“I was a weird Black girl. I still am. But growing up, if you get told your interests are weird or not Black enough, you internalize that. I had to learn how to own those sides of myself to whoever was questioning it.”

American actress, comedian, television writer, and director

Ayo Edebiri is an American actress, comedian, television writer, and director. She is best known for playing chef Sydney Adamu on the drama series The Bear, which began in 2022 and ran through 2026. For that role, she won a Golden Globe Award, two Actor Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. She also received directing and writing nominations for episodes of the series, including “Napkins” and “Worms.”