Awkwafina responded to the criticism she has faced in the past for using a “blaccent,” in her films, during a recent interview while promoting her new Marvel movie, Shang-Chi. The most high-profile example of the accent she's been called out for using is in 2018's Crazy Rich Asians.
“Um, you know, I’m open to the conversation,” she said. “I think it, you know, it’s really something that is a little bit multi-faceted and layered, and so yeah.”
Some fans were particularly annoyed when a 2017 interview with Vice recently resurfaced, in which, Awkwafina comments on offensive accents.
“I refuse to do accents,” she said at the time. “I’m not OK with someone writing the Asian experience for an Asian character. Like that’s annoying and I make it very clear, I don’t ever go out for auditions where I feel like I’m making a minstrel out of our people.”
Awkwafina broke through with her appearance on MTV's Girl Code. She's gone on to star in a number of popular films including Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Ocean’s 8, Crazy Rich Asians, Jumanji: The Next Level, The Farewell, and Raya and the Last Dragon.
Check out Awkwafina's response to the controversy below.
[Via]