Lizzo's reference to DeBose comes after the West Side Story actress honored all of the female nominees at the awards show with a rap that instantly went viral ...
“When they called my name, I was in total shock because I didn’t expect to win at all,” she said, adding that she had an “entire flask” of alcohol with Adele. 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,” producer Nick Bullen told During the Special singer’s show Thursday night in Amsterdam, Lizzo made a playful reference to [Ariana DeBose](https://www.rollingstone.com/t/ariana-debose/)’s now-viral (and super cringey) rap at the BAFTAs earlier this week.
Ariana DeBose brought her charm and energy during the BAFTAs, proving once again that actors can entertain crowds as awards show hosts.
The Emmy-winning dup is among the funniest comedians in the business, thanks to their excellent comedic timing, energetic personalities, and direct yet inoffensive style. The duo rose to prominence as two of the all-time best The actor is an expert in physical comedy, using her excellent comedic timing to make the best out of her jokes, elevating them even if they're not always the best. [EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg](https://collider.com/all-actors-egot-winners/) is a Hollywood icon. Her stints hosting the Oscars are among the best in the ceremony's 95-year history. Harris has hosted the Emmys, the Tonys, and the Oscars. Quick, clever, and ridiculously likable, Najiani is an expert in bonding with the audience, making them feel like they're in on the joke. She has hosted the ceremony twice, singing, dancing, and always bringing her singular shtick for a great and awkward time. The Tony winner has hosted the show four times and made a huge impression on audiences when he acted as the Oscar's MC for the 2009 ceremony. [Hugh Jackman began on the stage](https://collider.com/stage-actors-who-started-in-theater/) before transitioning to movies; thus, he has experience performing in front of a live audience. Like Plaza, Najiani is the perfect host for a show like the Indie Spirits. Furthermore, she showed her talents as a host with her stint as MC for the 2022 Tony Awards.
Lizzo proved she, too, has had Ariana DeBose's viral BAFTAs line stuck in her head since Sunday.
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." "The songs she was singing are very familiar songs, the room was clapping and people were sort of dancing to the music. 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."
"About Damn Time" singer Lizzo recreated actress Ariana DeBose's viral rap from the 2023 BAFTAs during her concert in Amsterdam on Thursday.
“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.” However, she did like and commented on an Instagram post that assembled several of the top memes of her song, gushing, “Honestly I love this.” [shared by the @BossBabeCorner account](https://www.instagram.com/p/Co2dLZqsV88/).
The singer recited Ariana DeBose's now-iconic rap at a recent stop on her tour.
She also commented on writer Evan Ross Katz’s [Instagram post](https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5qRugucGa/) in the days following, a compilation of memes about the performance. [deactivate her Twitter account](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniesoteriou/ariana-debose-loving-bafta-rap-response) shortly after her performance. “We are giggling at everyone who has our campy little number stuck in their heads,” Rauhala wrote in the video. While “Angela Bassett did the thing” was the standout lyric, it wasn’t the only one to garner attention. Justice for “Viola Davis, my Woman King!” and “Blanchett, Cate, you’re a genius.” “I think it’s incredibly unfair, to be frank.
Lizzo recreated Ariana DeBose's "Angela Bassett did the thing" viral rap from the BAFTAs during a concert. Watch.
[Bullen told Variety](https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/bafta-producer-defends-ariana-debose-awards-show-rap-backlash-1235256928/) after the show. [Lizzo](https://www.billboard.com/artist/lizzo/) did the thing. “Angela Bassett did the thing/ Viola Davis my ‘Woman King’/ Blanchett Cate you’re a genius/ Jamie Lee you are all of us,” DeBose sang in a clip from the show that quickly set Twitter ablaze, as many of the actresses she mentioned stared blankly.
DeBose was a little breathless in places and the rap bemused many viewers at home with a few clunky lines (“Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis, my woman ...
As the week has progressed, the routine has evolved to be seen as a camp classic. It included an original rap penned by her and her team honoring the many female nominees of the night. DeBose has even indicated she can see the funny side.
"Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis, my Woman King," has not left our heads since the weekend.
“But that was the assignment, like come celebrate women, and I was like ‘absolutely!’. And we did that and it was fun, not going to lie, I had a blast. [Zoe Ball](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/../../../news/zoe-ball/) asked Ariana about as part of a pre-recorded interview on the Radio 2 breakfast show, which will be broadcast on Monday. [Per the Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11786149/Ariana-DeBose-defends-awkward-BAFTAs-performance.html), Zoe told her guest: “Can I just say, our listeners, we all loved your performance. “You know what? “We wanted to open the show with some energy, some fun, and also lay out straight away that this was hopefully going to feel like a different night, but with a familiarity as well, and what Ariana did was exactly that,” he continued. [defended by ](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ariana-debose-performance-defended-baftas-organisers_uk_63f48450e4b0c87f32f314ab) [Baftas producer Nick Bullen](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ariana-debose-performance-defended-baftas-organisers_uk_63f48450e4b0c87f32f314ab), who said he found the reaction “incredibly unfair, to be frank”. They actually called me – believe it or not. “But I’ll take it… let me in!’. You might be one of the few,” Ariana joked. [Ariana DeBose](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/../../../news/ariana-debose/) has finally spoken out about her [Baftas](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/../../../news/baftas/) performance that [got everyone talking](https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/ariana-debose-baftas-performance-reaction-angela-bassett-did-the-thing_uk_63f37c22e4b04ff5b48511ae) over the weekend.