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Ayo Edebiri Talks Directing ‘The Bear’ Napkins Episode and Winning a DGA Award

US actress Ayo Edebiri attends the world premiere of Pixar's "Inside Out 2" at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 10, 2024.Ayo Edebiri
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#Directors Guild of America Award #The Bear (TV series)
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - MAY 22: American actress, comedian, writer, and voice actor Ayo Edebiri arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's 'Big Mouth' Season 8 - The Final Season held at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on May 22, 2025 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.
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Ayo Edebiri discusses directing ‘Napkins’ on The Bear, earning a DGA Award and praise for her standout debut.

US actress Ayo Edebiri attends the world premiere of Pixar's "Inside Out 2" at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 10, 2024.Ayo Edebiri, known for her Emmy-winning role and writing on The Bear, recently made her directorial debut with Season 3, Episode 6, titled Napkins. According to Deadline, Edebiri was encouraged early on by series creator Christopher Storer, who invited her to learn on set and reach out for directing advice. “When you’re not working on set, come to set,” Storer told her.

Napkins, written by Catherine Schetina, centers on Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas, At Season 3 premiere of FX's The Bear at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, USA on June 25 2024.Liza Colón-Zayas) losing her job and struggling with rejection in Chicago, until she finds kindness and a new opportunity at The Bear. The episode is especially known for an 11-minute conversation between Tina and Mikey (Jon Bernthal), which Edebiri rehearsed with the actors to capture its raw emotion. Reflecting on the scene, Edebiri said, “I wound up crying over Napkins” after being chosen to direct.

Edebiri’s direction earned her a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Comedy Series. She also continues to co-write for Season 4, premiering June 25 on FX and Hulu.