Awkwafina Heads to Comedy Central on the Heels of Crazy Rich Asians Breakout
Comedy Central Orders 10 Episodes of Awkwafina Starring Awkwafina, BD Wong and Lori Tan Chinn.
In what is undoubtably the no-brainer of the year, Comedy Central greenlit a 10 episode series from 2018’s breakout comedy star- Awkwafina.
The self titled series, Awkwafina is a scripted narrative starring the writer, actor, rapper and ascending movie star who just appeared in Ocean’s 8 and Crazy Rich Asians. She plays a twenty-something living in Queens, striving for a larger than life existence while living with her father and grandmother. “I’ve been watching Comedy Central since I was old enough to hold a remote, and so many of their shows have defined who I am today,” said Awkwafina. “I am so honored to be given their platform to tell the story of an Asian American girl against the backdrop of the city I was raised.”
Brooklyn comedian Bowen Yang co-stars as her more successful cousin. We know Bowen as one half of the smash hit podcast Las Culturistas, one of SNL’s newest writers, and co-author of an edition of “The 5” right here on The Interrobang.
Also on board are comedy veteran BD Wong playing Awkwafina’s father, and Lori Tan Chinn as her grandmother.
Awkwafina is executive produced by Awkwafina, Dornetto, Aniello, Karey Dornetto, Peter Principato and Itay Reiss of Artists First, and co-executive produced by Hsiao. Monika Zielinska, Adam Londy and Rachel Olson are Executives in Charge of the show for Comedy Central. Awkwafina, Karey Dornetto (SMILF, Portlandia) and Teresa Hsiao (Family Guy, American Dad) wrote the pilot directed by Lucia Aniello (Broad City, Rough Night).
Looking ahead, Comedy Central has a stacked year to offer fans with a programming slate that will feature new and returning series including: the premieres of scripted half-hour series Robbie, The Other Two and South Side; sketch-comedy series Alternatino with Arturo Castro; stand-up series This Week at the Comedy Cellar and The New Negroes; new series from Jordan Klepper and Anthony Jeselnik; along with the final season of Broad City, the return of the critically acclaimed Corporate, and new seasons of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Tosh.0, Drunk History, The Jim Jefferies Show and much, much more.
