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Ayo Edebiri Talks The Bear & Her First Kiss | W Magazine

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"Woah, I certainly wasn't expecting to hear Santa might be a capitalist from Santa himself, today." Blair let Leo know, playing up her shock as what he'd just said. "We might have to further unpack the implications of that statement later." She told him. "Oh, it's literally been hell to find something that just screams me. But I also told myself, I won't be settling. I know what it is that I want and if I can't get my comfy olive green couch of my dreams right now... then I'll be waiting to get it." Blair explained with a small laugh as her place was slowly but surely reflecting the space she'd always wanted it to look like. Now all that was missing was the piece of resistance. Eventually, the photo ops came to an end and Blair could actually say she was sad to say goodbye to the last batch of tykes. "I assume this the moment you thought I'd be protesting but by all means," Blair shrugged, looking down at her cherry red nails. "I know I just set the standard for Mrs. Claus' around these parts." She scoffed as he brought up her brother, playfully rolling her eyes. "Or he's already thinking of a way to book Rudolph himself, for the holiday function."

Blair's energy was infectious and it made the time more enjoyable which was clear with how much fun the kids were having. Leo had to keep his laugh in check with how much little things were cracking him up, especially the girl who had just wanted to take a picture with him. "I mean obviously, Santa tries to get that done every year but I'm starting to think he's a capitalist, which would make sense considering it keeps him in business," Leo told her as softly as he could. The books his sisters had gifted him were definitely having their impact. "I hear that, a good and solid couch is hard to come by. Especially one that won't require you to take out a loan." He turned back to the crowd for the last group of kids before posing for a few photos with the elves. But Leo shuffled them all off so he could get a few good photos with Blair. "Oh this is definitely going on my instagram story. You know your brother is gonna love this," he teased once things started to wrap up.

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"Oh, I know? Why do you think I asked." Blair let him know, as she'd been fortunate enough to have had a couple of dinners cooked by Leo and whilst everyone knew him for his talents in dance... he was just as good a cook. "What you called me?" She looked back at Leo, her face stone straight before she fell into a small fit of laughter. "I'm sorry, I had to go for it." She said, through her laughter. "I'm ready." Blair nodded, taking a deep breath before her face formed a smile that she was all to use to having to form. As insane as she'd assumed the afternoon would be, dealing with young children who were eager to let it be known what they wanted for the holidays— all had been relatively chill. The worst offensive being when a little sassy girl let her know that she wanted to take a picture with Santa solo. "Aside from world peace and more taxation for billionaires?" She asked Leo, twisting her lips. "I'm such a woman of my age... I honestly just want a couple of more furniture pieces."

"Food? That I can do. You got it." He smiled as she put the glasses on and leaned over to take a look at himself in the mirror. "Damn, I look good. Ho, ho ho," he added and laughed again, pretty sure he was having more fun this year than last year. But that could've been because of the edible that Tallulah had given him earlier since she had prescribed him an enjoyable holiday. "Let's do this shit," he told her and held out his arm for her so they could walk into the room where the kids were waiting. They went wild as they walked in, greeting them before they took their seats at the front of the room to hear everyone's wishes. They were halfway through when Leo finally got a chance to turn to her. "What's at the top of your wish list this year?"

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"And typically not being the first choice would offend me but in this instance, I thank you for having a list you surely contacted before me." Blair let him know, with a small laugh before pointing out how great she believed his Santa laugh to be. "That we definitely do." She looked herself over, not believing that she was about to do this but she simply kept reminding her that this was in fact for a good cause. Plus, she did make the Mrs. Claus get up work for. "What do you mean? Weren't Mr. and Mrs. Claus always black? Because they certainly were in my house." Blair said, as the Bueller kids had grown up with figurines that depicted Santa as black. Which she'd come to learn wasn't the normal, much to her shock when she found herself at the age of five coming face to face with a white man calling himself Santa. "You might have to whip up something to eat pretty soon." She told him with bright smile, turning away from the mirror she'd been giving herself finishing touches. "Wait, wait." Blair let him know, as she noticed an integral part of his costume was missing. She located his glasses with relative ease, before making her way up to him to place them on. "And there you are. Santa Claus, as I live and breath."

"Believe me, this wasn't at the top of my list either," he replied with a perfect Santa laugh that he had been working on all week. Leo looked her over and couldn't even stifle the rest of his laugh. "We both look fucking ridiculous but somehow are making it work. At least everyone will know Mr. and Mrs. Claus are Black." Which was the main thing for him when he stepped up again every year and his mother always showed up with all of his siblings to take pictures. His usual Mrs. Claus had moved out of town last year and Leo had found himself uncertain about where to go next. But his recent friendship with Blair felt solid, nice even and though her rarely asked new people for help, he had found it relatively easy to just put it out there when it came to Blair. "But now I feel like I still kind of owe you for this so you can cash in after today. Just tell Santa what you want."

