Ariana DeBose says BAFTAs instructed her to ‘celebrate women’ despite backlash

• Ariana DeBose said she was instructed to “honor women” at the 2023 BAFTAs.
• Her “cringe” performance was quickly made into memes.
• She was heavily criticized for her performance.

In response to the criticism she received for her now-viral rap, Ariana DeBose claims she was instructed to “celebrate women” at the 2023 BAFTAs.

“Honestly, it’s not like I’m, like, ‘Hey BAFTA, let me in!’ They actually called me, believe it or not,” the 32-year-old “West Side Story” actress adds in a forthcoming interview to air on the “Zoe Ball Morning Show” on Monday.

“But that was the assignment. Like, ‘Come celebrate women,’ and I was like, ‘Absolutely!’ We did that and it was fun. Not gonna lie, I had a blast.”

DeBose adds that she spent the entire night “cutting a rug” with celebrities like Emma Thompson and that the overall experience was “so awesome.”

“It was fabulous. I had a great time,” she adds.

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At the UK awards ceremony last Sunday, DeBose sang a cover of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” and the Eurythmics’ “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves.”

The Oscar winner also included a verse from her own rap in which she mentioned every woman nominated for a BAFTA that night.

“Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my ‘Woman King,’ Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” she sang as the camera panned to each star in the venue.

DeBose’s “cringe” performance the day after was rapidly made into memes, and she was the target of many internet jokes.

“Ariana DeBose has reportedly turned down a performance at King Charles III’s coronation. ‘Viola Davis is my woman King,’” one person joked on Twitter.

“how is a broadway actress running out of breath in just the first number 👽,” added another.

“oh she knew that ‘angela bassett did the thing’ line was going to change the world,” a third fan wrote.

DeBose canceled her Twitter account after the criticism grew.

The “Prom” actress shared a mysterious Instagram post on Tuesday that appeared to be directed at her detractors, but she continued to maintain her positive attitude.

The message read, “Babygirl [sic], in a world full of choices, choose yourself.”

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