Mean Girls Actress Avantika Vandanapu Addresses Trolling Over American Accent

Avantika Vandanapu recently saw through the release of her series Big Girls Don't Cry. The show, currently streaming on Amazon Prime, sees the actress step into the shoes of her character Leah Joseph. Avantika recently addressed the case of her very American accent, something that appears to have sparked the curiosity of the Telugu speaking audience.

Avantika Vandanapu clarifies her background

In a recent interview with iDream Media, Avantika Vandanapu addressed a recent bout of trolling that appears to have caught her attention. A certain section of the Telugu-speaking audience have found the actress' American accent, unfitting of her Indian descent. Avantika however, was quick to clarify that a by-product of growing up in the United States, is the American accent, one she will not shirk. 

She said, "I was born and raised in the US, it’s natural for me to have an American accent. A lot of immigrant kids code-switch, as in, we speak in an English accent at school and an Indian accent at home. But, I think the Telugu audience is unfamiliar with it. I was trolled for how I speak in English, but I can’t speak Telugu everywhere, right?"

Trolling does not scorch her skin, says Avantika Vandanapu

The same interview also saw Avantika double down on her stance. She pointed out how when a girl with Telugu roots is gaining recognition on a global stage, the audience back home's first instinct must be to show support instead of dropping mean comments. 

She added, "When a Telugu girl gains success in Hollywood, she should be supported. It’s unfair I was trolled for my accent. I would be proud and want to uplift, instead of troll. I thought people would be proud of me. I will keep doing what I will because my family is proud of me and their opinions are the only ones that matter."