Ayo Edebiri's Parents: All About The Bear Star's Mom and Dad

The ‘Bear’ star shouted out her parents during her heartfelt speech at the Emmys in January 2023.

Meet Ayo Edebiri’s parents!

Born on October 3, 1995. Bear the star is the only child of immigrant parents, who raised her in Boston, Massachusetts.

Unlike Edebiri’s public life, her mum and dad – who Edebiri says she prefers not to name after a harassment incident a few years ago – don’t stand out. However, the award-winning actress has spoken publicly about them several times.

In fact, Edebiri shouted them out at the Emmys during her acceptance speech for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, hilariously calling herself a “naughty child” on stage because her parents weren’t sitting next to her during the ceremony.

“My parents are here, they’re not in cheap places – they’re not next to me, I was next to Carson Daly, he’s holding my stuff. I think Carson Daly still has my stuff. They are in line behind me, a little to the right,” she joked in the press room after the big win.

While Edebiri spoke on PEOPLE’s live pre-show about what it’s been like to celebrate her accomplishments with her “close-knit on-screen family,” the only child is also close with her family in real life, giving a few glimpses into their relationship on Instagram.

Here is everything you need to know about Edebiri’s parents.

All about ‘The Bear’ star Ayo Edebira

Her parents are immigrants

Ayo Edebiri with his parents.

Ayo Edebiri Instagram

While Edebiri was born and raised in Boston, her mother is from Barbados and her father is from Nigeria.

The actress posted a sweet tribute to her dad on Father’s Day in June 2020, including an Instagram carousel of throwback pictures of the father-daughter duo paired with a light-hearted caption.

“Happy Father’s Day to my favorite heroic African. I stole his personality and that is tea!!!!” she wrote alongside the post.

Bear Emmy winner Ayo Edebiri praises ‘Found a Family,’ jokes about not sitting next to her ‘real’ parents at event

Her mum is a ‘really amazing’ cook

Ayo Edebiri with his mom.

Ayo Edebiri/Instagram

While Edebiri stars as Sydney Adamu, a Culinary Institute of America-educated chef born in Chicago, on Bear — and has collected several prestigious awards for her portrayal of the character — spoke highly of her mom’s cooking in real life.

“My mom is a really, really amazing cook,” Edebiri said The Hollywood Reporter in December 2022. She recalled how she always begged her mom to cook for the holidays, but her offer would often be turned down.

“And now she says: ‘Ayo, when are you going to make something? What are you bringing? When are you going to cook for me?’ I said, ‘OK, so this is what it took,'” joked Edebiri.

Her parents ‘encouraged’ her initial desire to teach

Ayo Edebiri’s parents.

Ayo Edebiri/Instagram

Before pursuing an acting career, Edebiri planned to study teaching during her time at New York University – an aspiration she said The New Yorker her parents were “encouraging”.

However, Edebiri changed her mind two and a half years after completing her studies. She eventually redirected her studies to become a major playwright. From that moment, her search for a career in the entertainment and comedy industry began.

When speaking to Gold Derby in December 2023, Edebiri said her dad “loves TV and movies”. However, despite his interest, she said, “there was definitely an element of, ‘What have you been doing for a long time?'”

Fast forward to her many successes in the industry, Edebiri says that “it’s very comforting now that they know what I’m doing. They say, ‘Just to confirm, you’re not coming back? You’re done? You okay?'” she joked.

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She grew up ‘very religious’

Ayo Edebiri’s dad.

Ayo Edebiri/Instagram

Edebiri grew up in a religious household and her family attended a Pentecostal church twice a week, according to The New Yorker. During the interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live in January 2023, she noted that she grew up “very religious”.

She credited her grandmother with instilling the practice in her family, calling her a “confident Pentecostal” whose “best friend is her pastor.” Edebiri hilariously recalled the surprising moment her grandmother told her she watched Bear — which the actress described as “a show full of expletives.”

Her parents joined her at the 2023 Emmy Awards

Ayo Edebiri with family in 2018.

Ayo Edebiri/Instagram

Not only did Edebiri’s parents accompany him to the 75th Emmy Awards in January 2023, but Bear the star gave them a special salute when she accepted her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series during the ceremony.

“This is a series about found family and real family, and my parents are here tonight,” Edebiri said in her speech. “I make them sit kind of far away from me because I’m a bad kid. But I love you so much. Thank you so much for loving me and letting me feel beautiful and black and proud of it all. I just love you so much.”

“It’s probably not a dream to immigrate to this country and have your child be like, ‘I want to improve,'” she joked. “But you are the real one.”

After the ceremony, Edebiri and her parents attended the governor’s gala party together where they all posed together with the trophy for photos.

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Source: HIS Education