Ariana DeBose defended her divisive performance at the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards.
In a preview of her appearance on BBC Radio 2’s The Zoe Ball breakfast show, the West Side Story star received the reception after performing an original rap in honor of the female nominees at the awards ceremony in London earlier this month. I’m talking about backlash.
As part of the gig, Ariana named actresses checked in, including Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Cate Blanchett, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
After Zoe praised her performance, Ariana joked that she “may be one of the few people” the host does, adding, “You’re my man, so I’ll take it.
The 32-year-old’s appearance was followed by criticism and memes on social media that prompted her to delete her Twitter account.
Still, Ariana claimed she accomplished what she set out to do on the show.
“Honestly, it’s not like, ‘Hey BAFTA, let me in! ‘ Believe it or not, they actually called me,” recalls the entertainer. “That was the challenge. It was like, ‘Come celebrate the ladies,’ and I was like, ‘Absolutely!’
“We did it and it was fun. I’m not going to lie, I had a blast.
She also said of the positive response online: I’ll take it. “
The full interview is scheduled to air on Monday.