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AYO EDEBIRI

Before the academy gala by Morgan Maher (October 2024)

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"You know, out of all the ways I assumed you'd be cashing in your favor—" Blair pushed the tiny glasses that were currently sliding off of her nose. "this, in no way, was one of the possibilities." Blair found herself in a Mrs. Claus get up to match the Santa Claus ensemble that Leo himself was wearing in that moment. "Be entirely real with me. How ridiculous do I look right now?" She asked, a small smile finding itself on her features. Sure, this wasn't how she planned on enjoying her afternoon but at least it was for a good cause. Spreading holiday cheer for Leo's students. ( @l-jackson )

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"You didn't?" Blue dropped her face into her boyfriend's shoulder, shaking her head. "Hernando, I think it goes without saying that my parents like, love you. So you really didn't have to do that..." She began. "but, because you knew there was going to be one... I'm sure that'll only win you that much more brownie points in their eyes. So if you weren't already their favorite, you have most definitely cleared any and all competition. I'm pretty sure including us, their own kids." Blue laughed as he spoke of her brothers. "Honestly, you could have just gotten them both coal and I would have co-signed it."

"So, I may or may not have gone overboard on gifts for your parents. It's just I bought one thing then the other and then there's your brothers and like I'm used to getting them gifts but now I'm your boyfriend and that means something, you know? I can't half ass it. But I can't fully kiss their ass because they've basically known me all of my life. Just don't you know, be surprised when I pull up looking like Santa this Christmas with a big sack of presents." @blairblr

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AYO EDEBIRI at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards — September 15, 2024

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"Well, that's why you've got me. I'll make sure you don't accept." Blair let Tessa know with a playful wink, but she meant that. She wouldn't allow Tessa to just settle because she deserved so much more than that if you asked Blair. "Oh, that's such a good one. Like, I understand phone calls as a concept, I do. But my god, do we need to have them? Truly. A text suffices more often than not." She told Tessa as phone calls were such a big part of her life nowadays. But she was working at the firm she'd wanted to since she took her first pre-law class. "How's that been treating you?" She asked her friend, before linking her elbow with hers. "Oh, we will make it work. For the sake of these gorgeous gowns and stunning mugs, c'mon."

"Exactly, that's a skill I have definitely not mastered." She made a small noise of excitement when Blair posed, always supportive of her friend but especially when they were out doing something widely perceived as 'fun'. Neither of them were known for being the life of the party for everyone else, but they certainly filled the role for themselves. "They're your business cards, I think you can put whatever you like. I think mine would say 'please don't call me, I don't like answering numbers I don't know'. I just finished playing," she gestured over her shoulder, where she'd been making a donation of her own in the form of playing her violin for those dancing in the centre of the ballroom, "and I have about twenty minutes before I have to go back on." She offered her elbow to Blair, "Enough time for us to flaunt around the room, I think."

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"At taking no for an answer?" Blair asked, with a twist of her lips before nodding her head. "Yeah, that sounds about right for me." She told Tessa, before giving her a little pose in her Thom Browne ensemble. "You think I could put that on my business cards?" Blair pouted in her direction, just thankful to be in her company. Tessa would always be a sight for sore eyes if you asked Blair. "For you? I have all the time in the world."

"You're so good at that," Tessa watched Blair work in awe, impressed at how smoothly she could convince someone to donate just that little bit more. "You're like Robin Hood in a ball gown. That being said, I am here with an ulterior motive," she smiled, holding up two flutes, her own non-alcoholic. "If you have time, of course."

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"Thank you so much for your contribution, this is truly going to change lives." Blair let a donor know, accepting their check for that evening's fundraiser. Of course, given her philanthropic efforts back in collegiate days– Blair's aid had been requested for tonight's festivities and so far, she could say they'd been doing pretty damn well. "And there's another one." She let her partner in crime that evening know, a bright smile on her face.

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"Really? I'm sure the aloe industry thanks you for your service." Blair teased, laughter slowly spilling from her. "You know, the red look isn't a terrible one on you. I've heard the sunburnt look is in, I swear I saw that somewhere." She said, biting down on her lower lip to stop herself from cackling. "Oh, I'm doing it already. I'm gracing you with my presence and I'm going to direct us to the front of the frozen alcoholic beverages line so we can get ourselves three drinks. Two, so we can obviously enjoy and another one to hopefully cool you down a bit." She told him, nodding over in the direction they had to walk.

"I think I bought out the closest store so this might take awhile." Jake nearly raised a hand to rub at his arm but thought better of it at the last minute, choosing to drop his hands back down to his sides instead. "And how do you think you're going to do that?"

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Blair couldn't help but laugh as Jake expressed how much the finger poke had hurt him. "I'm so sorry, I really didn't think it was that bad." She let him know, a small pout finding itself on her lips. "Come on, let's go find you some aloe." Blair nodded. "I have to redeem myself, you know, in your time of need and such." She said, about to tap his shoulder and remembered his current dilemma.

"We've come so far but not far enough. Ow!" Jake flinched away from Blair, raising both his hands defensively in front of him. "Thanks for that. And to think, I thought you would be gentle with me in my time of need."

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"No, unfortunately I don't think modern medicine has been able to make that happen yet." Blair let him know, grimacing as he touched at his arm. "Or maybe a mix of the two. I'd go with trying both if I was you." She said, before poking at his arm just out of curiosity. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"I don't think they've created a high enough SPF count to protect me from a day at the country club." Jacob grimaced as he prodded at his arm which was currently bright pink. "I should probably soak in aloe for the next few days. Or just avoid the sun."

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AYO EDEBIRI on THE VIEW