Ayo Edebiri has gone viral on social media after an awkward moment saw her excluded from a question during an interview with Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts — prompting a response from the interviewer herself.
ICYMI, Edebiri stars opposite Roberts and Garfield in After the Hunt, an upcoming (and already controversial) film directed by Luca Guadagnino and recently premiering at Venice Film Festival.
The movie — which follows Roberts as an academic professor coming to terms with the sexual assault allegations levelled at a friend and colleague (Garfield) — has already caused a stir, with some critics questioning its handling of #MeToo themes.
Addressing the commentary in a post-Venice press junket, one interviewer asked what Hollywood had “lost during the politically correct era” while claiming that movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter are supposedly “done”.
But the interviewer, Italian journalist Federica Polidoro, only directed the question to Garfield and Roberts, and the apparent deliberate sideline prompted a response from Edebiri that has since been praised by scores of social media users.
“I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful it’s not for me, but I just am curious,” The Bear star said, while appearing shocked after being excluded from the question.
“I don’t think [#MeToo and Black Lives Matter] is done, I don’t think it’s done at all. Maybe hashtags might not be used as much, but I do think that there’s work being done by activists, by people, every day, that’s beautiful, important work that’s not finished,” she added.
Edebiri went on to say that while there might not be “mainstream coverage in the way that there might have been eight or so years ago”, the work of activists has been ongoing.
“I don’t think it means that the work is done … That work isn’t finished at all,” she said.
For his part, Garfield agreed with his co-star, saying “the movements are still absolutely alive”.
Ayo Edebiri received an outpouring of support as the video made the rounds on social media, with one X user saying she handled the moment “with poise and grace” and another describing her as a “superstar class act”.
Polidoro addressed the backlash with a statement shared on Instagram on Sunday, saying she had been subject to “personal insults and attacks” for a “question that, for some reason, was not well received by some members of the public”.
In the wake of the interview, Polidoro also said she was “unjustly accuse[d]” of racism by social media users, adding that she has “interviewed people of every background and ethnicity” throughout her career.
“Journalism’s role is to ask questions, even on delicate topics, with respect and responsibility. I will not tolerate or accept defamatory or violent language, and I reserve the right to seek legal protection against those who, in recent days, have chosen to hide behind the digital mob to insult and attack me instead of seeking a civil and constructive discussion,” Polidoro concluded.
Ayo Edebiri has yet to address the controversy over the interview, but Roberts did respond to critics of After the Hunt following its Venice screening.
“I don’t know about controversy, per se, but we are challenging people to have conversations,” Roberts said. “To be excited or infuriated about it is up to you.”
After the Hunt was one of the buzzier films to screen during Venice Film Festival, which wrapped up over the weekend and included minutes-long standing ovations for the Jacob Elordi-led Frankenstein and Jay Kelly starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler.
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