This month, I chose to watch The Bear with my roommates and I was so amazed by Ayo Edebiri’s performance as Sydney. Sydney’s character is really as human as they come.
She is working herself to the bone while trying to achieve her dream and trying to balance all of her personal life and emotions at the same time when they are all so messily intertwined.
Her character Sydney is a young upstart chef who is returning to her roots in Chicago at a restaurant that her father used to take her to as a child. The complexities of her character really shine through and make her such a unique and dynamic character.
The way that Ayo is able to make Sydney’s relationships with all the other people who work at The Beef (which is pretty much the only place she ever is) move through ups and downs believably is a feat in and of itself.
This awards season, Ayo did exceptionally well given that this is one of her first breakthrough roles, particularly in television. She won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy.
Not only did she and the rest of The Bear cast sweep so far this award season, but Ayo did it as a 28-year-old young Black actress.
Ayo is also one with the camera’s that aren’t necessarily filming for a TV series. Ayo’s personality and being a celebrity work together in the most hilarious ways.
Ayo was a guest on Abbott Elementary with another highly decorated Black comedy actress Quinta Brunson. In an interview at one of the award shows, Ayo is standing with Quinta and the interviewer asks them about Jeremy Allen White’s Calvin Klein ad. While I did think this was an odd choice of a question, Ayo handled it with what I can only describe as comedic grace by saying “OHHHH, well he’s my boy but I want people to understand… he’s my coworker?”. Truly one of the most hilarious red carpet reactions I have ever seen.
I will recommend The Bear simply for Ayo’s performance and I hope that if you have not had a chance to watch it yet, you clear some binging time to understand why she is flourishing right now for all the right reasons.