Ariana DeBose is an American actress and singer whose work spans Broadway, film, and television. Rising to national attention as a Top 20 contestant on So You Think You Can Dance in 2009, she built an extensive stage career with roles in Bring It On: The Musical, Motown: The Musical, Pippin, Hamilton, and A Bronx Tale, earning a Tony Award nomination for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical in 2018. Her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021) won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first Afro-Latina and first openly queer woman of color to win an Oscar for acting. Additional credits include The Prom, Schmigadoon!, Westworld, Wish, I.S.S., Argylle, and Kraven the Hunter. Named to the Time 100, DeBose has also hosted the 75th Tony Awards and co-founded the Unruly Hearts Initiative supporting LGBTQ+ youth organizations. She is next set to star in Lear Rex (2025).
