Actress Ariana DeBose on filling big shoes, Broadway, and ‘West Side Story’

WAMU 88.5 | By Haili Blassingame

Published January 24, 2022 at 6:00 AM MST

Ariana DeBose attends the "West Side Story" New York Premiere at Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.

Actress Rita Moreno’s performance as Anita in the original “West Side Story” movie is iconic. She famously became the first Latina to win an Oscar for her role in the 1961 film.

Now, actressAriana DeBose is giving new life to Anita in the 2021 remake of the film directed by Steven Spielberg.

DeBose has already snagged a Golden Globe and has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and Critics Choice Award. Many anticipate an Oscar may be added to that list later this year.

We speak to her about the big shoes she’s had to fill, her Broadway career, and what’s next.