If you haven’t already, now’s the time to get to know Ariana DeBose. Admittedly, I had a good deal to learn about all of her Broadway accomplishments on this edition of Collider Ladies Night because my mind is in the movie and TV bubble 24/7. Not only was it a thrill to dig into DeBose’s step-by-step journey to scoring a Tony nomination simply because it’s wonderful to hear about a hardworking and passionate person finding success, but also because it teases what she’s bringing to her on-screen work with films like The Prom, which is out now on Netflix, and with Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story due in theaters in 2021. We’re already seeing big things for DeBose and even more are on the horizon so what better time to get a sense of where it all started?

In this edition of Collider Ladies Night, DeBose took us from some of her earliest inspirations and her experience on So You Think You Can Dance to a show that was and still is a massive phenomenon, Hamilton. DeBose played “the bullet” in the Hamilton ensemble, a role that wound up scoring her an Astaire Award nomination for her work. While the show was enjoying peak success, DeBose actually opted to leave the production. While one might assume that choice was a bold and potentially scary risk to take, DeBose was confident in her decision for one big reason; “Leaving the show wasn’t necessarily as nerve-racking for me because I believe in an expiration date because I don’t like getting stale.” She added, “Broadway shows, you can do them for years and that’s great. It’s not my style, personally.”

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Image via Disney+

But that doesn’t mean there were no nerves involved in making this choice. DeBose wasn’t afraid to leave Hamilton; it was more about the risk that comes with pushing for more featured or leading roles in shows rather than ensemble parts. Here’s how she put it:

“What made me more nervous was leaving the show and choosing to try and book more featured roles or leading lady roles, because that’s not necessarily how the industry saw me, right? That’s not the box that I fit in for them necessarily. So I had to change a lot of minds, or it felt like I had to change some minds in order to find success … But those were hard choices. They’re not easy because people look at you sideways a little bit trying to figure out if you don’t necessarily feel like it’s good enough - like what you have is not good enough in the moment. That definitely was not the case for me. I just wanted to continue to challenge myself.”

Jo Ellen Pellman and Ariana DeBose in The Prom
Image via Netflix

Again, I don’t know as much about the Broadway landscape as I do film and television, but still, the thought of one assuming you’re not grateful for the ensemble opportunities you have when there seems to be a very clear trajectory for vying for bigger roles felt a bit strange to me. Here’s what DeBose said in response:

“As much as I’m an artist, I consider myself a business person of sorts. I made a very conscious decision to get to know the business of my business. And to me, that path was obvious. If I was willing to work for it then, theoretically, I could achieve it. So that’s what I did, but there were many people who looked at me sideways and I’ve worked to change their minds. I don’t know if I have. After a while you also learn you can’t change everyone’s mind. That’s on them. But I lead with love and I just keep doing what I’m doing because it’s working, and I’m proud of the work I’m doing and I have found the challenges I was looking for. And what I’m doing now? It ain’t easy, but I’m so thrilled by it! It makes me want to get up in the morning.”

Turns out, all of these challenges DeBose took on were for the better. After Hamilton, not only did she score the role of Jane in A Bronx Tale: The Musical, but she also got to play Disco Donna in The Donna Summer Musical. She continues to find great success in new territory with movie musicals like The Prom and West Side Story. What’s next for DeBose? Other than the release of West Side Story and the Cecily Strong show, Schmigadoon, I don’t know, but I do feel pretty certain that DeBose’s mind frame and her approach to her work is a sure sign she’ll continue growing, honing her craft and surprising us every step of the way.

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Image via 20th Century Fox

Ariana DeBose:

  • 00:45 - The experience that told DeBose she had to be a performer at just six-years-old.
  • 01:35 - How Julia Roberts, Whitney Houston and Rita Moreno shaped DeBose’s initial career dreams.
  • 03:14 - How Rent, Aida and Bebe Neuwirth convinced DeBose that she could do it all - be a dancer, singer and actress.
  • 05:10 - The importance of having her mom’s support while pursuing her dream.
  • 07:03 - DeBose revisits her decision to do So You Think You Can Dance and her takeaways from the show.
  • 08:30 - Did So You Think You Can Dance really feel like a “breakthrough” to DeBose?
  • 10:39 - What’s the last reality TV show DeBose watched?
  • 11:25 - How Bring It On: The Musical taught DeBose how to make a musical.
  • 13:48 - The art of messing up; is the pressure higher on stage or on a big film shoot like The Prom?
  • 16:14 - How exactly did DeBose get involved in Hamilton?
  • 18:57 - DeBose on the benefits of seeing Hamilton on Disney+.
  • 19:50 - DeBose highlights the Hamilton cast members who helped make the show a positive working environment.
  • 21:29 - Making the decision to leave Hamilton; the challenge of scoring lead roles.
  • 25:29 - Does DeBose hope to produce and create her own projects?
  • 26:36 - DeBose on having her first official press junket experience for The Prom.
  • 28:21 - How Meryl Streep’s process gave DeBose more confidence in her own work.
  • 30:26 - The Prom cast members who challenged DeBose to adapt the most; DeBose highlights a very important lesson learned while making films.
  • 31:40 - DeBose discusses the art of nailing a significant story arc for her character in The Prom, but with limited screen time.
  • 36:06 - What are the new, exciting things DeBose gets from telling stories on screen compared to the stage?
  • 38:17 - DeBose discusses her experience working with Steve Spielberg on West Side Story.
  • 39:52 - Random questions begin! Find out what show DeBose watched last, the meal she’d eat over and over, the hobby she’s doing more while in lockdown, if she'd rather have to fake sneeze or fake vomit in a scene, and her biggest fear overcome right here.