Emmy-winning actress shut down claims that #MeToo and Black Lives Matter are “done,” reminding fans that the fight for justice is ongoing.
Ayo Edebiri is earning major praise online after gracefully stepping in during a tense interview moment at the Venice Film Festival.
The Emmy-winning star of The Bear was promoting her new movie After the Hunt alongside Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield when an ArtsLife TV interviewer asked Roberts and Garfield—pointedly excluding Edebiri—about whether the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements were “done.”
Roberts immediately looked confused, asking the reporter to repeat the question, while Garfield appeared caught off guard. The interviewer doubled down, saying her question was directed only at Roberts and Garfield.
That’s when Edebiri spoke up. “I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful if it’s not for me… [but] I don’t think it’s done,” she said firmly. She explained that while the hashtags may not be as visible, activists continue to do important work every day: “That’s not finished. That’s really, really active for a reason because this world’s really charged.”
Garfield backed her up, noting both movements are “absolutely alive,” while Edebiri added that the lack of daily headlines doesn’t mean the work is over.
Fans on social media quickly applauded Edebiri for her thoughtful response and for not letting the moment slide, calling her comments “powerful” and “necessary.”
The exchange came during press for Luca Guadagnino’s new drama After the Hunt, which directly explores #MeToo themes. Roberts stars as a college professor forced to confront her past after her student, played by Edebiri, accuses a colleague (Garfield) of sexual assault.
Following its buzzy but divisive Venice premiere, the film is set to open the New York Film Festival later this month before hitting theaters on October 10 via Amazon MGM.
