Ayo Edebiri weighs in on 'The Bear's' genre debate: 'Above my pay grade'

Ayo Edebiri, star of the hit FX series The Bear, has weighed in on the ongoing debate about the show's genre, and she's passing the buck. 

In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Edebiri said, "My feeling is that that is a question that is honestly above my pay grade. That's a question for the studios." She's right; the show's genre classification has been a topic of discussion among viewers and critics alike.

Despite the debate, The Bear has been widely acclaimed and has taken home numerous awards, including Best Comedy Series at the 2024 Golden Globes and Emmy Awards. 

In fact, it broke the record for the most-nominated comedy series in a single year with 23 nods. Edebiri herself won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2023 and is nominated again this year for her performance in Season 3. 

She's also nominated for comedy directing for the Season 3 episode Napkins, which marked her directorial debut.

Edebiri's experience directing Napkins was a positive one. She recalled, "The writing was just so beautiful. I remember reading it and seeing it in my mind, like really clearly." 

The episode allowed her to showcase her skills and explore a different aspect of the show. Edebiri has expressed her love for directing and hopes to make her feature directorial debut one day, saying, "I think I will eventually direct a feature. I know that I will, but I feel no real rush. I'm writing right now as well and that's its own process."

FX chairman John Landgraf shared his thoughts on the show's genre, saying, "I've never seen a better season of any television series, let alone a comedy, than 'The Bear' Season 2." 

He added that the show's genre classification is up to the voters, stating, "We let the voters decide the answers to these questions."

The Bear is nominated for Best Comedy Series at the 2025 Emmy Awards, which take place on September 14.