Words by Shayni Solanki
American, ‘Irish’, phenomenal – Ayo Edebiri has remained firmly in the spotlight since first co-starring alongside Jeremy Allen White in The Bear.
Collecting awards left, right, and centre, Ayo Edebiri is taking Hollywood by storm. Already included amongst her accolades are coveted Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Awards, both for her role as Sydney on hit series The Bear.
Just picking up her SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series this past Sunday, the 28-year-old Boston-native broke into the industry whilst studying playwriting at New York University. Naturally creative, she interned for the comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade, landing on the path that would soon lead her to success.
Edebiri’s professional career started in stand-up comedy, performing both locally and on bigger platforms like Comedy Central. She’d been working behind the scenes or on lowkey projects until her big break in The Bear, even writing and voicing a character on the animated show Big Mouth.
Her resumé also boasts roles in some of 2023’s biggest animated films: April O’Neil in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Glory Grant in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, showing her vocal versatility and the extent of her acting abilities.
But, of course, it’s no secret that her big break was The Bear, the tense hit show with stunning cinematography and intense family drama. Edebiri manages to portray her character Sydney with the perfect amount of creativity, smarts, and drive, making for a delicious characterisation that made Edebiri deserving of every accolade she’s earned so far.
Remember she was studying playwriting? Well, she’s put her writing skills to work, working behind the scenes on Hulu’s What We Do in the Shadows. For her work, she’s earned a Writers Guild of America Award nomination. With such raw and concentrated talent, and opportunities aplenty, there’s truly no stopping Ayo Edebiri.