Awkwafina becomes first Asian descent woman to win a Golden Globe

History was created at the Actress at the 77th Golden Globe Awards, as Awkwafina become the first woman of Asian descent to win a Golden Globe for lead actress in a comedy film.

She won the honour for her role in The Farewell,” which features as predominantly Asian cast. The film tells the story of a young woman named Billi (Awkwafina) whose family decides to keep news of a terminal diagnosis from the family’s elder matriarch, Billi’s grandmother Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao).

“This is great, thank you, if I fall upon hard times I can sell this, so that’s good,” the actress joked as she got on the stage to accept the honour on Sunday night.

While thanking the director Lulu Wang, she said, “You gave me this chance, the chance of a lifetime, and you’ve taught me so much, adding: “Just filming this story, being with you, is incredible.”

Awkwafina dedicated her award to her father, her grandmother and her late mother.

She is only the sixth woman of Asian descent to be nominated in the lead actress in a musical or comedy category.

Last year, Sandra Oh became the first Asian woman since 1980 to win the best actress in a TV drama for “Killing Eve”.