From 'West Side Story' to 'House of Spoils' – Ariana DeBose's Journey

Ariana DeBose's rise to stardom exemplifies the power of resilience and authenticity in an industry often swayed by fleeting trends. From her stunning, Oscar-winning portrayal of Anita in West Side Story to her unforgettable (and viral) moment at the 2023 BAFTA Awards, where she joyously celebrated Angela Bassett's achievements with a heartfelt shoutout, DeBose has emerged as a trailblazer for queer Afro-Latinos in Hollywood. Her ability to blend personal identity with her artistry has not only earned her accolades, but also a dedicated following, as audiences connect with her sincere and vibrant performances. Each role she undertakes allows her to delve into different aspects of her multifaceted self, reaffirming her commitment to storytelling that reflects the rich tapestry of human experience.

In her newest supernatural film House of Spoils, DeBose takes on the role of Chef, a character navigating the complexities of culinary art and personal fulfillment. The film, described as a whimsical yet poignant exploration of food, relationships, and self-discovery, follows Chef as she strives to impress investors while grappling with her own failures and disappointments. This portrayal allows DeBose to showcase her passion for cooking and the emotional connections that food can evoke. Notably, Chef's narrative transcends typical representations of sexuality, highlighting her humanity without reducing her identity to just one aspect. As DeBose embarks on this culinary journey, she reflects the film's deeper themes of healing and the joy of food, resonating with audiences on a personal level.

Out: In an industry often dominated by trends and quick successes, what does longevity mean to you as an artist? How do you balance between making bold career choices and maintaining a sustainable, authentic path?

Ariana DeBose: Wonderful question. I think all of my characters do enlighten different personality traits or different parts of myself that I want to explore. I try to keep a healthy separation of church and state, because I think if you're not careful and you're literally just playing a version of yourself all the time, that sometimes can get unhealthy. All of my characters do allow me some sort of exploration. With Anita in West Side Story, I was able to explore my Hispanic heritage, my Latinidad ,and I was so grateful for it. It awoke something in me that I didn't realize. It was like, 'Oh my God, that's half my personality.' With Asha in Wish, even though I was just her voice character, the simple fact that Disney hired me to be the voice of this character and that character sort of looked like me, and she had braids and she had freckles in a world that was extremely diverse, like, are you kidding me? I want to be able to bring my full self to every job. Chef’s sexuality was not at the forefront in House of Spoils. I specifically enjoyed that because I don't believe we should always have to talk about our sexuality. It's not the first thing that walks into a room. A human walks in the room first. I liked that she could be a full expression of her humanity without having to address that specifically but you understand her energy.

It’s Hispanic Heritage Month and as an Afro-Latino, I recognize there aren't many stories about Latine people in the universe. On a recent flight, I was scrolling to find a film to watch and the limited options they had were pretty disheartening, especially since they recycled stories from years ago showing how little we’ve progressed with representation in storytelling. How do you navigate a space that a lot of times, it's hard for people who identify and look like us to be given those opportunities to tell our stories?

This is a necessary question. I mean, I keep showing up. I wish that I could say that there was a handbook or I had a how to guide. I see the very same things that you see, the very same things that you just mentioned. It is disappointing because it means the full breadth of our identities, we haven't even scratched the surface. So not on the flip side, but in tandem with your question, one of the things that I have experienced is having a major moment in the sun where my identity was so politicized and talked about. Now, on the flip side or the aftermath of that, as I pursue work, there are moments where that's the only thing that's leading and character. I want to be a fully formed artist as well. For me, in certain moments, sometimes I'm searching for balance. I don't want to always feel like, 'Oh, the industry needs an Afro Latina, let’s call Ariana DeBose.' I'm not the only one, there’s so many. There’s not one way to present as Hispanic or someone of Hispanic heritage. Again, the point is the breadth and the diversity of our being, and the same that we talk about being Black is not a monolith, being Hispanic is not a monolith.

There’s a memorable scene in House of Spoils involving food and digestion that added a comedic, yet relatable, layer to the film. Has working on this film or its culinary themes changed your relationship with food, particularly when it comes to indulgence or discipline?

