After finding breakout success as Sydney Adamu onThe Bear,Ayo Edebiri’s best movies and shows have displayed an incredible run of success that has cemented her as one of the most exciting new Hollywood talents. Edebiri seemingly came out of nowhere, parlaying her work as a writer on several shows into on-camera work that led to acclaim and recognition. She has received several awards in recent years, including Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe wins. Even with the fast success, Edebiri’s career is clearly just ramping up with plenty more exciting projects to come.
Among Edebiri’s upcoming works, she will star in James L. Brooks' return to movies inElla McCay, and she will appear opposite Julia Roberts in Luca Guadagnino’s new thrillerAfter the Hunt. However, while fans are waiting to see what is next in this astonishing career, Edebiri has already delivered a lot of great projects that range from hugely animated hits to underrated comedies to the show that helped to put her on the map.
Mulliganis a Netflix original animated series that follows society after an alien attack destroys most of Earth’s cities. The remaining survivors must work together to rebuild while not repeating past mistakes. Sam Means and Robert Carlock (The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) created the series with a voice cast that includes Tina Fey, Dana Carvey, Phil LaMarr, Daniel Radcliffe, Nat Faxon, Weird Al Yankovic, Andy Samberg, and more.Ayo Edebiri is a recurring cast member named Jayson Moody (aka General Scarpaccio).
Jayson is an aimless teenage boy who wears a Marine general’s uniform (that he looted from the dead general’s corpse) and now heads the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He basically has the job because he likes shooting guns, and Matty (Nat Faxon) is convinced he is a war hero, which Matty believes because he is not the brightest. Edebiri voices a great character, but this isn’t one of her best roles, and she’s lost amongst her more veteran voice cast members.
Dickinsonis a comedy-drama that premiered in 2019 and is about American poet Emily Dickinson and her relationships with family, friends, and society in the 1800s. Airing on Apple TV+, the series stars Hailee Steinfeld (Hawkeye) as Dickinson and focuses heavily on gender roles, sexual identity, and artistic impression, with Dickinson fighting against all odds to get her writing out to the world. The show lasted for three seasons and 30 episodes, and Ayo Edebiri was only in the series for its second season, appearing in six episodes.
Edebiri starred in the series in a recurring role as Hattie, a Dickinson family maid and a spiritual medium. A fictional character created for the series, Hattie is another writer, but one who writes ghost stories for the paper while making extra money by putting on fake seances for rich white people. She also hints at a romance with Emily and remains an important part of the series' second season.
Opusis a 2025 release by A24. It is a thriller movie that stars John Malkovich as pop star turned cult leader Alfred Moretti. The film sees Alfred sit down with a young journalist named Ariel Ecton (Ayo Edebiri) andexplain why he chose her as his “vessel.“This movie wants to explore the relationship between entertainment journalists, especially young ones trying to get their foot in the door, and the celebrities they are sent to cover, and how the celebrities can warp the journalists throughout the process.
Reviews do praise Edebiri’s performance as the young journalist
The reception forOpushas been mostly mixed thus far, with many early reviews calling it a disappointing film that has big ideas but isn’t taking a significant enough step at tackling them head-on. However, the reviews do praise Edebiri’s performance as the young journalist trying to make her way while everyone else seems more fame-obsessed. In our own review,Screen Rantcritic Graeme Guttmann wrote, “Opus is a solid if familiar blend of horror and comedy supported by a spectacular turn from Ayo Edebiri that proves she should be in every movie ever made.”
The Sweet Eastis a satirical road movie about a teenager from South Carolina named Lillian (Talia Ryder), who takes an adventurous trip along the East Coast of the United States after surviving an attack by an armed man who believes he is rescuing people from a pedophilia ring.The entire movie then takes a very surreal look at American cultureas she crosses different people, including Nazi sympathizers, paparazzi, filmmakers, and more. Ayo Edebiri stars as Molly, the filmmaker who wants to cast Lillian in her movie.
The Sweet Eastreceived mostly positive reviews upon its release, with an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics called the film a “consistently amusing satire of modern American life” that often loses its focus but always remains entertaining. Edebiri’s role as Molly is a smaller one, but she received praise for her performance, along with the rest of the crew, as everything seemed off-kilter in the film, and that fit her skill set perfectly.
Released in 2024,Omni Loopis a science fiction drama film starring Mary-Louise Parker as Zoya Lowe, a quantum physics textbook author with only one week to live, thanks to a black hole growing in her chest. To survive,she takes a time travel pull that lets her go back five days in time. She had been taking these pills since childhood to improve her life, but had stopped until now, feeling she wanted more time to live. She then starts examining the pills to see if she can do more with them.
Ayo Edebiri stars as Paula, a young woman Zoya begins working with. This is fully Parker’s story, as Zoya has a lot to learn about life and living before she makes her ultimate decision on how she wants to end her life. Edebiri is a nice counterweight to that story, as a young woman with a full life ahead of her who receives the blessing to continue Zoya’s research. The film received mostly positive reviews, with an 83% fresh rating, with critics praising Parker and Adebiri’s “terrific chemistry.”
