Ariana DeBose

Ariana DeBose is an American actress and singer. She was born on January 25, 1991, in Wilmington, North Carolina to a Puerto Rican father and a mother of white, African American, and Italian descent. Her journey to stardom began as a Top 20 contestant on the reality competition show So You Think You Can Dance in 2009. She made her Broadway debut in 2011 with Bring It On: The Musical, followed by roles in Motown: The Musical (2013) and Pippin (2014). She was also in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton from 2015 to 2016 and portrayed Jane in A Bronx Tale (2016-2017). Her breakthrough role was Disco Donna in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical in 2017, earning her a Tony Award nomination. Her filmography includes The Prom (2020) and a recurring role in the musical comedy series Schmigadoon! (2021–present). However, her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (2021) brought her international acclaim, winning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also voiced the lead role in Disney's Wish (2023), where she sang the anthemic track "This Wish." Ariana DeBose also hosted the Tony Award ceremonies in 2022 and 2023 and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. Time magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in 2022.