Ariana DeBose is quickly becoming one of the hottest in-demand actresses in Hollywood. Now the new Oscar-winning actress has just found her next leading role. Reported exclusively by Deadline, DeBose will star in Screen Gems’ Two and Only. DeBose will also serve as an executive producer on the film. The original screenplay for the project is by Latina and LGBTQ+ writer Jen Rivas-DeLoose. DeLoose is best known for being a writer on Netflix’s Selena: The Series.
Not much is known about the film’s plot other than it being described as My Best Friend's Wedding with a Bisexual Latinx POV. That 1997 film was a romantic comedy all about sabotaging a wedding out of the name of love and was a hit at the box office. An updated twist on that type of story sounds like it would be a really fun idea. Especially since DeBose has an endlessly infectious personality that could bring a lot of charm and potential humor to this project. The film is being produced by Sad Unicorn’s Randall Einhorn and Jeremy Stern. Also, Scott Strauss and Giselle Johnson will oversee the production for Screen Gems.
Most people should know DeBose’s name by now as she recently won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in West Side Story. She became the first openly Queer woman of color to win an Oscar. That performance beautifully showed off DeBose’s spectacular range. She was funny, had amazing energy, and an impactful screen presence. However, at the same time, where her performance ended left most people speechlessly haunted.
It was not just audiences that gravitated towards her, she is now in high demand by studios because of what she accomplished in West Side Story. She is currently in production on the upcoming 2023 Sony Spider-Verse film Kraven the Hunter where she will be playing the villain Calypso. This was a hotly contested role that DeBose landed after blowing away the Sony exes. DeBose also recently wrapped production on the upcoming Matthew Vaughn Apple action film Argylle where the actress will be starring opposite Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dua Lipa. Her other upcoming project is Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s space thriller I.S.S.
DeBose started her career in theater where she appeared in productions like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original run on Hamilton and A Bronx Tale. She would eventually earn a Tony nomination for her role as Disco Donna in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. This would lead her to appear in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix musical The Prom and Lorne Michaels’ Apple TV+ musical comedy Schmigadoon!.
DeBose is such a multi-talented performer, and it will be great to see her in a leading role. Especially, given the important LGBTQ+ themes that this story looks to put front and center. Due to all this, Two and Only will definitely be a film to keep your eye out for as we learn more information about the project. Including the cast that will eventually surround DeBose.