Ariana DeBoseis dancing towards awards season gold — and givingLady Gagaa sweet shout-out along the way!
“Thank you. My heart is beating in my chest right now,” she began through tears. “It’s taken a long time for me to feel comfortable calling myself an actor. My roots come from the dance world and the Broadway stage, and the Anita we see on screen took every bit of me but she took 10 years to make and I’m extremely proud of her and of our film.”
“And I really do believe that when you recognize one of us, you recognize all of us so thank you SAG-AFTRA for this recognition,” she added.
Ariana DeBose.Rich Fury/Getty Images
“And just thank all of you, all of you staring at me, so many of you, dear God,” she said. “HiLady Gaga, you’re amazing!”
“I have watched so many of you for a very long time,” DeBose continued. “You have inspired me and continue to do so and I am just thrilled to be among you, so thank you.”
20th Century Studios
Backstage, DeBose was asked about her Gaga shout-out.
The other nominees in the category were Caitríona Balfe (Belfast), Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley), Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog) and Ruth Negga (Passing).
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DeBose, who plays Anita in the movie musical, recently told U.K.Harper’s BAZAARabout career advice she sticks to: “I’ve been given several valuable pieces of advice. [Director] Matthew Vaughn recently told me, ‘Don’t change.’ Know yourself, know what you stand for, what you like, and never stop speaking up for yourself. I think when you work in the entertainment industry, people around you change — but if you know who you are, you’re the constant, and so it allows you to steer your own ship and make your own choices.”
“So that’s my goal. I really hope I don’t change,” she added. “I actually like who I am right now!”
West Side Storyis available to stream on HBO Max and Disney+ starting March 2.
The 28th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are currently airing live on TNT and TBS.
source: people.com
