Ariana DeBose

After winning the BAFTA supporting actress award last year for "West Side Story," Ariana DeBose returned to open the 2023 ceremony on Feb. 19.

All Quiet on the Western Front led the pack of nominees for this year’s BAFTA awards with a record-equaling haul of 14 nominations. The pioneering hip-hop artist and actress — who has starred in Top Boy (which also stars this year’s BAFTA best-supporting actor nominee Micheal Ward) — has won MOBO, Ivor Novello and BRIT awards. The actress — also known for Hamilton and Westworld — performed an exclusive contemporary song inspired by this year’s nominees on stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Ariana DeBose faced a slew of online criticism following her performance at the BAFTA Awards, during which she rapped about the night's female nominees.

Let's just evolve, let's just move forward with some gentle changes that start to lay out the stall of what this show should be and where we should be with it." reading lines," the Instagram user continued, to which DeBose wrote, "Cool. [Joe Biden](https://people.com/tag/joe-biden/) at reading since that's a qualification to acting… "The songs she was singing are very familiar songs, the room was clapping, and people were sort of dancing to the music," he told the publication. A group of dancers performed alongside the Oscar winner, 32, as she sang "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves" and "We Are Family" and also rapped about the night's female nominees. Grant](https://people.com/movies/richard-e-grant-says-writing-memoir-was-like-resurrecting-late-wife-joan-washington/)'s opening monologue, DeBose rapped in part: " [Angela Bassett](https://people.com/movies/critics-choice-2023-angela-bassett-wins-best-supporting-actress/) did the thing, [Viola Davis](https://people.com/tag/viola-davis/) my 'Woman King,' Blanchett Cate you're a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us," as the camera panned to members of the crowd showing an array of different expressions.

'West Side Story' star Ariana DeBose deactivates her Twitter account following backlash over her viral 2023 BAFTA Awards rap.

Online commentators attacked her opening number at the 2023 BAFTA Awards.

Let's just evolve, let's just move forward with some gentle changes that start to lay out the stall of what this show should be and where we should be with it," Bullen said. "That rap section in the middle, mentioning the women in the room, was because it's been a great year for women in film, and we wanted to celebrate that." He stressed that DeBose "worked with a great musical director and choreographer." However, one of the event's producers was quick to come to the West Side Story star's defense, calling the backlash "incredibly unfair." “Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my ‘Woman King,’ Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” sang DeBose. Bullen says a lot of the criticism toward DeBose is because "a lot of people don't like change."

BAFTA Awards producer Nick Bullen defends Ariana DeBose after her rap during the ceremony went viral: 'I think it's incredibly unfair, to be frank.'

She had an amazing team around her, and she and her team put the whole piece together." When asked who wrote the lyrics of the rap, Bullen said, "She only had a few weeks to put this whole thing together. "And here is a woman of color who is at the absolute top of her game. The performance, specifically the rap, has been meme-ified extensively, and the phrase "Angela Bassett did the thing" continues to trend on social media. She sang "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves" and "We Are Family," and then segued into a rap saluting the female nominees. In the wake of her BAFTA performance, DeBose deactivated her Twitter account.

BAFTA producer Nick Bullen has defended Ariana DeBose's opening performance at the 2023 BAFTA awards after the star received backlash online from viewers.

And she’s opening the BAFTAs with a song that said so much on so many levels. "But American awards shows have much more razzmatazz, much more showbiz and perhaps a broader range of people being involved. "The songs she was singing are very familiar songs, the room was clapping, and people were sort of dancing to the music. Everybody I've spoken to who was in the room absolutely loved it. I absolutely loved it. [Angela Bassett](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a42635858/marvel-angela-bassett-oscar-nomination/), [Viola Davis](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a42747453/the-woman-king-netflix-release-date/) and [Cate Blanchett](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a42501882/cate-blanchett-tar-dream-theory/).

Ariana DeBose low-key responded to the internet's obsession with her BAFTAs performance, which went viral in part due to her uttering the instantly iconic line ...

All of those mentions, I felt, from the moment we were rehearsing it right through to the transmission last night, spoke to what we wanted to do." Sorry, full quote: “Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my 'Woman King,' Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us." [Ariana DeBose](https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a39540574/ariana-debose-best-supporting-actress-win-speech-oscars-2022/) low-key responded to the internet's obsession with her BAFTAs performance, which went viral in part due to her uttering the instantly iconic line, "Angela Bassett did the thing."

Ariana DeBose opened the BAFTAs this weekend with an original number that took the internet by storm—and led to the Oscar winner deleting her Twitter ...

Others, like Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, and a [snap-happy](https://twitter.com/hunteryharris/status/1627679524983869443) Viola Davis, seemed to genuinely enjoy it. [Dolly De Leon](https://twitter.com/RhodeToLove/status/1627757346947571714), and Ana de Armas—watched DeBose with something akin to confusion. Online, social media accounts immediately began [memeing](https://twitter.com/asteel2/status/1627798502045777921) the number for all it was worth. Clad in a pink jumpsuit, DeBose gave her all to the number—which she crafted herself. “Other ladies in the room, supporting and leading all here, I presume,” rapped DeBose before launching into the most viral portion of the number. The Tony-nominated musical-theater star, who won Oscar gold for her performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, was asked to open this year’s BAFTA ceremony.

