[Editor's note: This interview was recorded prior to the SAG strike.]

There are a number of artists having big years right now but, dare I say, Ayo Edebiri is having one of the best of the bunch. Not only did she just score her first Emmy nomination for her work in Season 1 of The Bear, but she’s also exceptional in the recently released second season of the hit series and has three stellar films coming out back to back to back — Theater Camp, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Bottoms.

Hopefully you’ve seen Molly Gordon’s episode of Collider Ladies Night and Noah Galvin’s episode of Collider Forces in honor of the release of Theater Camp, but just in case you need a refresher, the Searchlight Pictures film focuses on a theater camp struggling to stay afloat after its founder falls into a coma. Edebiri steps in as Janet, a new teacher at camp working amidst a group of AdirondACTS diehards who’ve spent their summers there for years. The film delivers big laughs as it pokes fun at camp clichés, but it also rocks a powerful beating heart that celebrates what a special experience it can be, especially when that love is shared with newcomers.

On August 25th, brace yourself for Bottoms. It’s a coming-of-age comedy that doesn’t hold back in the least, delivering consistent laughs and shocking story beats via an irresistible ensemble, a combination that not only sparks the itch for repeat viewings but could ultimately turn the film into a raunchy high school comedy classic. Edebiri stars opposite longtime friend and collaborator Rachel Sennott as Josie and PJ, two unpopular high school students eager to hook up with cheerleaders. How do they go about doing that? By starting a female fight club, and it actually works.

And finally, we have Edebiri’s new movie hitting theaters nationwide this weekend, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem in which she takes over the iconic role of April. Edebiri’s version of the character has had enough of being dubbed “puke girl.” She wants her peers at Eastman High to respect her, and she might have found the perfect way to make that happen — by teaming up with the Ninja Turtles. Turns out, the Turtles also just want to fit in. If the Turtles can save the city by stopping Superfly and April can break the story, they might all wind up being accepted and respected.

Clearly Edebiri’s career is skyrocketing at the moment, but it took some time and legwork to get there, and she took a moment to recap some of that journey on an episode of Collider Ladies Night.

Listen to the uncut version of this conversation here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GTX...

00:00 Dicey Questions
05:37 Early Inspirations
06:53 NYU
07:50 Meeting Rachel Sennott
08:34 Emailing Maura Tierney
10:44 The Bear
12: 33 Hailee Steinfeld, Quinta Brunson & Jeremy Allen White
13:44 Bottoms & New Orleans
18:45 TMNT: Mutant Mayhem

#interview #tmnt #thebear