Award-winning actress and comedian Ayo Edebiri has disclosed the harassment she faced after Elon Musk shared a false rumor about her involvement in a “Pirates of the Caribbean” reboot.
In February 2024, reports falsely claimed that Disney considered Edebiri for a lead role in the franchise’s next installment. The speculation followed Johnny Depp’s declaration that he would not work with Disney again after his legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard.
Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), reposted the rumor with the caption, “Disney sucks,” igniting backlash against Edebiri.
On Tuesday, March 12, 2025, Edebiri took to her Instagram story to clarify that the rumors were entirely baseless. She also revealed that Musk’s repost led to a surge of online harassment, including death threats and racial slurs.
“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, referring to Musk.
She ended her statement by calling Musk both a “fascist” and an “idiot.”
The controversy also caught the attention of comedian Bill Burr, who criticized Musk during a recent NPR interview, referring to his controversial hand gestures at a Trump inauguration event.
Edebiri supported Burr’s remarks, reacting with a bullseye emoji before calling out Musk herself.
Edebiri, best known for her Emmy-winning role in “The Bear,” continues to rise in Hollywood. She will next be seen in A24’s psychological horror film “Opus,” set for release on March 14.
