Hey, Emmy voters: It’s time to finally nominate Awkwafina for ‘Nora From Queens’

Jacob Sarkisian
·6 min read
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Awkwafina is… searching for her first Emmy nomination. The multi-hyphenate star has seen her status as a performer and creative rise rapidly within the last few years but she has yet to receive the recognition a comedian of her talents might well deserve from the Emmys.

With “Awkwafina is Nora From Queens,” however, that could change. Created by Awkwafina and “Family Guy” and “American Dad” writer/producer Teresa Hsiao, this Comedy Central hit is a vehicle for Awkwafina’s star power. It follows Awkwafina as Nora, a fictionalized version of herself, who is a 20-year-old-something woman living in Queens, New York who longs for something better than she currently has. She finds herself in various situations, ranging from the aggravating to the bizarre, and has to deal with her family, too, led by her dad (BD Wong) and grandma (Lori Tan Chinn). The show demonstrates Awkwafina’s unique comedy stylings and showcases what a wonderful physical comedy actress she is. The way she holds herself and uses her body to add to the comedy of the situations she finds herself in is masterful, while her trademark deadpan wit is a treat to watch. And critics agree, the show is worth watching entirely for Awkwafina’s performance.

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Tania Hussain (Collider) explained: “This all is due to the star power of Awkwafina who continues to demonstrate how compelling a performer she really is, especially through zestful expressions and physical comedy. Getting into the most bizarre and weirdest situations that are batsh*t crazy, like a ‘Hunger Games’-styled reality show where Nora eats a bird for survival, Awkwafina gives us her all, and it’s this which makes the show so worth watching.” She continued: “Awkwafina creates an incredible balance through a very nuanced performance in Season 3 of a lovable weirdo mixed with a relatable anti-hero, even if she has never read a book or can recall one she claims to have finished.”

In a season one review, Katie Rife (The AV Club) observed: “Awkwafina’s greatest strength as an actor is in physical comedy. Her funniest moments in ‘Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens’ see her using her whole body to create a heightened sense of comedic reality that evokes the great silent-movie masters. Even when the show’s comedy relies more on its scripts… Awkwafina’s highly expressive face is still the star of every scene.”

And in another season one review, Daniel D’Addario (Variety) wrote: “‘Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens’ rises or falls on its star’s charisma. Thankfully, she has plenty to spare…. She’s genuinely good on this show — harnessing her power of seeming benignly but powerfully infuriated by little indignities such that we inevitably sympathize with her against whatever new adversary.”

At the moment, however, Awkwafina is outside of our predicted six nominees for Best Comedy Actress: Elle Fanning (“The Great”), Natasha Lyonne (“Poker Face”), Jenna Ortega (“Wednesday”), Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”), Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), and Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”). But there are a few reasons you shouldn’t rule out just yet. Firstly, she has a decent awards history that proves awards bodies do like her as a performer.

She was a BAFTA nominee for the EE Rising Star Award in 2020 (she lost to Michael Ward), while she also won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical Actress for her role in the critically-acclaimed film “The Farewell.” That movie also garnered her a Critics Choice Award bid (losing to Renée Zellweger). She was also nominated for the SAG award for Best Ensemble in 2019 for “Crazy Rich Asians” (losing to “Black Panther”). However, she has never been nominated for an Emmy.

This seems semi-curious for such a popular star — she’s had strong supporting roles in a number of major movies, including “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Jumanji: The Next Level,” and “Oceans’ 8.” These movie roles help her out — Emmy voters like nominating A-list movie stars. Lily James (“Pam & Tommy”) and Amanda Seyfried (winner, “The Dropout”) were both nominated last year for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress while Elizabeth Olsen was nominated the year before (for “WandaVision”) in the same category. Awkwafina would be just the latest movie star to earn an Emmys bid.

But if there is one thing voters like more than movie stars, it’s stars who turn their hands to multiple crafts. Actress/writer/producer/rapper, Awkwafina is well and truly a multi-hyphenate. She created, produced, and stars in “Nora From Queens,” which voters love. Donald Glover was nominated three times for Best Comedy Actor for “Atlanta,” winning in 2017. He also created, directed, and wrote that show. Similarly, Bill Hader was nominated three times for “Barry,” which he also created, directed, and wrote. He won in 2018 and 2019. Phoebe Waller-Bridge won Best Comedy Actress in 2019 for “Fleabag,” a show she created and wrote (she also won Best Comedy Series and Best Comedy Writing). And Brunson was nominated last year for Best Comedy Actress for “Abbott Elementary,” which she also created and wrote (she also won Best Comedy Writing). Awkwafina would fit alongside these creatives, particularly as Emmy voters love shows that feature their stars/creators cashing in on their personas and charisma, like “Fleabag” and Waller-Bridge, “Atlanta” and Glover, or “Ramy” and Ramy Youssef. “Nora From Queens” and Awkwafina do exactly just that.

But there’s another reason why Awkwafina could be nominated this year — her career trajectory just feels like a nomination is around the corner. Awkwafina started out as a viral comedy-rapper (check out her parody rap “My Vag”) and then, in the last few years, has skyrocketed into one of the most recognizable and idiosyncratic comedians. She’s popped up in major motion pictures, including the recent remake of “The Little Mermaid,” and came close to an Oscar bid for “The Farewell.” With the rate her career is increasing, it feels like the next logical step (a la Waller-Bridge) would be an Emmys nomination. It would just… make sense. But, we’ll find out if that bid will come this year or not. We shall see.

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