Clone High
Cast
Initially created for MTV, Clone High is an animated sci-fi comedy series that follows a group of clones of prominent leaders throughout history as teenagers attending a fictional high school. The show mostly centers on characters such as Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, and Cleopatra as they live their not-so-average high-school lives. Initially aired in 2002 for one season, the original creators for HBO Max revived the series in 2023.
Ayo Edebiri has starred in a number of animated projects in her career thus far, and one of her most popular was in the cult favoriteClone High. The show was an earlyproject by the inventive Phil Lord and Chris Miller, showcasing their clever storytelling and irreverent humor early on. The series is set in a high school that is populated by clones of famous historical figures, including Abraham Lincoln, Cleopatra, and Gandhi.
Following the show’s cancelation in 2003,Clone High’s cult popularity led to a revival two decades later in 2023 with the anticipated second season.Edebiri joined the cast as one of the new generation of clones, voicing the preppy student Harriet Tubman. While the revivedClone Highstill didn’t find the mainstream success it was hoping for, it remains a funny and inventive reimagining of some of the most famous names in history, while Edebiri fits perfectly into the excellent voice cast that also includes Will Forte and Nicole Sullivan.
Black Mirror
Black Mirror is a dystopian anthology series that explores the unsettling and profound impact of modern technology on society. Premiering in 2011, it examines various scenarios where technological advancements intersect with human nature, creating thought-provoking narratives about contemporary and future issues.
The anthology seriesBlack Mirrorhas managed to attract some big-name talents with its gripping stories about the dark side of technology. Ayo Edebiri was one of many famous faces who popped up in the season 6 episode “Joan is Awful”, which is the most star-studded episode of the series. It stars Annie Murphy as Joan, a woman struggling with various obstacles in work and her professional life, only to find a new series on a streaming platform that features Salma Hayek playing Joan herself in the story of her life.
Along with cameos from the likes of Cate Blanchett, Ben Barnes, and Michael Cera,Edebiri appears in “Joan is Awful” as Sandy, one of Joan’s employees whom she reluctantly fires. Though it is a small role in the larger mayhem of the episode, Edebiri stands out with her grounded and powerful performance. “Joan is Awful” received a mixed response, though some claimed it is one of thebestBlack Mirrorepisodesof all time.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Miles Morales returns in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. With his identity still safe but “grounded” by his parents, Miles Morales is visited by his friend from another dimension, Gwen Stacy. Inviting him on a new adventure, Miles jumps at the opportunity but is seemingly accosted by an unknown assailant on his journey. Miles and Gwen will unite with new and old Spider-Heroes to face a villain of immeasurable power.
Ayo Edebiri reteamed with Phil Lord and Chris Miller for another animated project with the hugely successfulSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The sequel picks up with Miles Morales' adventures as Spider-Man in his own universe, having been exposed to the wide-ranging possibilities of the multiverse. However, when he reunites with Gwen Stacy and is introduced to more secrets of his story as Spider-Man, he finds himself becoming an enemy to every other Spider-Man out there.
The movie was praised as another inventive animation masterpiece with directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and their team crafting a wild, vibrant, and wholly original-looking adventure. It is also a beautiful celebration of Spider-Man that any fan of the iconic character will surely appreciate. Edebiri has a small role in the large cast that includes plenty of cameos. However, withEdebiri voicing the role of Marvel character Glory Grant, she could appear inthe upcomingBeyond the Spider-Verse.
Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary comedy series centered around a group of dedicated teachers at a struggling public school in Philadelphia. The show highlights their efforts to overcome bureaucratic challenges and underfunding, while showcasing their commitment to making a positive impact on their students' lives.
While Ayo Edebiri’s seriesThe Bearis a huge awards favorite, that is not the only show she has been a part of that is winning plenty of awards. Edebiri has a recurring role on the acclaimed sitcomAbbott Elementary, appearing in two episodes so far in the series.Abbott Elementaryis a workplace comedy that follows the dedicated and struggling staff of educators at a Philadelphia public school where they must use the limited tools they have to prepare the children for success.
The show mirrors other workplace sitcoms likeThe OfficeandParks and Recreationin balancing comedy with touching storylines and a cast of colorful characters to create a winning combination.Edebiri was nominated for a NAACP Image Award for her guest star role as Ayesha, the sister of Janine Teagues (Quinta Brunson).
Big Mouth
Big Mouth is an animated comedy series created by Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg. Debuting in 2017, it explores the lives of teenage friends experiencing the challenges of puberty. The series humorously addresses the complexities of adolescence, focusing on the trials and transformations encountered during this formative stage.
Outside of acting, Ayo Edebiri also has a career as a writer on shows likeWhat We Do in the ShadowsandDickinson. In a number of these cases, her writing has also led to her acting on the show, with her most substantial role coming from her time onBig Mouth. The adult animated series is a hilarious, absurd, and graphic look at the struggles young people face when going through puberty. This is exemplified in wild fantasy sequences as well as the inclusion of creatures such as the Hormone Monsters and Shame Wizard.
While Jenny Slate voiced the character Missy Foreman-Greenwald for the first three seasons of the show, she stepped down after deciding a Black actor should voice the part.Edebiri took over as the quirky, smart, and charming Missy, fitting right in with the cast that also includes John Mulaney, Nick Kroll, Maya Rudolph, and Jordan Peele.
