Ayo Edebiri Faced 'Insane Death Threats' When Elon Musk Spread Fake Report She Was Replacing Johnny Depp inPirates

Mar. 15, 2025

Ayo Edebiri; Elon Musk; Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean.Photo:JC Olivera/Variety via Getty; Marc Piasecki/Getty; Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

JC Olivera/Variety via Getty; Marc Piasecki/Getty; Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock

Ayo Edebirisays she faced death threats online afterElon Muskspread rumors that she would star in aPirates of the Caribbeanmovie.TheOpusactress, 29, sharedInstagram Storiesreacting to news coverage of Musk and his involvement with President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday, March 12. Edebiri posted an image of Musk’s Feb. 7, 2024post on his platform X(formerly Twitter) in which he wrote “Disney sucks” and shared a report claiming Edebiri was replacingJohnny Deppin a futurePiratessequel.“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 LMAO so not only is he a double sg hl-ing fascist, he’s an idiot. but anyway.““Life is, of course, a gift,” Edebiri added in her post.Depp, 61, last played Jack Sparrow in 2017’sDead Men Tell No Tales, and franchise producerJerry Bruckheimermost recently described the next film in the series as a “reboot,” though he has also admitted he wouldprefer for Depp to reprise his roleagain.Ayo Edebiri’s Instagram Stories on Wednesday, March 12.Ayo Edebiri/InstagramNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In December 2024,Varietyreported that Bruckheimer is developing two versions of a sixthPiratesmovie in order to leave a potential path for Depp to return, citing anonymous sources. Margot Robbie was at one pointattached to lead aPiratesmovie.Edebiri’s personal criticism of Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, came just after she shared quotes from comedianBill Burron her Instagram Stories in which he also criticized Musk and called him “evidently a Nazi” during aMarch 10 interview on NPR.Ayo Edebiri on March 4, 2023.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagicAfter one of Edebiri’s Instagram followers responded to her post aboutPiratesand Musk and suggested she would succeed in aPiratesrole, the actress and comedian wrote, “@waltdisneyfrozenhead wait not DEI, but I’ve changed my mind maybe we could make some money idk lmk.“The star’s next movieOpusis in theaters March 14. On top of Edebiri’s Emmy-winning role inThe Bear, she is alsoexpected to write and star inDaniel Kaluuya’s in-the-workslive-actionBarneymovie.

Ayo Edebirisays she faced death threats online afterElon Muskspread rumors that she would star in aPirates of the Caribbeanmovie.

TheOpusactress, 29, sharedInstagram Storiesreacting to news coverage of Musk and his involvement with President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday, March 12. Edebiri posted an image of Musk’s Feb. 7, 2024post on his platform X(formerly Twitter) in which he wrote “Disney sucks” and shared a report claiming Edebiri was replacingJohnny Deppin a futurePiratessequel.

“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 LMAO so not only is he a double sg hl-ing fascist, he’s an idiot. but anyway.”

“Life is, of course, a gift,” Edebiri added in her post.

Depp, 61, last played Jack Sparrow in 2017’sDead Men Tell No Tales, and franchise producerJerry Bruckheimermost recently described the next film in the series as a “reboot,” though he has also admitted he wouldprefer for Depp to reprise his roleagain.

Ayo Edebiri’s Instagram Stories on Wednesday, March 12.Ayo Edebiri/Instagram

Ayo Edebiri/Instagram

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In December 2024,Varietyreported that Bruckheimer is developing two versions of a sixthPiratesmovie in order to leave a potential path for Depp to return, citing anonymous sources. Margot Robbie was at one pointattached to lead aPiratesmovie.

Edebiri’s personal criticism of Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, came just after she shared quotes from comedianBill Burron her Instagram Stories in which he also criticized Musk and called him “evidently a Nazi” during aMarch 10 interview on NPR.

Ayo Edebiri on March 4, 2023.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

After one of Edebiri’s Instagram followers responded to her post aboutPiratesand Musk and suggested she would succeed in aPiratesrole, the actress and comedian wrote, “@waltdisneyfrozenhead wait not DEI, but I’ve changed my mind maybe we could make some money idk lmk.”

The star’s next movieOpusis in theaters March 14. On top of Edebiri’s Emmy-winning role inThe Bear, she is alsoexpected to write and star inDaniel Kaluuya’s in-the-workslive-actionBarneymovie.

source: people.com