West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose Makes History with Her Oscar Win
Ariana DeBose has a lot to celebrate tonight. To start, she took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role of Anita in Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake of West Side Story, and she made history doing it.
DeBose is the first openly queer woman of color to win an Academy Award, and she and Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 West Side Story, are the first pair of actresses to win an Oscar for the same role in different movies. “I'm so grateful your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me,” DeBose called out to Moreno during her speech, wearing a striking red look by Valentino.
As she said her thank yous on stage, DeBose ended with an uplifting message. “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.”
The actress, whose Broadway credits include Hamilton, Pippin, and Bring It On the Musical—plus Netflix's star-studded adaptation of the musical The Prom—was considered the frontrunner in the supporting actress Oscar race, earning widespread praise for her exuberant performance as Anita in the remake. Sure enough, DeBose emerged victorious on Sunday night's ceremony against fellow nominees Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter), Judi Dench (Belfast), Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog), and Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard).
DeBose previously spoke with ELLE.com about connecting with the character as she watched the first West Side Story growing up. “I did see myself in Anita,” she said. “Perhaps not completely in the physical manifestation of her, because Rita Moreno and I look very different, but in the attributes of this character. She’s a woman ahead of her time. She has agency and she speaks her mind. But she believes in the possibility of her American dream and that there is space for her at the proverbial table, and she’s willing to work hard to earn it.”
Read the actress's full Oscars acceptance speech below.
You know, what, what is this!? You know what, now I see why that Anita says “I want to be in America” because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true. And that's really a heartening thing right now.
If I took the time to say thank you to every single beautiful person who has lifted me up on this stage, you fine people would be sitting here until next Oscars, so I'm not going to do that. But just allow me to say that it was the summer of a lifetime and I am the most privileged and grateful to have spent it with all of you. My God, thank you, Steven Spielberg. You're stuck with me now! Yay! Thank you Kristie Macosko Krieger and Tony Kushner and the divine inspiration that is Rita Marino. You are staring at me right now and I'm so grateful. Your Anita paved the way the way for tons of Anitas like me. And I love you so much.
I'm gonna wrap this up and talk about my family, my mother, who is here tonight. Mama, I love you with my whole heart and this is as much yours as it is mine. Some of my tribesmen, my family, my love, Sue, Jonathan, Diana, Anthony. I couldn't do what I do without each and every one of you.
Lastly, 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. Yeah. So, 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. Thank you to the Academy and thank you all.
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