Oscars 2022: Ariana DeBose's Historic Win Carries Deeper 'West Side Story' Connection

By Daniel S. Levine

West Side Story star Ariana DeBose won the first acting Oscar of the 94th Academy Awards, 60 years after Rita Moreno won Best Supporting Actress for playing the same role in the 1961 film adaptation. DeBose notched several other firsts with her win and delivered an emotional speech after picking up her statue. Anita, the character played by DeBose and Moreno, is only the third character to earn two different actors an Oscar.

DeBose, 31, became the first Afro-Latina to win an Oscar. She is also the first and only openly queer woman of color to win an acting Oscar. "You see an openly queer woman of color, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength and life through art," DeBose said during her acceptance speech. "And that is, I think, what we're here to celebrate. So if anyone has ever questioned your identity, I promise you this – there is indeed a place for us."

West Side Story is only DeBose's second major film. She previously played Alyssa Greene in Netflix's The Prom. She was also a member of the ensemble and played "The Bullett" in Hamilton on stage and in the Disney+ filmed production. Her road to success really started on So You Think You Can Dance before she became a superstar on Broadway. Her performance as Donna Summer in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical earned her a Tony nomination.

While the original West Side Story film was criticized for a lack of Puerto Ricans in the Puerto Rican roles, director Steven Spielberg strived to avoid that. "It is not every day that an Afro-Latina gets to be part of the main event," DeBose told NPR. "And [Anita's] identity as an Afro-Latina informs the story. So it's not really an afterthought. It's everything about this character."

The win is also the third time two different performers have won Oscars for playing the same character. Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro are the first for playing Vito Corleone in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. Heath Ledger won for playing The Joker in The Dark Knight, while Joaquin Phoenix won for playing the Batman villain in Joker.

West Side Story was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design. The movie is now available to stream on HBO Max and Disney+.

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