Reporter Defends Viral Ayo Edebiri Interview with Julia Roberts & Andrew Garfield
Federica Polidoro responds after backlash over excluding Ayo Edebiri from #MeToo and BLM question at Venice Film Festival.
Venice, September 9 EST: It was supposed to be another glossy stop on the festival circuit Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri promoting their new drama After the Hunt at the Venice Film Festival. Instead, one reporter’s badly framed question turned the press junket into a viral moment and the internet hasn’t stopped talking since.
The Interview That Went Sideways
Italian journalist Federica Polidoro asked Roberts and Garfield whether #MeToo and Black Lives Matter were “done.” The kicker? She pointedly left Edebiri, the only Black actor on stage, out of the conversation altogether.
The move left Roberts visibly unsettled she even asked Polidoro to take off her sunglasses so she could see who she was speaking to while Garfield sat in an awkward silence. And then, in the kind of moment that shows why she’s become such a cultural favorite, Edebiri stepped in.
“I know that that’s not for me,” she began, before coolly reminding everyone, “but I don’t think it’s done. That work isn’t finished at all.”
Fans Had Thoughts Lots of Them
The clip shot around TikTok, X, and Instagram in hours, with users dubbing the exchange “appalling” and “so 2025 cringe.” It became the latest example of what happens when questions about race and gender are directed anywhere but toward the people most affected.
“Imagine excluding Ayo Edebiri from a conversation about BLM. Literally insane behavior,” one fan posted, racking up thousands of likes. Another called the moment “a case study in why press junkets need a rethink.”
Polidoro’s Non-Apology
As the backlash grew, Polidoro jumped on Instagram to defend herself. She insisted the question wasn’t racially motivated, pointed to her “multi-ethnic background,” and labeled the criticism “cyberbullying.” She also refused to apologize and suggested she might pursue legal action against online attacks.
If she thought that would cool things down, it didn’t. The reaction to her statement was even frostier than the original exchange, with commenters accusing her of ducking responsibility.
Why Ayo Edebiri Keeps Winning
For Edebiri, though, the moment only solidified her reputation as one of Hollywood’s sharpest, most unflappable voices. Coming off Emmy buzz for The Bear and a breakout year in film, her poised response landed exactly the way fans expect from her thoughtful, funny without being flippant, and dead-on in its clarity.
As Page Six put it, she turned a messy question into a mic-drop reminder that activism isn’t a trend it’s ongoing work.
The Bigger Picture
Beyond the festival drama, the exchange has sparked bigger conversations about how media engages with social issues in celebrity settings. At a time when movements like #MeToo and BLM are still shaping Hollywood, asking if they’re “done” while sidelining the one Black voice in the room felt like a cultural misfire that couldn’t be ignored.
Venice has seen its share of controversies over the years, but this one hits differently because it plays out in real time on social feeds. What might have once been an awkward festival anecdote has become a case study in 21st-century press accountability.
What Sticks
For now, Polidoro seems dug in, Roberts and Garfield have kept quiet, and the internet has firmly taken Edebiri’s side.
The irony? The question meant to spark a conversation about whether those movements are over ended up proving exactly why they’re not.
New Jersey Times Is Your Source: The Latest In Politics, Entertainment, Business, Breaking News, And Other News. Please Follow Us On Facebook, Instagram, And Twitter To Receive Instantaneous Updates. Also Do Checkout Our Telegram Channel @Njtdotcom For Latest Updates.
A bi-coastal pop culture critic and former indie screenwriter, Gia covers Hollywood, streaming wars, and subculture shifts with razor wit and Gen Z intuition. If it’s going viral, she already knew about it.
