TVLine’s Performer of the Week: Ayo Edebiri
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TVLine’s Performer of the Week: Ayo EdebiriTHE PERFORMER | Ayo Edebiri
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THE SHOW | The Bear
THE EPISODE | “Worms”(June 25, 2025)
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R17ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R27ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeTHE PERFORMANCE | The Bear loves to take a break from the chaos of the kitchen and give us a full episode with one character, deepening our understanding of what makes them tick. In the fourth episode of Season 4, it was Sydney’s turn, which gave Ayo Edebiri a chance to deliver maybe her best work of the series, digging into Sydney’s inner conflicts and showing off her considerable comedic chops, too, in a very funny, emotionally resonant half-hour.
As Episode 4 began, Sydney was undoing her braids in preparation for a hair appointment while watching an old Whoopi Goldberg movie —a nod to another charismatic Black woman who found a way to break boundaries and make us laugh. Sydney met with chef Adam Shapiro about his new restaurant, but Edebiri’s subtle side-eye as he talked about “Afro-Caribbean influences” hinted that she’s not leaving The Bear for this man. (He also didn’t understand how a hair appointment could take all day.) Instead, she went to see her cousin Chantel (played by a terrific Danielle Deadwyler), who did Sydney’s hair while yelling at her sullen young daughter TJ (played by a terrific Arion King).
The hectic atmosphere at Chantel’s house was a laugh riot, reminiscent of the classic Atlanta episode “Barbershop,” and Edebiri’s deadpan reaction to all the yelling just added to the laughs. (Sydney is used to chaos, after all.) Chantel eventually left Sydney alone to watch TJ, and Edebiri — who co-wrote the episode with co-star Lionel Boyce — revealed a real sweetness in Sydney as she tried to coax the girl into opening up, cooking her a meal and helping her navigate the tricky politics of a sleepover.
Sydney opened up, too, spinning a story for TJ about choosing between two sleepovers… an obvious metaphor for her choice between The Bear and Adam’s restaurant. TJ thought the other “sleepover” sounded much better, but Edebiri’s eyes lit up as Sydney spoke about The Bear, despite all its flaws. (When things are good there, she said, “it’s kind of like the best feeling in the world.”) Chantel eventually returned, and Edebiri and Deadwyler shared a warm scene where the cousins resolved to spend more time together, giggling at the memory of a tragically drunk friend. All in all, it was a side of Sydney we don’t get to see in the kitchen — a funny, complicated, utterly human side —and we’re just happy Edebiri was able to share it with us.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R1cekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2cekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeScroll down to see who got Honorable Mention shout-outs this week…
HONORABLE MENTION: Kang Ae-sim
HONORABLE MENTION: Kang Ae-simKang Ae-sim started breaking our hearts in the second episode of Squid Game‘s final season, as Geum-ja agonized over the difficult decision/kill she made in the name protecting new mom Jun-hee. But in Episode 3, Kang finished the job, leaving our collective pumper in pieces. In the wake of the brutal Hide & Seek round — during which Jun-hee gave birth to a daughter — a new vote was taken to continue or end the competition, and Kang’s Geum-ja made a most impassioned, falling-to-knees plea, begging any Os to switch to X. But it was for naught, she quickly and sadly realized. Kang also was incredibly effective as the Xs mocked Geum-ja’s choice to kill her own son to save a stranger, and when Geum-ja assured Jun-hee that she was not to blame for Yong-sik and Hyun-ju’s deaths. Kang registered so much pain and frustration, her character’s ultimate fate made complete, tragic sense. —Matt Webb Mitovich
HONORABLE MENTION: Melissa Benoist
HONORABLE MENTION: Melissa BenoistIf your familiarity with Melissa Benoist’s work begins with Glee and ends with Supergirl, you’ll be pleasantly surprised — and duly impressed — by the haunting depths to which she’s forced to travel in Kevin Williamson’s The Waterfront. As a struggling addict with a checkered past (and present), Bree Buckley is a wonderfully complex, refreshingly messy hurricane of a character, and Benoist navigated every stage of her journey with care and precision. Following a drug-related death for which she blames herself, Bree spent the Netflix drama’s sixth episode battling guilt and self-loathing, while simultaneously wrestling with a traumatic childhood memory. It was an emotional juggling act, one Benoist pulled off without letting anything hit the floor, all while exhibiting the type of raw, real emotion that makes you want to reach through the TV and give her a hug. After what she’s been through, she could really use one. — Andy Swift
Which performance(s) knocked your socks off this week? Tell us in the comments!
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