Ayo Edebiri misses stand-up comedy

Ayo Edebiri misses performing stand-up comedy.

The 29-year-old began her career as a stand-up comedian and writer before finding fame as an actress thanks to her role as chef Sydney in The Bear.

During a video interview for W Magazine, Edebiri admitted she misses doing stand-up and performing in front of a live crowd.

“I do miss doing stand-up. I love stand-up. I think that’s like my first love,” she shared. “I miss being dumb sometimes. And I love live performance. I love film and I love TV but there’s something about being in a space with people and getting to play with energy. No night is the same, no set is the same. You can tell the same joke and it’ll be completely different an hour apart, just based on who’s in the room.”

However, the Bottoms star admitted being a stand-up comedian doesn’t gel well with being an actor because she wants to be known for her characters rather than her opinions.

“When you’re like a woman who thinks or has opinions, it’s a very specific thing and I think it does not behove actresses, for better or worse,” she explained. “It takes people out of seeing you as anybody when they know your thoughts and I think that that’s been something that’s been very fascinating for me to navigate.”

Edebiri cited another issue, noting that the majority of what she says in stand-up contains “a joke” or “a little bit of playfulness” but people often think she’s being “dead serious”.

The star has won two SAG Awards, an Emmy and a Golden Globe for The Bear. The breakthrough role has landed her starring roles in films such as Theater Camp, Opus and After the Hunt.