"The writing was just so beautiful": The Bear star Ayo Edebiri opens up about what prompted her to direct the episode "Napkins"

Created by Christopher Storer, The Bear, is one of the most acclaimed series currently. Starring Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, and others, the comedy-drama has four seasons till now and began airing from 2022.

The Bear is about chef Carmen “Carmy” Anthony Berzatto, who inherits his family’s Italian beef sandwich shop after his elder brother Michael, commits sui*ide. Carmen is a professionally trained chef and decides to leave the glamor and trauma of Michelin-starred restaurants to come back to Chicago and run his family-owned shop.

However, he must deal with unruly staff, family trauma, his own pain, and the struggles that he encounters as he tries to overhaul his family-run restaurant into a Michelin-starred eatery.

The Bear has received numerous Emmy Award nominations and has won in many categories. The series is noted for its handling of trauma, its realistic tone, and exploring topics like sui*ide and dysfunctional relationships with nuance.

The series has many award-winning episodes and “Napkins” is one of them. Directed by Ayo Edebiri, who also stars in the show as Sydney or “Syd”, the actress reveals in an interview to Vanity Fair about what prompted her to direct the episode and her thoughts about the show.

The Bear star Ayo Edebiri on her direction of the episode, “Napkins”

The Bear episode titled, “Napkins”, is a beautiful tribute to all the women who are trying to overcome financial struggles and latching on to hope about a better life. The episode focuses on the character of Tina (played by Liza Colón-Zayas), who is struggling to find a new job. The episode has stunning cinematography and pathos and Edebiri shares that her experience of being on set when the show’s “Fishes” episode was being shot, gave her the boost to direct more in the future.

Commenting upon what made Edebiri decide to direct “Napkins”, she states, “The writing was just so beautiful. I remember reading it and seeing it in my mind, like really clearly. There was a real advantage because it was not only a standalone episode of a character that we hadn't really gotten to see, but it got to be outside of the restaurant.”

The actress and director goes on to mention that she “enjoys” directing and want to continue doing it in the future. She also mentions that she has plans to direct a feature but she does not want to rush it. Further, she reveals that even now, she is writing and letting it take its own time.

Ayo Edebiri also opened up and shared that she co-wrote the episode “Worms” with Lionel Boyce. “Lionel and I write together and we also write solo…I just keep asking Lionel all his thoughts. I thought, I know that we collaborate really well together.” The actress also shares that she always planned on doing writing and standup. “I love acting, but I chose to study writing because I never really envisioned myself as an actor.”

Ayo Edebiri on navigating fame and acting after success of The Bear

In the same interview, the actress talks about how she is still “navigating” her career. She mentions that she was only a comedian before the show but now, she has to think differently as an actor. “As somebody who wasn't primarily an actor, I had to think in a way that I wasn't used to thinking, a bit more strategically.” Edebiri also talks about how she does not want to do the same character “a bunch of times in a row”. She mentions, “And I started thinking about how people were perceiving me, which was very strange…”

Talking about how The Bear changed her outlook on career and acting, she mentions that, “It's made me also feel really hopeful in the making of things now…When I think about our show, I remember we just wanted to mean something to each other and to whoever watched it, and I think it was able to have an impact.” The actress signs off by stating that everyone should keep hope alive in their lives and not succumb to the boredom of everyday life.

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The Bear is available on Disney+

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