Ariana DeBose is what
I call a quadruple
threat: she’s not only a
dancer, an actress, and
a singer, but also kind.
I first became aware of
her when I saw her as
the Bullet in Hamilton.
The role requires her to
move in slow motion—
and so creative was she!
It took such physical
strength. I leapt. I could
barely leave the the-
ater: I wanted to see her
slow-motion movement
again.
More recently, we
were both cast in the
TV show Schmigadoon!
I got to know the
woman: silly, funny, not
afraid of what anyone
thinks. No fear. She in-
spired me to be the best
I could be at my role.
As the first openly
queer woman of color
to win an Oscar for act-
ing, for West Side Story,
she’s a trailblazer. I
think she’ll one day win
an EGOT.
Ariana’s as authen-
tic as they come, and
whatever she does next,
I will be cheering from
fifth-row center. They’ll
have to throw me out
for screaming for her
and clapping so loud.
So go for it, baby girl!
Chenoweth is a Tony-
and Emmy Award–
winning actor
Ariana
DeBose
Trailblazing talent
BY KRISTIN CHENOWETH