Why do people say Ayo Edebiri is Irish? Breaking down the inside joke

The world is getting to know Ayo Edebiri, and it's safe to say they're loving her work. In getting familiar with her sense of humor, many are wondering if The Bear actress really has ties to Ireland. The actress has shouted Ireland out on more than one occasion despite not having any genetic or national ties to the country.

If you're chronically online, you'll know that the actress and Ireland have become quite synonymous. But is Ayo Edebiri Irish, really?

Is Ayo Edebiri Irish?

Ayo Edebiri is not Irish. She did, however, make a joke about being Irish in March 2023, and she's committed to the bit.

Edebiri was doing an interview with Letterboxed when she started speaking in an Irish accent and talking about her fictitious role as Jenny the Donkey in one of the year's critically acclaimed films, The Banshees of Inisherin.

"I lived in Ireland for about four months, and I got really in character, and I was on all fours for four months, and it was really painful, but beautiful as well, and it was probably the most fulfilling part of my career," she said.

Edebiri has continued leaning into the joke.

Edebiri gave a nod to Ireland during her acceptance speech for Best Actress at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards:

“I want to thank my real family, I don’t know if they have CW abroad. To everybody in Boston, Barbados, Nigeria, Ireland in many ways,” Edebiri said cheekily. “Thank you so much.”

Our Irish queen Ayo Edebiri gives a shoutout to her people at the #Emmys. 😂☘️ pic.twitter.com/DpQn0ehxEp

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) January 15, 2024

She also shouted out Ireland at the 2024 Emmys. "Shout out to my people," Edebiri said. "Shout out to Derry, shout out to Cork, shout out to Killarney, shout out to Dublin."

Ayo also sported the following shirt when she was on SNL in February 2024:

Ayo Edebiri Irish memes

As a result, the idea of Ayo being Irish has become a meme. Here are few examples from across social media.

Starting my campaign now for a buddy road trip comedy through Ireland starring two Irish powerhouses: Ayo Edebiri and Nicola Coughlan. pic.twitter.com/mrEaRa2SA3

— jen-o-lantern 🎃🍉✍🏾 (@darlinginmyway) April 12, 2024

Congratulations to Ireland's own Ayo Edebiri for her nomination for the 2024 BAFTA Rising Star Award 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/Rx0y7nEHPq

— Film In Dublin (@filmindublin) January 10, 2024

i need the rest of ireland to wake up please HELLOOOO new picture of paul mescal and ayo edebiri just dropped ON ST PATRICKS DAY !!! WAKE UP pic.twitter.com/U5WyCuh0gz

— shauna (@wednesdaysadums) March 17, 2024

you guys can all laugh it up at the ayo edebiri irish jokes but it’s not a joke to me. i’m not laughing i’m dead serious. she is my cousin. she used to babysit me. she went to my primary school. it is very very real to me. pic.twitter.com/DOWOjdgdtb

— erin (@ronnasmartin) January 9, 2024

o’hara, o’reilly, o’hare, and o’leary. there’s no one as irish as ay o’edebiri. https://t.co/mMr7lzzwxm

— chloe (@chloeikennedy) January 10, 2024

Some people are lucky enough to be Irish pic.twitter.com/OcE7AC9vbw

— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) March 17, 2024

Emily Henry "can’t confirm or deny anything with casting for any movie" but says that Ayo Edebiri and Paul Mescal are "two of my favorite ‘Irish’ actors." https://t.co/Ie44HU6L6Z

— Variety (@Variety) March 25, 2024

We look forward to the next "Ayo Edibiri is Irish" development.

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.