Ariana DeBose Feared of Not Being 'Latina Enough' to Play Anita in 'West Side Story' Before Getting Role, Oscar Nomination

Making an enduring impression on both audience and voters alike, Ariana DeBose's role as Anita in "West Side Story" is one of 2021's biggest success stories.

DeBose, who is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress this year, has already won that title in several major awards competitions. However, there was a time when the 31-year-old actress did not think she would get the part, fearing she was not "enough" of a Latina.

During a Vanity Fair interview with playwright and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, they were both asked about working in the Spanish language for their respective projects, Cinema Blend reported.

DeBose brought up her previous comments of being "intimidated" by the West Side Story's dialogue, prompting her to explain her fears: "It was totally scary. I do not speak Spanish. I'm not fluent."

DeBose felt like she did not represent the community "well enough" since she is just half Puerto Rican. In the case of Steven Spielberg's wildly-praised remake, the Spanish dialogue in West Side Story seemed all the more important to get right, as it remained untranslated in the final cut.

Audience members would be more likely to pick out any flaws, adding to the intimidation. Scared as she may have been, Ariana DeBose still went for Anita, which is the role originated by Rita Moreno in the 1961 film adaptation.

Ariana DeBose Learns to Speak Spanish for 'West Side Story'

The process of shaping up West Side Story's latest incarnation provided Ariana DeBose with a safety net that helped her learn.

Despite not growing up speaking Spanish, DeBose learned the language "very quickly," with the help of her dialect coaches and Spanish coaches, and the entire crew, who spoke Spanish around her all the time.

The actress, who identifies herself as Queer, also thinks that a portion of the DNA recognizes the language as one's native tongue.

The film's casting director Cindy Tolan revealed the challenge in casting Anita, as she tried to get DeBose to audition four times.

DeBose initially declined a chance to audition since she was busy rehearsing on Broadway for "Summer: The Donna Summer Show."

Tolan recalled that prior to the day of auditions, she called Ariana DeBose again at around 10:30 p.m., urging her to come to Brooklyn and meet Spielberg.

What's Next for Ariana DeBose?

Building a formidable career through stage and screen roles, Ariana DeBose had already distinguished herself with some hallmarks.

Not only was the 30-year-old actress in the "Hamilton" cast as "The Bullet," but she was also nominated for a Tony for her performance in "A Bronx Tale." Aside from her amazing triple-threat abilities of dancing, acting, and singing in Hamilton, she had many roles on Broadway to share with the world.

Her most recent accomplishment in West Side Story could be her crowning achievement so far, especially if she ends up winning the top honors in a quite competitive field.

Ariana DeBose's upcoming projects include a role in Henry Cavill and Matthew Vaughn's espionage thriller "Argylle," and her most recent casting in Sony's "Kraven the Hunter" film.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

WATCH: Ariana DeBose on Historic Oscar Nomination for 'West Side Story' - From TODAY