Ariana DeBose on Being First Latina SAG Film Actress Winner: ‘Doors Are Opening’

Ten years as a working actress on Broadway has given Ariana DeBose a grounded approach to the swell of accolades accompanying her performance as the iconic Anita in Steven Spielberg’s remake of West Side Story. Following a legacy of iconic performances, both on stage and film, DeBose is allowing herself to pave her own path, giving this moment of successes and critical appreciation a charming, honest, culturally modern spin.

NEW YORK -- Rita Moreno told her “Enjoy it, honey!” and that's what Ariana DeBose has been doing this awards season.The actor, who has been sweeping every accolade for her fiery portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg's “West Side Story” — the same role that won Moreno the Academy Award in 1962 — is heading into the Oscars on March 27 as an undisputable favorite in the best supporting actress category after several key wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and Sunday's BAFTA ceremony.It's been a long whirlwind journey of traveling the globe, meeting huge stars and public speaking, but DeBose is doing everything she can to stay grounded.“I try to keep my feet on the ground and my heart in the heavens,” she said in a recent interview via Zoom from her home in New York City, explaining that she sleeps when she can, turns her phone off, plays with her cat and dogs and tries to check in with her friends.“This is an extraordinary experience. It’s singular," she added.

This story about Ariana DeBose first appeared in the Down to the Wire Issue of TheWrap’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 TheWrap’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 which DeBose is still processing.

Rita Moreno is back on the awards season circuit with Steven Spielberg's celebrated new adaptation of the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim musical and ready to cheer on Ariana DeBose, who is poised to make Oscars history once again with a win for the same role.«I'll tell you what, this is an Oscar part,» Moreno told ET's Will Marfuggi at the 74th Directors Guild of America Awards on Saturday night. «And I can tell you the scene that seals it, and it's the scene in the candy store.

Ariana DeBose is unstoppable! The Afro-Latina won in the best supporting actress category at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards for her stunning performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story.“Wow, this is wild. I wrote some things down, and yet my phone is over there.

Ariana DeBose has an inspiring message for fans while accepting an award at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards on Sunday night (March 13) from London, England.

Ariana DeBose has won Best Supporting Actress at the 202 Critics Choice Awards for her role in .The actress was blown away as she accepted the award from The Savoy Hotel in London, just hours after earning a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for the same role.DeBose stunned in a goldenrod yellow strapless column gown from Carolina Herrera as she thanked fans and critics for their support.«Critics, you matter, and I am so, so, so grateful for your support of ,» DeBose shared. «There were so many people who questions whether or not this film should be reimagined, and you rallied around us, you loved on us, every single one of us, and I am very, very grateful for that.»«To my fellow nominees, you are also esteemed and glorious and I love you so much! You inspire me, and especially one fellow nominee, the great Rita Moreno,» she shared, addressing the Oscar winner who was nominated in the same category as DeBose. «Seriously, you made space for me to thrive beside you.

Ariana DeBose has won Best Supporting Actress at the 202 Critics’ Choice Awards for her role in “West Side Story”.

If you go to see this, The Prank’s on you.

She may have won a SAG Award, been nominated for a Tony Award, and just earned her first Oscar nomination for “West Side Story,” but Ariana DeBose is driven by being a “consummate perfectionist.” That means when she watched the celebrated Steven Spielberg musical for the first time she “found a million things” she could have done better. Considering the almost universal acclaim her performance as Anita received, many viewers and her peers would politely disagree.

Paul Tazewell, a first-time Oscar nominee for Costume Design, sat with Best Supporting Actress nominee Ariana DeBose (who won the SAG Award earlier this week) in Disney’s panel for Deadline’s Contenders Film: The Nominees. The two have worked together on other projects, notably on Hamilton, before getting a call from Steven Spielberg about West Side Story that was too good to pass up.

EXCLUSIVE: Amblin Partners and Nordisk Film have set a multi-year renewal of their long-standing distribution partnership.

Ariana DeBose is taking Hollywood by storm and has her eye on a new challenge. The celebrated actress is joining the action-packed world of comic book cinema!ET can confirm that the Oscar-nominated star has signed on to star in Sony Pictures' upcoming Marvel project, DeBose will appear opposite Aaron Taylor Johnson, who is set to star as the titular Kraven, a Russian immigrant who's real name is Sergei Kravinoff, who comes to New York to prove himself as the world's greatest hunter.According to, who was the first to report the casting news, DeBose is likely set to play Calypso, who — at least in the comics — is a sinister voodoo priestess and magical villain who is also an occasional love interest and ally to Kraven.Both Kraven and Calypso have been longtime enemies of Spider-Man, and fit into the Sony Spider-Man Universe that the studio has established with movies including and the long-delayed, starring Jared Leto.is helmed by J.C.

SAG Award winner and Academy Award nominee Ariana DeBose has joined “Kraven the Hunter” for Sony Pictures, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.Deadline which first reported the news, claims the actress will play the role of Calypso. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to star in the title role. The studio also locked in the actor for multiple pictures as the iconic “Spider-Man” villain.

EXCLUSIVE: Fresh off her historic win at the SAG awards Sunday night, Ariana DeBose has her sights set on her next major project as the Oscar-nominee is set to join Sony Pictures’ Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson in the titular role. Although it’s unconfirmed, sources say DeBose would play Calypso in the movie.

Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Fallon have teamed up to write a bilingual children’s book. The singer and actress and the late-night talk show host announced that on October 11 this year, they would launch Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure.“I’m so excited to launch my first children’s book, and it’s even more special to collaborate with Jimmy!” Lopez says in a statement to People.

Ariana DeBose becomes the first Afro-Latina queer actor to win a SAG Award in the best supporting actress category for her performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. After accepting her award, the Puerto Rican descent star said her winning indicates “that doors are opening,” adding, “It’s an honor to an Afro Latina queer woman of color and a dancer and a singer and an actor.”DeBose also said that although she is the first, she will not be the last.