News | Entertainment
30 Dec 2025 1:12
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Awkwafina has no plans to drop her stage name

    The 'Crazy Rich Asians' star - whose real name is Nora Lum - revealed her moniker was created as a child, and she feels immense pride when she sees the alias "on a chair back or on a call sheet"


    Asked if she could ditch Awkwafina for her own name, she told the New York Times: "I don't see it right now. That's not to say that it's not a possibility.

    "I created Awkwafina when I was a kid. What she represents to me is more than a persona -- in the very beginning, I did see her as the confident one, the side that comes out that gives Nora the panic attacks.

    "But as I've grown older I've come to really be grateful for that name and what I've seen it written on. To see her name on a chair back or on a call sheet, that means a lot to me. I don't think that I could shed her right now."

    The 31-year-old star is set to release her own sitcom 'Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens' on Netflix, and she opened up about her "memories" of growing up in the New York City borough.

    She added: "My memories of Queens are scattered. There's this family history that I kind of know only from stories, about when my dad was growing up in Whitestone and my great-grandpa owned a Chinese restaurant on Northern Boulevard.

    "My dad still lives in the same building I grew up in. My old neighbours find my dad and they're like, 'I can't believe she's that same little girl.'

    "He definitely hams it up with everyone. He's having a fun time with it."

    Meanwhile, the 'Farewell' actress previously admitted she sometimes calls herself Michelle Pfeiffer to confuse people in Starbucks when they're writing her name on a cup.

    She said: "When I was 15 or 16, I thought the name 'Awkwafina' was great, hilarious. I never thought anyone would ever call me that. Cut to now, where everyone calls me that. So that's good.

    "[In Starbucks] I like putting 'Michelle Pfeiffer'. All 'F's in the 'Pfeiffer,' throws them off a little bit."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     29 Dec: George W. Bush wants Oh Happy Day played at his funeral
     29 Dec: Sigourney Weaver has addressed "legitimate" concerns over her kissing scene with Jack Champion
     29 Dec: Amanda Bynes says she has shed almost 30 pounds after using Ozempic
     29 Dec: Michael Bolton feels "deeply grateful" to be surrounded by family amid his brain cancer battle
     29 Dec: Chrissy Teigen knocked out her veneers trying to open a candy cane
     29 Dec: Chrissy Teigen was rushed to the dentist after she knocked out one of her front veneers while preparing a Christmas activity that involved candy canes for her children
     29 Dec: Sonny Bono's widow has filed an appeal in her long-running royalties battle with Cher
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Nick Kyrgios has blitzed Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 across what has been coined their battle-of-the-sexes tennis match in Dubai More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Melbourne could be facing water-restrictions from low-rainfall, a dry summer, and high water-use More...



     Today's News

    Cricket:
    Brydon Carse is England's last out-and-out speedster standing, after fellow bowler Gus Atkinson was officially ruled out of the Ashes finale with a hamstring injury 21:57

    Entertainment:
    George W. Bush wants Oh Happy Day played at his funeral 21:38

    Environment:
    Auckland fire crews are tackling a 150-metre-long vegetation fire on Mullins Road, near the Ardmore Airport 21:17

    Entertainment:
    Sigourney Weaver has addressed "legitimate" concerns over her kissing scene with Jack Champion 21:08

    Entertainment:
    Amanda Bynes says she has shed almost 30 pounds after using Ozempic 20:38

    Entertainment:
    Michael Bolton feels "deeply grateful" to be surrounded by family amid his brain cancer battle 20:08

    Entertainment:
    Chrissy Teigen knocked out her veneers trying to open a candy cane 19:38

    Entertainment:
    Chrissy Teigen was rushed to the dentist after she knocked out one of her front veneers while preparing a Christmas activity that involved candy canes for her children 19:08

    Living & Travel:
    Surf Life Saving New Zealand surf lifeguards have had a busy Christmas period 18:57

    Cricket:
    The Auckland Aces are chasing 188 to beat the Wellington Firebirds, in today's men's Super Smash T20 cricket match at the Basin Reserve 18:47


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd