Jennifer Lopez Reveals Ayo Edebiri Was ‘Mortified’ When Past Insults Resurfaced Ahead of ‘SNL’

Ayo Edebiri found herself in hot water earlier this month after her past comments insulting Jennifer Lopez resurfaced, just days before she was set to host Saturday Night Live with the “On the Floor” singer serving as musical guest. But according to Lopez, it was no big deal.

“It’s funny,” J. Lo said in her Tuesday (Feb. 13) Variety cover story. “I’ve heard similar things said about me throughout my career, so it really didn’t affect me.”

The 28-year-old The Bear actress had called Lopez’s musical career “one long scam” in a 2020 podcast episode, agreeing at the time that the 54-year-old multi-hyphenate “can’t sing.” When the comments started circulating on social media shortly before their joint SNL episode, Lopez says Edibiri earnestly apologized — and they were able to squeeze in a sketch poking fun at the drama into the show. (“It’s wrong to leave mean comments or post comments just for clout — or run your mouth on a podcast and you don’t consider the impact because you’re 24 and stupid,” the Emmy winner joked in a skit titled “Why’d You Say It.”)

“She was mortified and very sweet,” Lopez recalled. ”She came to my dressing room and apologized with tears in her eyes, saying how terrible it was that she had said those things.”

“She felt really badly and loved my performance because we had just done my soundcheck and she actually got to hear me perform,” the Marry Me star continued. “She was just like, ‘I’m so f–king sorry; it was so awful of me.’”

Lopez is now just days away from the Feb. 16 release of her long-awaited album This Is Me … Now, which will serve as a two-decade follow-up to her 2002 LP This Is Me … Then. A musical film in support of the new album, This Is Me … Now: A Love Story, will also drop on the 16th via Amazon Prime, followed by a documentary about the making of the record Feb. 27.

“I do think this is a beautiful project,” Lopez told Variety of the album and film. “The message is strong and the message is true. I think it’s a true piece of art, and I’m very proud of it.”