Ariana DeBose Movies: Where Did the Afro Latina Actress Appear Before Snatching the Oscars Award?

By Mary Webber First Posted: Apr 05, 2022 08:52 AM EDT

Ariana DeBose recently took home the Oscars award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story."

DeBose was born in 1991 to an Afro-Puerto Rican father and a white mother. According to What to Watch, she started acting young and studied multiple dance styles at CC & Co. Dance Complex in Raleigh, North Carolina.

DeBose also competed regularly at New York City Dance Alliance and West Coast Dance Explosion before switching her focus to musical theater as a teen.

She also had a short stint in the Top 20 on Season 6 of "So You Think You Can Dance" and spent three months at Western Carolina University.

Ariana DeBose on Broadway

Ariana DeBose not only appeared in the original Broadway cast of "Hamilton." According to Parade, she also participated in the filmed stage production available on Disney+ as a member of the ensemble and was given a secret part to play.

"Hamilton" fans know her as "The Bullet," which is a personification of death that shadows Alexander Hamilton throughout the show and surfaces at key moments. "The Bullet" is the first character to die on stage as a spy outed by a British soldier.

Before "Hamilton," Ariana DeBose became a part of the production of "A Chorus Line," had an ensemble role in the first national tour of "Wicked" and Nautica in a new show, "Bring It On: The Musical."

Ariana DeBose reportedly made her Broadway debut in "Bring It On" at age 22. The Oscar winner has admitted that she was unprepared for her "Bring It On" audition. DeBose noted that she worked so hard on Nautica's rap and forgot that there was another song.

She also had roles in "Motown: The Musical" and in the 2013 revival of "Pippin." It was then that followed her role in "Hamilton." Ariana DeBose left "Hamilton" to "reset" with the goal of stepping out of ensemble roles in the future.

Ariana DeBose in Television and Films

Ariana DeBose was most well-known for her role as Alyssa Greene in the 2020 film "The Prom" and for providing voice acting for the adult animated TV show "Human Resources," which is a spin-off from the popular show "Big Mouth," according to The Scotsman.

She also played Emma Tate in the television series "Schmigadoon" with Cecily Strong. Two films featuring her are currently in post-production, namely "I.S.S." and "Argylle."

She is currently filming for J.C. Chandor's film "Kraven the Hunter," where she will star with Hollywood's big names Russel Crowe and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Ariana DeBose Bagging the Oscars

Ariana DeBose took home the Best Supporting Actress for this year's Oscars, making history with her being the first Afro-Latina and LGBTQ+ actress to bag the award.

DeBose paid tribute to her family, her collaborators, and several communities that she considered herself to be part of, according to theGrio.

The Afro-Latina actress spoke about her identity and the contribution of art to her life, saying that she was an "openly queer woman of color, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art."

Ariana DeBose described the remake of "West Side Story" as "a healing project."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Rachel Zegler 'Knew' Ariana DeBose Would Win Oscar For 'West Side Story' - From Access