Biography
Who is Ariana DeBose?
Early life and education
Ariana DeBose was born on January 25, 1991, in Wilmington, North Carolina. She grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she studied dance at the CC & Co. Dance Complex. Her mother, Gina DeBose, worked as a middle school teacher.
The performer has a diverse heritage, including African-American, Italian, and Puerto Rican ancestry. Her father is Puerto Rican and her mother is white. She attended Wake Forest-Rolesville High School and later went to Western Carolina University.
Broadway and television beginnings
In 2009, she appeared on the sixth season of So You Think You Can Dance. She was the first female contestant in that season and the first person overall to be eliminated from the competition. She later appeared on the soap opera One Life to Live.
Her stage career began in 2011 with the production of Bring It On. She subsequently performed in Broadway shows such as Motown: The Musical in 2013 and Pippin in 2014. Between 2015 and 2016, she was a member of the original ensemble for the musical Hamilton.
Career highlights and major awards
Ariana DeBose received a Tony Award nomination in 2018 for her role as Donna Summer in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She also appeared in the film The Prom in 2020 and the series Schmigadoon! Between 2021 and 2023. She has hosted the Tony Awards in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Her role as Anita in the 2021 film West Side Story earned her several major honors. She won an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award for this performance. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award, becoming the first Afro-Latina and queer woman of color to receive it.
Recent film and voice work
In 2023, she provided the voice for the character Asha in the animated Disney movie Wish. She also appeared in the science fiction thriller I.S.S. And the spy movie Argylle in 2024. She also had a role in the film Kraven the Hunter.
Her upcoming projects include a role in Lear Rex, which is a film adaptation of a play by William Shakespeare. In this production, she will perform alongside Al Pacino as the character Cordelia.
Birthday and age
Ariana DeBose was born on January 25, 1991, which makes Ariana 35 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Ariana shares the date with 26 other famous people.
Explore more









