Actress Reveals Viral Phrase "I'm Seated" Origin

In October 2025, actress and writer Edebiri, 30, revealed that she was the one who started the popular online phrase "I'm seated" back in April 2024. During an interview with Bustle to promote her new film After the Hunt alongside co-star Andrew Garfield, 42, Edebiri surprised Garfield by disclosing that she had coined the viral meme.

The phrase "I'm seated" has its roots in the long-used English phrase "I'm sat," which has been used in parts of the UK to mean "I'm paying attention." This slang term later evolved and broke into mainstream internet culture in 2021 when a TikTok sound from a 2017 episode of Love Island UK became popular.

Edebiri's comment on actress Hunter Schafer's Instagram post promoting her horror film Cuckoo is what initially popularized the "I'm seated" phrase. Garfield was shocked to learn that Edebiri was behind the meme, exclaiming, "Are you kidding me?" Edebiri replied, "No," to which Garfield responded, "Revelatory!"

The actress explained that she has been trying to remove herself from online interactions, as she feels she has been giving away too much content for free. She wants to focus on her writing and get paid for her work.