After being disregarded during a question about the Black Lives Matter movement, Ayo Edebiri handled the exclusion most graciously— and answered the question anyway.
During a press conference at the Venice Film Festival, Edebiri was accompanied by her co-stars Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield to promote their new movie, After The Hunt.
The film apparently draws comparisons to the #MeToo movement, and reporter Federica Polidoro took it upon herself to ask only Roberts and Garfield about the aftermath of the movements mentioned above, as it relates to Hollywood.
“What [have] we lost in the politically correct era? What [do] we have to expect in Hollywood after the Me Too movement and Black Lives Matter are done?” Polidoro asked before clarifying that she only wanted Roberts and Andrews to respond.
Edeberi, appearing shocked and confused, interjected in the most professional way.
“Yeah, I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful if it’s not me, but I just am curious. I don’t think it’s done, I don’t think it’s done at all,” she replied.
She continued, “I think maybe 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 that’s not finished, that’s really, really, really active – for a reason, because this world is really charged. And that work isn’t finished at all. Maybe [because] there’s not mainstream coverage in the way that it might’ve been […] But I don’t think it means that the work is done.”
Due to the backlash, Polidoro responded to the controversy with a lengthy “#officialstatement” on Instagram.
“Following an interview, I have been subjected to personal insults and attacks because of a question that, for some reason, was not well received by some members of the public. 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.
Later, noting, “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. All the contributions from those present were reported in full in the published interview, without any omissions.”
Polidoro claimed to not been “aware of any protocol that dictates the order in which questions must be asked in an interview” and added, “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. I have collaborated for over twenty years with numerous national and international publications of all political orientations, always approaching my work with openness and professional rigor. 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, however, didn’t explain why she denied posing the question to all three panelists instead of just Roberts and Garfield.