Ooooh, yes! Working on the film definitely enhanced my love of cooking, shockingly, because when you experience this film, it brings out a lot of emotions around food. Through playing Chef and sort of seeing and feeling the ways that she loves and appreciates food and how experimental and artistic it can be, I have taken that back into my own life. One of my favorite things to do is chop vegetables as a meditation.

You did that very well in the film, by the way.

Thanks, Ty! I did work very hard, but I think that food can be healing and I also loved that aspect of the film. There is a storyline that really is more about healing and not judging a book by its cover simply because you're afraid of it.

You’ve talked before about using joy as a guiding principle in your life and career. How do you hold onto joy when you're playing characters with heavy or challenging narratives? How do you stay connected to that guiding force in darker, more complex roles?

That is an excellent question. I'll be honest and say this one was hard. I am not an artist who is afraid of playing in the dark, but I did. I also discovered I was a little bit method with this character, and I didn't know that about myself until about halfway through, and I was like, 'Oh, shake it off, sis.' There were some dark moments for me in the process of making it but the joy I was able to find and hold onto was the joy of fully understanding that this film was giving me an opportunity to do something and be seen in a light that I had never been considered for. I was given the opportunity to lead a film, and up until that point, it's like I'd done ensemble pieces. I've won awards for a supporting character, but I'd never been number one on a call sheet. So when things were dark and they were heavy, I did kind of recenter myself on... there's something to be learned here if I can learn how to face, whatever darkness I feel inside, but also realize that's a character. Those emotions belong to a character, and there's joy in this process. We made this movie in Budapest, in Hungary. To have an experience of making a film in another country was actually quite joyful too, because I enjoy seeing the world through other people's eyes.

In House of Spoils, your character experiences disappointment and failure despite her best efforts to impress the investors. Can you recall a time in your career when you felt like you "failed" at an audition or a role, and how did you overcome that setback? What lessons did you carry forward from that experience?

Oh my God, that's such a good question. I just feel like I saw seven moments in my life flash before my eyes. I can tell you that I've even had some audition experiences where I felt like I was being hazed, only to then be cut from a process that does not feel good. There was a process once, and it was for a Broadway show, where I did feel like I was being hazed, and they knew they weren't going to hire me, but they wanted to teach me a lesson by putting me through my paces. I have since had that actually confirmed by people who worked on that production and that is the type of behavior that is so unacceptable, I don't even know where to begin because it's unnecessary. I think probably the most well known example of rejection that I've experienced in my life is my time on So You Think You Can Dance. I was 18, so I had to learn what that felt like and try to process it at a very young age so that I could be able to move on. That was the moment that I learned to take rejection as redirection, because that room was not my room. The same way that that Broadway show that I auditioned for, that was not my show because they didn't see me. So now when I receive rejection in any facet or form, I really do focus on the fact that that is a redirect, because for whatever reason, that's not my room, and I can't be of service to that room. I go where I get a resounding yes, and then I give my whole self to that space because I know they see me. Even if their vision's a little blurry, I'm gonna clear that up real fast, and we gonna keep moving on.

They went from the "House of Haze" to the House of Spoils because look at you now (laughs). During your viral moment celebrating Angela Bassett, you brought so much joy and spontaneity to the stage. What’s been one of the most unexpectedly joyful or spontaneous moments in your career that reminded you of why you love what you do? How do you keep that same energy alive in your day-to-day work?

Gosh, you're just full of really good questions. Honestly, I will say the "Angela Bassett did the thing" moment might not have started out as joyful, but it certainly ended there. The impetus of that entire moment was to celebrate those women. There were many women being celebrated that awards season, and it was so fun to be able to watch them walk through it with joy. They were very supportive of each other, which I just admired. There had been times during my awards season where I had actually kind of felt a little lonely. It was in those connections that you make with the women who are also on the journey, that’s where the joy comes from. That was really fun, and that's where that moment kind of was born from. To see how people gravitated towards celebrating Angela with it, that made me really happy, because she is a queen, and she deserves her flowers, and that was a really cool way to be able to give them to her and to watch it sort of take on and have a life of its own. Those are the most joyful moments, because ultimately, creativity is about giving. Then it's at its best, other people see it and they shine the light on it, and it amplifies so we got to amplify all this light onto Angela Bassett.

House of Spoils is now streaming on Prime Video.