Will she do “the thing” again? Ariana DeBose Will Host The 2023 Tony Awards… After Going Viral For THAT Unwise Performance At The BAFTAs
Ariana DeBose returns as the host for the 2023 Tony Awards, taking place Sunday, June 11 in New York City’s Washington Heights.
“I was honored to serve as host last year and even more so to be asked back,” the 32-year-old star said in a statement via deadline.
“I am so looking forward to celebrating this incredible season and the people who make it possible. This is to add some uptown flavor to the magic of the Tony Awards.”
According to the outlet, the actress will present, sing and dance at the Tony Awards.
The news comes just two months after her universally panned rap she did to open the 76th EE British Academy Film Awards.
The latest: Ariana DeBose returns as host for the 2023 Tony Awards, taking place Sunday, June 11 in New York City’s Washington Heights
February: The news comes just two months after her universally panned rap she did to open the 76th EE British Academy Film Awards; seen at the awards ceremony on February 19, 2023 in London
Ariana took the stage for the BAFTAs in February to rap about the female nominees.
The awards ceremony was hosted by Alison Hammond and Richard E. Grant, and Ariana opened the show with her performance.
She paid tribute to the nominated women and sang Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves
The star was joined on stage by dancers who then removed her skirt before calling out members of the star-studded audience.
During her performance, Ariana raps, “Angela Basset did the thing,” which stunned Twitter users, who dubbed it “cringe.”
She continued, “Viola Davis my Woman King / Blanchett, Cate, you are a genius and Jamie Lee, you are all of us!”
Twitter users called her performance “uncomfortable” and “painful” and another called it “appalling.”
One of them commented on the stony-faced celebrities in the audience, writing, “I have a lot of time for the celebrities who smiled charmingly and awkwardly during Ariana DeBose’s painful BAFTA rap.”
In April, Ariana defended her rap, tellingly Time-out it was “fun” and she “owns every ounce” of her performance.
“These lyrics were never meant to be Charles Dickens. They are what they are,’ she said.
“On Tik Tok, people asked why [one lyric] “Blanchett, Cate?” It’s literally a play on Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ rap.’
She also said she’s not shying away from the now-viral performance, adding that she would recreate it at upcoming concerts in London and New York.
Wow: Ariana took the stage for the BAFTAs in February to rap about the female nominees
Focused: During her performance, Ariana raps, “Angela Basset did the thing,” which stunned Twitter users, who dubbed it “cringe”
Cheeky: Ariana also referenced her infamous performance in late February at the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards
“I still maintain what it was. It was just fun. I enjoy the memes. There are DJ remixes for this little rap’.
Ariana also referenced her infamous performance at the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in late February.
She presented the award for Female Actor in a Drama Series starring Diego Luna.
Ariana then told him “Diego, do the thing,” referring to him opening the envelope and calling out the winner, which was Jennifer Coolidge from The White Lotus.