Ayo Edebiri has flustered reaction to co-star Jeremy Allen White’s viral Calvin Klein photoshoot

‘I do feel like I want people to understand he’s my co-worker,’ Edebiri says

Ayo Edebiri was asked several times about Jeremy Allen White’s viral Calvin Klein photoshoot at the 2024 Golden Globes, and her answer was a reminder that award shows are also considered work events for actors in Hollywood.

During the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards, which took place on Sunday (7 January) at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California, the 28-year-old actor took home the award for Best Performance by a Female Actor on Television in a Musical or Comedy Series for her role in The Bear.

Edebiri, who has also had breakout roles in the ABC series Abbott Elementary and the 2023 comedy film Bottoms, plays chef Sydney Adamu in FX’s The Bear. Not only was Edebiri awarded for her performance, but her co-star White was also honoured for his portrayal of Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto in the cooking drama.

Despite several wins for The Bear cast, it was White’s sultry Calvin Klein photoshoot that received the most attention on the red carpet. While speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Edebiri was asked about her co-star’s viral campaign. The Theater Camp star joked that the photoshoot inspired her to level up her fitness regimen. “I’m bulking up. So I’m eating, I’m on the protein, I’m on the creatine,” she quipped.

During another interview with Access Hollywood, Edebiri was once again questioned about the Shameless alum’s underwear ad. As the shirtless image popped on the screen, Edebiri visibility recoiled upon seeing the photo of her co-star. In response, she shared the message: “I’m happy for him, that’s my boy. You know what I mean? I do feel like I want people to understand he’s my co-worker.”

However, Edebiri’s reminder seemingly wasn’t enough and she was asked a third time about White’s photoshoot during the Golden Globes. Following The Bear’s win for Best Musical/Comedy Series, the entire cast was prompted by ExtraTV to share their thoughts on White’s Calvin Klein photoshoot.

While backstage, the interviewer showed the cast an enlarged poster image from the ad campaign. The group appeared taken aback, and Edebiri took it upon herself to grab the poster and turn it around, back into the corner it came from. “I’m putting it away,” she said, when asked why she put back the poster.

“I’m putting it away for my boy, that’s my boy. This is a work function, you know what I mean?” Edebiri added. White seemed to be in agreement with his co-star’s gesture, when he chimed in saying the photoshoot was for his “different job”.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who also received a Golden Globe nod for his performance as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich, added: “We’re not at, like, the underwear awards. We’re here to talk about our show and what we do here.”

Last week, White famously turned heads when his new campaign for Calvin Klein dropped on 4 January. In the ad, he stripped down to nothing but a pair of the brand’s iconic white briefs on a rooftop terrace in New York City, against the backdrop of city skyscrapers. The video campaign was set to Lesley Gore’s 1963 feminist anthem, “You Don’t Own Me”.

In addition to the video, the brand released a black and white photo of the actor seductively staring into the camera while wearing his Calvin Klein underwear. Another picture sees White resting on a couch on the rooftop, wearing low-slung jeans that expose the brand’s logo.

A massive billboard of White was subsequently displayed on the corner of Lafayette and Houston streets in Manhattan, which fans have jokingly declared “a national landmark”.

See the full list of 2024 Golden Globe winners here.