Ayo Edebiri hailed her Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award an "insane" surprise.
The 28-year-old actress scooped the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series accolade on Saturday (24.02.24) for her work on 'The Bear' and she paid tribute to her fellow nominees, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' stars Alex Borstein and Rachel Brosnahan, 'Abbott Elementary's Quinta Brunson and 'Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham, as well as her co-stars when she accepted the honour.
Speaking on stage at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, she said: "Hi, hello... This is insane. I am so grateful, I really, really just grateful. I'm looking at this room and most people, their work moves me and motivates me and makes me feel and laugh, I'm just so grateful to be here. I'm so thankful to be nominated alongside some incredible women and outstanding performances.
"I'm going to butcher, just really bastardise a James Baldwin quote because I heard it the other day, but the act of love is an act of mirroring and I think anything anybody sees in me that's worth anything is because of the people who love and support me and made me who I am.
"One of the biggest displays of that is 'The Bear' and the cast and crew of that show, it wouldn't be possible without you guys, you're a miracle and I'm so grateful to be in your company, you've made me a better person and maybe a better actor.
"Thank you very much again, this is very cool."
Ayo's win came shortly after her co-star Jeremy Allen White had won the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series prize.
The 33-year-old actor - who took the accolade ahead of co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach, 'Ted Lesso's Brett Goldstein and Jason Sudeikis, and Bill Hader from 'Barry' - pledged to thank the people who worked on 'The Bear' "for the rest of [his] life" as he accepted the award for his portrayal of Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto'.
He said: "Thank you so much first, I just have to say Ebon you are so excellent in everything you do, especially in the second season where the work you do is so incredible. I love you so, so much.
"The rest of my cast and my crew I'll be thanking you guys for the rest of my life."
Jeremy went on to speak of how "honoured" he is to be an actor.
He said: "I'm so honoured to be in this community.
"I've wanted to be a part of this community my whole life, I had no back-up plan. I started very young and I'm so honoured to be standing in front of you today. To get this from my peers, who I admire so much, thank you."
