Ayo Edebiri, the actor best known for her Emmy-award winning work on The Bear, has said she received “insane death threats” after Elon Musk shared a fake news report about her being cast in a film.
On her Instagram, Edebiri recalled the furore that met Musk’s reposting of a story by “Unlimited L’s”, a rightwing account with no apparent Hollywood connection or insight, that she was to replace Johnny Depp in a reboot of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.
These people are completely unhinged. Ayo Edebiri waited over a year to address rumors and credible reports circulating in Hollywood from trustworthy sources.
And, of course, she attacks Elon Musk.
By the way, this post was deleted by mistake after I decided to clean up my… pic.twitter.com/STMaI1qqFG
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) March 12, 2025
“Disney sucks,” commented Musk at the time.
“Just remembering when I got some of the most insane death threats and racial slurs of my life (idk if it’s the #1 moment, but for sure top 3) for a fake reboot of a movie I had never even heard of because of this man,” Edebiri wrote while sharing Musk’s original post. “LMAO. So not only is he double s**g h**l-ing [sieg heil-ing] fascist, he’s an idiot but anyway.”
Responding to Edebiri’s post on Wednesday, the owner of the original account said: “I clearly stated ‘reportedly’ because it was the latest information coming from credible Hollywood sources. And yes, I am a HUGE fan and supporter of Mr Musk. He has my loyalty for LIFE, and I don’t say that lightly.”
The rumour was not run by any credible industry outlet.
In a previous Instagram story post, Edebiri applauded comedian Bill Burr for his comments on NPR’s Fresh Air, calling Musk “evidently a Nazi,” and commenting on his hand gesture at Donald Trump’s inauguration: “I just refuse to believe it was an accidental two-time Sieg Heil.”
Burr went on to call Musk an “idiot” with “dyed hair plugs and a laminated face” and someone “who makes a bad car and has an obsolete social media platform”. He continued by asking why liberals are “so afraid of this guy who can’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag?”
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirmed last year that a reboot of the series, which earned nearly $5bn globally, was being developed. He neither confirmed nor denied that Depp would star in it, saying: “It’s a reboot, but if it was up to me, he would be in it. I love him. He’s a good friend. He’s an amazing artist and he’s a unique look.”
Edebiri voiced Envy in the Pixar sequel Inside Out 2; her new horror film, Opus, opens in the US this month. She is also set to write and star in Daniel Kaluuya’s Barney the dinosaur film. Edebiri is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, for whom she has frequently canvassed.
