Ariana DeBose tries to stay grounded ahead of big Oscars night
In a year that saw many Latinos nominated after there were barely any in 2021, Ariana DeBose, who is Afro-Latina and gay, also spoke about diversity and how she is just happy to represent the communities that she belongs to.
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. “It’s impossible to describe and I won’t be able to describe it until well after it’s done. I’m trying to remain a human.”
In a year that saw many Latinos nominated after there were barely any in 2021, DeBose, who is Afro-Latina and gay, also spoke about diversity and how she is just happy to represent the communities that she belongs to.
Remarks have been edited for brevity and clarity.
Now that some time has passed since the release of the film and the nominations, have you had a chance to look back and process all that’s happening to you?
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I think I need a little bit more time to fully understand everything that’s happening. Then, I feel good! I’m full of gratitude, you know. I won’t say that it’s not an emotional time, I feel all of the emotions! There’s a little bit of pressure, but there’s genuine excitement, and it’s a wonderful time to be an artist. I’m just excited that, No. 1, the work got made; No. 2, it got seen, and that it’s been received this way. Because so often, as artists we make work that isn’t seen or isn’t received well. So, to me, this is such a gift. It’s given me the opportunity to be seen as a human, to be seen as an artist and to represent all of the communities that I belong to in a way that I’m very hopeful will keep the conversation moving forward.
Without including yourself, you celebrated many of the Hispanic, Latin American and Spanish artists Oscar-nominated this year in an Instagram post. What do you feel when you see such range of candidates after there were barely any last year?