On Sunday, Ariana DeBose totally stole the show at the BAFTAs with her opening performance, which was dedicated to this year's women nominees across a ...

“Sure, Angela Bassett did the thing,” he went on to joke. She was amazing," he said, adding that their mission was to bring some energy and diversity to the show. While you’d be forgiven for thinking it, Ariana’s performance wasn’t the only attention-grabbing moment from this year’s BAFTAs. “But you know who else did too? "Everybody I’ve spoken to who was in the room absolutely loved it. Meanwhile, Evan was relieved to see that Ariana “is laughing with us” as he created a follow-up post on Tuesday that acknowledged her comment.

Ariana DeBose shared a cryptic quote on Instagram after going viral for her disastrous BAFTA Awards 2023 rap that name-dropped Angela Bassett.

Jamie Lee [Curtis], you are all of us,” she rapped as the camera cut to each actress. “Angela Bassett did the thing. “The songs she was singing are very familiar songs, the room was clapping, and people were sort of dancing to the music,” he

Ariana DeBose of 'West Side Story' went viral on social media for an awkward rap number she performed at the BAFTA film awards Sunday night.

All of those mentions, I felt, from the moment we were rehearsing it right through to the transmission last night, spoke to what we wanted to do.” Here’s what you need to know — including the full lyrics to DeBose’s rap. the room was clapping, and people were sort of dancing to the music,” Bullen said. Then, she transitioned into the rap segment — an awkward, upbeat performance with puzzling lines including the now iconic: “Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis? DeBose performed a series of songs — including the Eurythmics “Sisters Are Doin’ it for Themselves” and “We Are Family” by Philadelphia’s own Sister Sledge. Responses online called it everything from camp to cringe.

Ariana DeBose performed a personalised rap at the BAFTAs highlighting the female nominees of the night. So, why did she get attacked by trolls?

It's also important to note that it's highly unfair that Ariana has been attacked to such an extent online for simply singing and dancing to a song with a positive and empowering message while other (male performers) have, yes, faced some backlash, but not to the same extent as Ariana while relaying actual controversial and tasteless jokes at awards ceremonies. Chris Rock ruffled feathers at the Oscars as he brought three children of Asian heritage onstage as 'accountants' in 2016. But when the line crosses over to pure evil, we must step back and re-examine how we dehumanise female celebrities in the public eye. "Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my 'Woman King,' Blanchett Cate you're a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us," were just some of the fun, toe-tapping lyrics that she belted out. Grant's opening monologue, when Oscar-winner Ariana made her grand entrance on stage, singing away to the tunes Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves and We Are Family. The 32-year-old then unexpectedly transitioned into an original rap in which she shone a light on the all-female nominees of the evening, such as Viola Davis,

Ariana DeBose's opening number at the BAFTAs went viral for being camp. What was so funny about “Angela Bassett did the thing,” and did the BAFTA producers ...

That rap section in the middle, mentioning the women in the room, was because it’s been a great year for women in film, and we wanted to celebrate that. And here is a woman of color who is at the absolute top of her game. And she’s opening the BAFTAs with a song that said so much on so many levels.” However, the awkwardness of the performance is actually more intense when looked at through the diversity filter — the show would go on to have [solely white winners](https://www.vulture.com/2023/02/all-the-2023-bafta-winners-were-white.html). It’s the seriousness of a heartfelt tribute to the underappreciated women of film meeting a dedicated yet completely incorrect performance that makes this opening ever-more compelling to a Twitter audience that both lauds these queens and takes joy in unintended awkwardness. For one, DeBose’s performance is at its most confusing here, with her lack of breath leading to clipped syllables and an odd, almost melodic reading of the name “Angela Bassett.” Her sharp dance moves, specifically the waving of the finger, are equally compelling, if not necessarily right for the song. The songs she was singing are very familiar songs, the room was clapping, and people were sort of dancing to the music. Below, the BAFTAs opening performance, the response, and the response to the response. DeBose’s performance was a tribute to the nominated women and included covers of “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” by Aretha Franklin and Eurythmics and “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge. In her essay “Notes on Camp,” Susan Sontag writes that “Camp is art that proposes itself seriously, but cannot be taken altogether seriously because it is ‘too much.’” What DeBose gives is certainly intended to be serious, yes, and it is certainly too much. In between songs, DeBose took the time to do a post-Hamilton rap homage to the nominated women of the night — “Angela Bassett did the thing / Viola Davis, my Woman King.” It was special. Theater kids gave us the first season of Glee, they gave us an archetype to describe Anne Hathaway’s vibe, and they gave us Jan’s face crack after losing And so should the rest of humanity!

Ariana DeBose "did the thing" during her opening musical number at the British Academy of Film and Television Art Awards (BAFTAs) on Sunday and quickly ...

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Ariana DeBose walked the 2023 BAFTAs red carpet in a Fendi Couture dress, then switched into a pink Boss jumpsuit for her social media viral rap song.

The night’s top winners included Austin Butler for Best Actor, Cate Blanchett for Best Actress, Kerry Condon for Best Supporting Actress and Barry Keoghan for Best Supporting Actor. She completed the look with platform heels. In a preview with WWD, Jones described that season’s couture collection as “A tale of three cities — Kyoto, Rome and Paris — and a conversation between them.”