A 2016 interview with New York City official Zohran Mamdani has resurfaced, drawing criticism from conservatives who allege he used a "fake" Ugandan accent while promoting his mother's Disney film, "Queen of Katwe."
Mamdani, who was promoting the film at the time, spoke with South Africa's Kaya 959 radio station about Ugandan culture. He stated he was "from Uganda" but also mentioned growing up in New York City.
"The difference for me is I’m from Uganda, but I also grew up in New York. In New York, you go out, some guys are very hesitant to dance," Mamdani said in the clip. "You know, if they’re not grinding, they’re just standing. In Kampala, you will just not find that. People are all dancing. Everybody’s dancing, men, women and it’s fantastic that way."
The clip, which has circulated previously, gained renewed attention on social media, prompting accusations of cultural appropriation and insincerity.
Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Mamdani was "running another fake accent and appropriating African culture." Benny Johnson, host of The Benny Show, wrote that the accent was "obviously fake" and questioned "How many Democrats have been caught using fake accents at this point?"
Conservative commentators Tara Bull and the Daily Wire also shared the clip, with Bull suggesting Mamdani "studied at Obama University" and the Daily Wire stating, "Nobody does a fake accent better than a Democrat politician."
Sammy Antar, former CFO of Crazy Eddie, questioned Mamdani's stance on accents and privilege, referencing Mamdani's time at Bowdoin College. Conservative Brief, a right-wing news website, posted that the incident showed "What is with the Democrats and their fake accents?!" Kevin Smith, host of Loud Majority Live, criticized Mamdani's perceived stance on "big corporations" when they were "signing his checks."
Mamdani holds dual US and Ugandan citizenship. He was born in Uganda, spent his formative years in South Africa, and moved to New York City at age seven. "Queen of Katwe," directed by his mother Mira Nair, is based on the true story of Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi. Mamdani is credited as the music supervisor and third assistant director on the film and had a cameo appearance.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani's office for comment.