Episode 203 - Ariana DeBose

Little Known Facts with Ilana Levine

Ariana DeBose is a Tony-nominated actress known for her varying roles on stage as well as on screen. DeBose is perhaps best known for her role as “Disco Donna” in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which earned her a 2018 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. For the same role, she was nominated for a Drama League Award for “Distinguished Performance” and won a Chita Rivera Award for “Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show.”

DeBose recently wrapped production on Ryan Murphy's Netflix adaptation of the hit-Broadway musical THE PROM, where she stars as Alyssa alongside Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and James Corden. In December, DeBose will be seen in Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated reimagining of the Academy Award-winning musical WEST SIDE STORY. DeBose was chosen from thousands of actresses to portray the iconic role of Anita, which earned Rita Moreno an Oscar in 1962.

In 2015, DeBose appeared alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda in the groundbreaking, Tony-winning musical Hamilton as a member of the original cast in both the Broadway and off-Broadway productions. A film version of the production will be released on Disney+ in July. After her departure from Hamilton in 2016, DeBose completed a run as Jane in the original Broadway cast of A Bronx Tale.

Her additional theater credits include: Leading Player in the Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin​, Mary Wilson of the Supremes in ​Motown The Musical, ​Nautica in Andy Blankenbuehler’s ​Bring It On: The Musical and ensemble in Stephen Sondheim's ​Company.​ Other credits include: ​The Breaks ​(VH1), ​Blue Bloods (CBS), OLTL’s Star Crossed Lovers Series and Season 6 of ​So You Think You Can Dance (FOX), where she was a top-20 finalist.

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