatly sidestepping convention, Awkwafina has found surprise Sundance success with The Farewell, an unexpected dramatic leap, the kind of which comic actors usually make much later in their career.