This story about Ariana DeBose first appeared in the Down to the Wire Issue of ’s awards magazine.
From the moment critics first got a taste of Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of “West Side Story,” they lavished praise on Ariana DeBose for her inspired interpretation of Anita, with many reviewers, including ’s, singling it out as the best part of the film. As the awards season unfolded, DeBose received recognition from SAG, BAFTA and dozens of critics groups—and on February 8, to the surprise of absolutely no one, she became an Oscar nominee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, making history as the first openly queer woman of color to be nominated for acting.
All of it DeBose still has to process. When asked how she’s wrapping her head around the experience, she could only reply with a tentative “Uh…”Before you break into a giddy laughter. “You should put that in the article: ‘She giggled.’”
“I don’t think you do wrap your head around it,”She went on. “I know I certainly haven’t. I was aware of the chatter around the performance even before the film had come out. I actually think you should dare to dream, but when you get this close to something that you have dreamed of, you don’t want to jinx yourself.”She noted, however, that she was also aware of the following: “I am someone that believes in infinite possibility. If you work hard, then essentially, anything should be possible.”
DeBose has achieved a position of greatness right now because of hard work and a lot of talent. The reality competition’s 2009 debut was a success. “So You Think You Can Dance,”This North Carolina native dancer (who started dancing at age 3) spent the next ten decades building a successful Broadway career. “Motown”To “Les Misérables”To “Pippin”Before joining the original cast “Hamilton”As the ominous Bullet. She won a Tony nomination in 2018 for her role as the ominous Bullet. “Disco Donna”In “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.” Next came small-screen roles in Ryan Murphy’s camp Netflix film “Prom,”The Apple TV+ musical parody series was next “Schmigadoon.” And now, there’s “West Side Story,”Her first major film, in which she gives life to the beloved character that won Rita Moreno an Oscar in 1961.
It is a heady time, to be sure, all the more so because playing Anita has felt more personal to DeBose than anything she’s done before. Anita still leads the show in this musical masterpiece. “America” and whose sisterly bond with young, lovesick Maria is the film’s true emotional core. DeBose explores what it means to live in the world as an Afro Latina. And living for all those months within a story that honors Puerto Rican heritage brought the 31-year-old actress closer to the culture she’d longed for her whole life.
“I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m a mixed-race individual,”She spoke. “My mother is white and my father is Puerto Rican and I didn’t grow up with access to my culture. When I was growing up, I was one of the only people who looked like me in my community. ‘West Side Story’ gave me the opportunity to completely immerse myself in a way that I had not been afforded until then. So for me, ‘West Side Story’ has been an incredibly healing project.”
However, it can be difficult to speak publicly about a topic as intimate and complex as identity. “It feels like a very vulnerable place to sit,”She spoke. “Because you get into feelings of not being accepted or finding acceptance (in a community). Every time I go out to promote the film or to talk about it, I sweat, I genuinely sweat. And whether it seems like it, I’m very nervous.”
Lucky for her, Moreno is her mentor. In addition to appearing as a new character—Valentina, the widow of the original movie’s sage shopkeeper, Doc—the veteran actress served as executive producer and resident “West Side Story”Expert for all things on the set DeBose is most proud of this piece from Moreno’s advice. “Just be yourself, never stop being yourself,”She remembered. “(Rita) said recently at a photo shoot we did, ‘You know, sometimes you’ll be too much for some people and that’s okay. They’re not your people.’ I’ve meditated on that for a minute.”
DeBose will carry that wisdom as she continues to build her career on Broadway and Hollywood. She already has two movies due for release this year, including Matthew Vaughn’s spy thriller “Argylle,”She hopes her path will lead her to a wider range of stories than was available as a child. “I got into this business to help reflect experiences that aren’t given voice every day,”She spoke. “I’m aware that there are young people who will see themselves in this work. That’s what I think is really cool about this moment. If any part of my journey is inspiring to young people, then to me, that’s a life well lived.”
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