Ayo Edebiri has a very personal connection to her pitch for the “Barney” movie.

During a recent discussion with The Wall Street Journal, Edebiri said that her pitch for the “Barney” movie, which will be produced by A24 and Daniel Kaluuya’s 59% Productions in partnership with “Barney” IP owner Mattel Films, was developed with her “best friend” who was very sick and has since “passed away.”

“My best friend, who’s now passed away, was sick and I had to go film,” Edebiri said. “I was like, ‘We have to push back. I have to be here because I’m pretty sure she’s going to die.’ I was like, ‘If you have to sue me, then you have to sue me, but we have to push. I have to be here when she dies or I’m going to really regret it.’ And I pushed. I’m really glad I did because I got to spend a lot of time with her.”

Edebiri explained that their friendship went all the way back to the third grade when they “met in the picture day line.” “The Bear” star added that it was her friend who suggested she come to visit after noticing she was burnt out from work.

“She was like, ‘When can you take a break?’ And then I did,” she said. “I went on a trip to Asia for a month. I felt like that girl who takes a gap year. That’s where I ended up coming up with the idea for ‘Barney’ that I ended up pitching to Daniel.”

She continued, “I was just thinking of, what are the movies that I want to make? What are the things that I want to do? What are the things that make me excited? So I just had this idea, and then we started building it out together. And then it becomes what it’s going to be, which I don’t want to say too much about.”

Edebiri and Kaluuya’s involvement in the “Barney” movie was first announced back in February. Although the “Get Out” star will serve as lead producer, sources tell Variety he will not be starring in the movie. Plot details remain under wraps.

First debuting in 1988, “Barney & Friends” ran for 14 seasons on PBS before ending in November 2010.