Ariana DeBose is the Latina “it” actress taking the world —and award shows — by storm. In March 2022, the actress became the first Afro-Latina and second Latina to win an Academy Award.
Ariana’s triumph came 60 years after fellow Puerto Rican actress the legendary Rita Moreno also won the award in the same category for the same movie and same role. In 1962, Moreno became the first Hispanic woman ever to receive the recognition.
“Imagine this little girl in the back seat of a white Ford Focus, look into her eyes: You see a queer, openly queer woman of color, an Afro Latina who found her strength in life through art. And that’s what I believe we’re here to celebrate. To anybody who has ever questioned your identity ever, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us.”
And previously, she had secured the category of Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in Steven Spielberg ’s West Side Story .
© West Side StoryThe Puerto Rican descent star and proud queer Afro-Latina also won in the best supporting actress category at the 2022 Critics Choice Awards, the 2022 SAG Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and the 2022 BAFTA Awards for the same performance in the same category — consistency is the keyword for DeBose.
© Getty ImagesThe actor will executive produce and star in Two and Only, an upcoming romantic comedy written by Jen Rivas-DeLoose. As if it wasn’t enough, Ariana secured a role in the Spider-Man spin-off movie Kraven the Hunter. DeBose is reportedly playing the role of Calypso in the Sony Pictures’ Marvel movie, starring Aaron Taylor Johnson.
Wait, there’s more! The Latina star debuted as a Tony Awards host on the Radio City Music Hall stage. The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre tapped DeBose to host the 75th annual awards show on Sunday, June 12.
Clearly, she is one of the most exciting up-and-coming actresses. What makes us really proud is how she uses her platform to spread awareness about topics that matter, such as the inclusion of Latinx and Queer voices in the entertainment industry.
