Andrew Garfield & Julia Roberts Stand Strong With ‘Disgusted’ Reactions After Ayo Edebiri Interview Snub Goes Viral
So, Ayo Edebiri got totally cut off when someone asked a pretty controversial question, and honestly, the vibe got super awkward. But her co-stars Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield didn’t just sit there — they came together with a united front that fans are still talking about.
The trio was out at the Venice Film Festival, promoting their new psychological thriller After the Hunt. Sounds intense already, right? But that tense interview moment ended up stealing the spotlight and going viral all over social media.
Of course, the internet didn’t hold back. The interviewer got slammed with backlash, so bad they had to drop a public statement just to calm things down.
Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield put on a united front with Ayo Edebiri while answering a controversial question
Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield weren’t about to let Ayo Edebiri face the heat alone. The trio put on a strong united front when a controversial question came up during a press interview.
The Hollywood A-listers sat down with Italian journalist Federica Polidoro to promote their upcoming Luca Guadagnino-directed film After the Hunt. But instead of sticking to the movie, the interviewer threw out a loaded question about “what viewers can expect in Hollywood now that the MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter are done.”
Yeah… awkward.
The question left Julia, Andrew, and Ayo looking visibly confused. Julia even leaned in and asked, “Can you repeat that?” She joked about the interviewer’s glasses making it hard to tell who exactly was being addressed — but you could feel the tension.
Julia asked interviewer Federica Polidoro to repeat the question that left all three of them perplexed
Federica explained she was actually directing the question to Julia and Andrew Garfield, which made Ayo Edebiri look even more baffled. The reporter then doubled down, asking again if Hollywood had “lost something” now that the MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter were “done.”
Julia quickly jumped in with, “It’s not done,” but Ayo couldn’t stay quiet either. She spoke up, making it clear the issue was bigger than hashtags and trending topics.
“I don’t think it’s done at all,” Ayo said passionately. “There’s still powerful work being done every single day by activists. It’s beautiful, important work. And honestly, this world is too charged right now for that fight to be over.”
Ayo went on to explain that just because these movements aren’t dominating mainstream headlines the way they did years ago, it doesn’t mean progress has stopped. “The coverage might not be daily, but that doesn’t mean the work is done,” she added.
Her words hit hard — a reminder that Hollywood change, social justice, and cultural movements don’t just fade away because the spotlight shifts.
Ayo interrupted and asserted that the transformative Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements were not “done”
Fans quickly reacted to the awkward Venice Film Festival press moment for After the Hunt. One user wrote, “I’m happy Ayo had the support of her co-stars. They all handled it well.” Another added, “Their collective shock made me happy though, because you could tell they’re all authentic and support her for real.”
Some even pointed out Julia Roberts trying to give the interviewer a second chance. “Lol Julia gave the interviewer a redo,” one person joked. Meanwhile, another comment summed it up perfectly: “I love that disgusted, united front.”
But the backlash online got so intense that journalist Federica Polidoro had to release a statement. She claimed she’d been “subjected to personal insults and attacks” after the clip went viral.
In her words: “I find it striking that those who accuse me of racism and consider themselves custodians of justice find acceptable violent language, personal attacks, and cyberbullying.”
She went on to argue that instead of focusing on the thoughtful, genuine responses from Ayo, Julia, and Andrew Garfield, people were zeroing in on how she phrased the question.
“Andrew looked disgusted as well,” one commented online
But journalist Federica Polidoro wasn’t about to stay quiet. After the wave of social media backlash and accusations of racism, she fired back with a strong statement.
“To those who unjustly accuse me of racism, I want to clarify that in my career I’ve interviewed people of every background and ethnicity,” she wrote. She went on to add that her family is “multi-ethnic, matriarchal, feminist, with a long history of immigration.”
The interviewer was forced to release a statement about people “unjustly” accusing her of racism
Federica doubled down in her statement, pointing out that she’s been working with both national and international publications for over two decades — across all political orientations.
Then came the bold part. She claimed, “In my view, the real racists are those who see racism everywhere and try to muzzle journalism, shutting down freedom of analysis, critical thinking, and different perspectives.”
Pretty strong words, especially considering the backlash she’s already facing online. And with the clip from the After the Hunt press tour still trending, it doesn’t look like the conversation is dying down anytime soon.
