When Ayo Edebiri was cut out of a controversial question, her co-stars Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield put on a united front during an interview.
The three stars were promoting their upcoming psychological thriller After the Hunt at the Venice Film Festival when the tense moment took place.
After the moment went viral, the interviewer received a wave of hate and was forced to release a statement.
Image credits: AmazonMGMStudios
Image credits: AmazonMGMStudios
The Hollywood stars sat down for an interview with Italian journalist Federica Polidoro to promote the Luca Guadagnino-directed film.
One of the questions asked was about what viewers can “expect in Hollywood” now that the “MeToo movement and the Black Lives Matter” were “done.”
The question left Julia, Andrew, and Ayo looking visibly perplexed.
“Can you repeat that?” Julia asked before saying the interview’s glasses made it hard to tell who she was addressing.
“…I can’t tell which of us you’re talking to,” the Notting Hill actress added.
Julia asked interviewer Federica Polidoro to repeat the question that left all three of them perplexed
Image credits: X / writtenbyayo
Image credits: X / writtenbyayo
Federica clarified that she was asking the question to Andrew and Julia, leaving Ayo even more baffled.
The ArtsLife TV reporter repeated the question about the conversation-shifting movements being “done” and what was “lost [in Hollywood] during the politically correct era.”
“It’s not done,” Julia began saying before Ayo interjected: “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 just am curious.”
“I don’t think it’s done, I don’t think it’s done at all. 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,” Ayo said.
“That’s not finished, that’s really, really active for a reason because this world’s really charged. And that work isn’t finished at all,” she continued.
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The actress clarified that even though the movements might not be making headlines everyday, there is still work being done towards tangible change.
“Maybe if there’s not mainstream coverage in the way that there might have been, daily headlines in the way that it might have been eight or so years ago, but I don’t think it means that the work is done. That’s what I would say,” she added.
Ayo interrupted and asserted that the transformative Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements were not “done”
Image credits: X / writtenbyayo
The awkward moment led to swift backlash online, with a social media user saying, “I’m happy that Ayo had the support of her co-stars. They all handled it well.”
“Their collective shock made me happy though because you could tell they’re all authentic and support her for real,” said another.
“lol julia gave the interviewer a second chance to do it over,” one wrote.
“I love that disgusted, united front,” said another.
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The backlash forced Federica to put out a statement about being “subjected to personal insults and attacks.”
“I find it striking that those who unjustly accuse me of racism and consider themselves custodians of justice find acceptable violent language, personal attacks, and cyberbullying,” she wrote online.
“I would like to clarify that, rather than focusing on the thoughtful responses of Ayo Edebiri, Julia Roberts, and Andrew Garfield, the discussion continues solely on how I should have phrased the question,” the reporter went on to say.
“Andrew looked disgusted as well,” one commented online
Image credits: Getty / Stefania D’Alessandro
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Federica had a strong-worded message to those “unjustly” accusing her of racism.
“To those who unjustly accuse me of racism, I would like to clarify that in my work I have interviewed people of every background and ethnicity, and my own family is multi-ethnic, matriarchal, and feminist, with a significant history of immigration,” she said.
The interviewer was forced to release a statement about people “unjustly” accusing her of racism
Image credits: Getty / Stephane Cardinale – Corbis
She also said she had collaborated for over two decades with a number of national and international publications of “all political orientations.”
“In my view, the real racists are those who see racism everywhere and seek to muzzle journalism, limiting freedom of analysis, critical thinking, and the plurality of perspectives,” she said.
“Their non-verbal reactions to this are just perfection,” one netizen said
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