Ariana DeBose Net Worth

What is Ariana DeBose's Net Worth and Salary?

Ariana DeBose is an actress, dancer and singer who has a net worth of $4 million. Ariana DeBose began her career in 2009 as a contestant on the reality television competition series "So You Think You Can Dance." She went on to appear in numerous Broadway productions after this, including "Bring it On: The Musical," "Motown: The Musical," "Pippin," "Hamilton," and "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical." In 2021, DeBose had her breakthrough film role in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of "West Side Story," for which she earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Early Life

Ariana DeBose was born on January 25, 1991 in Raleigh, North Carolina to a Puerto Rican father and a white mother. She also has Italian and African-American ancestry. DeBose got into dance at a fairly early age, and trained at the CC & Co. Dance Complex in Raleigh.

Career Beginnings

In 2009, DeBose made her debut on television as a contestant on the reality competition series "So You Think You Can Dance"; on the program, she made it into the top 20. Two years after this, she made her stage debut in North Carolina Theatre's production of the musical "Hairspray." DeBose followed this with roles in two more musicals the same year: "Bring it On: The Musical," which premiered at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and "Company," featuring the New York Philharmonic and filmed for television. At the end of the year, she went on a national tour with "Bring it On."

Broadway Career

DeBose made her Broadway debut in 2012, reprising her role as Nautica in "Bring it On." Additionally, she understudied the role of Danielle. The following year, DeBose portrayed singer Mary Wilson in "Motown: The Musical," a jukebox musical about record executive Berry Gordy and the history of the titular record label. DeBose also understudied the role of Diana Ross in the production. Her next role, in 2014, was in a production of the musical "Pippin." The year after that, DeBose left the production to join the ensemble of "Hamilton," which was at the time being held off-Broadway. She continued to perform in "Hamilton" when the show made its Broadway debut later in 2015. Also that year, DeBose played Éponine in the Connecticut Repertory Theatre's production of "Les Misérables."

In 2016, DeBose began playing the character Jane in the Broadway musical "A Bronx Tale," based on the eponymous play by Chazz Palminteri. The next year, she had her breakthrough role as Disco Donna in "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical," which premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego, California. DeBose reprised the role when the show debuted on Broadway in 2018, and went on to earn a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Film Career

DeBose had her first film role in 2018, when she appeared in the thriller "Seaside." Two years later, she played cheerleader Alyssa Greene in Ryan Murphy's musical comedy "The Prom," an adaptation of the eponymous Broadway musical. The film also stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells, and Kerry Washington, among others.

In 2021, DeBose reached a new level of stardom and acclaim when she played the role of Anita in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the musical "West Side Story." The film earned glowing reviews from critics, with DeBose herself being among the actors singled out for praise. She went on to receive a slew of awards and nominations; among them, she won the Golden Globe, the SAG, and the BAFTA. Additionally, DeBose earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She ultimately won the award.

Notably, she was the first openly queer actress of color to be nominated for an Oscar. DeBose is also one of only a few actors to be nominated for and win for a role that won another actor an Oscar, as Rita Moreno won the award for playing Anita in the 1961 version of "West Side Story." In Spielberg's version, Moreno appears as a new character named Valentina.

Television Career

DeBose had her first acting role on a television series in 2016, when she played Sophia Ortiz in an episode of the CBS police procedural "Blue Bloods." In 2021, she had a bigger role in the musical comedy limited series "Schmigadoon!," which premiered on Apple TV+. In the series, a parodic tribute to Golden Age musicals, DeBose plays Emma Tate, a schoolmarm based on the character Marian Paroo from "The Music Man." The series also stars Keegan-Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Dove Cameron, and Jane Krakowski, among others. DeBose next appeared on the small screen in early 2022, when she hosted the first "Saturday Night Live" episode of the new year.

Personal Life

DeBose identifies as a queer woman. In December of 2020, she partnered with actor and singer Jo Ellen Pellman, with whom she had appeared in the film "The Prom," to launch the Unruly Hearts Initiative. The initiative is designed to assist young people in connecting with groups that support the LGBTQ community.