Journalist Who Excluded Ayo Edebiri from Question About BLM Posts a Rough Response

The Italian journalist refuted any claims of racism, as her family is “multi-ethnic, matriarchal, and feminist,” and she has interviewed “people of every background and ethnicity.” OK!

By Audra Heinrichs  |  September 8, 2025 | 6:06pm
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Journalist Who Excluded Ayo Edebiri from Question About BLM Posts a Rough Response

Over the weekend, Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, and Ayo Edebiri sat down with ArtsLife TV as part of a press junket for their upcoming film, After the Hunt. The interview has since gone viral thanks to one journalist’s line of inquiry that was awkward at best and indisputably ignorant at worst.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, After the Hunt tells the story of a college student (Edebiri) who levels a hefty allegation against her professor (Garfield) while a colleague (Roberts) finds herself caught in the middle. Since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, the film has received a pretty split reception, as evidenced by the 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, with multiple critics taking particular issue with its approach to society’s treatment of sexual assault survivors, so-called cancel culture, and the like. The Guardian, for instance, called it a “bafflingly overlong, overwrought #MeToo campus accusation drama,” and The Film Stage deemed it “regressive and unimaginative.” I haven’t seen the film, so I can’t say for certain yet, but it seems like Italian journalist Federica Polidoro had even more regressive and unimaginative questions on her mind.

“In your opinion, what we lost during the politically correct era,” Polidoro began. “And what we can expect in Hollywood after the #MeToo movement and the Black Lives matter [movement] are done.” She said the question was specifically for “Andrew and Julia,” but Roberts asked her to repeat herself.

“Now that the #MeToo era and the Black Lives Matter [movement] are done, what do we have to expect in Hollywood?” Polidoro said, reiterating the line about whether they think Hollywood “lost” something because it’s (seemingly) become too PC. Many (including Edebiri) have pointed out how Polidoro twice clarified that she was only asking Garfield and Roberts. Why? Well, I’ll leave that up to you.

In response, Garfield, Roberts, and Edebiri seemed genuinely flummoxed. Garfield turned toward his female co-stars while Edebiri let out an incredulous laugh before taking the question.

“Yeah, I know that that’s not for me, and I don’t know if it’s purposeful it’s not for me, but I just am curious,” Edebiri said. “I don’t think it’s done. I don’t think it’s done at all.” Roberts echoed Edebiri, saying, “It’s not done.”

“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, ’cause this world is really charged,” Edebiri continued. “And that work isn’t finished at all.”

She concluded: “Maybe there’s not mainstream coverage in the way that there might have been, daily headlines in the way that it might have been eight or so years ago, but I don’t think that it means that the work is done. That’s what I would say.” Garfield then agreed that less coverage doesn’t mean the “movements have been halted” and that they’re still “absolutely alive.”

The clip—namely Polidoro’s question—has sparked significant backlash, with many pointing out the inherent racism in a person who isn’t Black directing a question that includes the purported “death” of the BLM movement to everyone but the only Black woman in the room. Well, Polidoro saw the backlash, and she had what I can only describe as a “Karla Sofia Gascon reaction”: She shirked all responsibility and made herself the victim.

“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,” Polidoro wrote in a lengthy statement posted on Instagram on Sunday. “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 continued, misspelling Edebiri’s name: “I would like to clarify that rather than focusing on the thoughtful responses of Ayo Edibiri, Julia Roberts, and Andrew Garfield, the discussion continues solely on how I should have phrased the question.”

Polidoro further refuted any claims of racism as her family is “multi-ethnic, matriarchal, and feminist, with a significant history of immigration.” She also noted that she has interviewed “people of every background and ethnicity.” OK!

“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 added. “Journalism’s role is to ask questions, even on delicate topics, with respect and responsibility.” True, and yet…she didn’t.

In conclusion, Polidoro wrote that she had a right to “legal protection” wherever any—justified—criticism was concerned.

Garfield, Roberts, and Edebiri have not commented further.

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