Deadline reports that Awkwafina has become the first Asian American actress to win a Golden Globe in the Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy category.
Awkwafina won the award for her role in Lulu Wang’s The Farewell. In the film, Awkwafina stars as a Chinese American woman named Billi who returns to China to visit her grandmother who is suffering from cancer. Billi clashes with her family who decide to keep her grandmother in the dark about her illness.
The film received praising reviews for its portrayal of the immigrant life and the mixed culture dynamic. Its success was fairly immediate, with its per-theatre average overtaking Avengers: Endgame.
When nominated, Awkwafina revealed how she had been a long-time fan of the awards. “I grew up watching the Golden Globes every year, cheering for my favorite films and actors,” she said. “It is surreal that I now get to go! Wait, I do get to go right?”
However, some were not happy that The Farewell was also nominated for a foreign language Golden Globes Award, as the film was American.
Nonetheless, Awkwafina was grateful for the award and discussed being the first Asian-American woman to win a Golden Globe in the category. “I actually heard that fact and it was pretty mind-blowing. It feels incredible… but you want there to be more,” she said. “I hope this is only the beginning.”
The comedian also joked when accepting the award, “if I fall upon hard times I can sell this!”
She also went on to thank her family, “to my grandma, my best friend, the woman who raised me,” she said, adding, “I’d love to dedicate this to my dad Wally. I told you I’d get a job dad.”
“I always hoped she was watching from somewhere above, and I hope she’s watching now,” she said, dedicating the award to her mother.
Last year, Killing Eve star Sandra Oh also made history by becoming the first Asian actor to win multiple Golden Globes as well as being the first Asian to host the event.
