AMERICAN actress and comedian Awkwafina has quit Twitter after addressing criticism over her use of a “blaccent” in the film “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018) and other acting roles. The “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” star, who was born Nora Lum, posted a series of statements last Saturday on the social media platform after a long absence — her last Twitter post prior to that was from Dec. 7, 2019. She explained that her own immigrant background had led her to create an American identity “off the movies and TV shows I watched, the children I went to public school with, and my undying love and respect for hip hop.” Her paternal great-grandfather was a Chinese immigrant, while her Korean mother arrived in the United States in 1972. Awkwafina, 33, concluded: “To mock, belittle, or be unkind in any way possible at the expense of others is: Simply. Not. My. Nature. It never has (been), and it never was.” As noted by entertainment outlet The Hollywood Reporter, Awkwafina has long been questioned — particularly on Twitter — over her use of a “blaccent,” and for appropriating African-American culture in her comedy and acting. The actress — who was the first Asian-American to win in a lead actress film category at the Golden Globes for her role in drama film “The Farewell” (2019) — subsequently returned to Twitter on Feb. 6 to declare her departure from the platform. “I am retiring from the ingrown toenail that is Twitter. Not retiring from anything else, even if I wanted to,” she said. (SD-Agencies) | 