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Ariana DeBose on Facilitating Positive Change for Fellow Queer Actors

The Academy Award-winning actress landed the latest cover of Marie Claire.

Cara O’Bleness

Ariana DeBose

Ariana DeBose.

The cover star of Marie Claire’s brand new “Ambition Issue,” Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose is opening up about everything from career success to self-doubt to her much talked about BAFTA Awards performance and more. 

The 32-year-old, who voices heroine Asha in the forthcoming animated film, Wish, also spoke with the publication about working with Disney as a queer woman in a leading role. In doing so, she hopes to open the door for other LGBTQ+ talent.

“Even with the tumultuous times that we live in and with all the anti-LGBTQ+ hate legislation, what’s going on in Florida, they’ve stood by me,” she stated of the brand. “They’ve allowed me to be a real partner in the making of this movie. If I can create a great working environment and be a part of the positive things that are going on, that makes more room for other people who look like me, who identify like me to come in and do the same.”

The West Side Story star is also a Golden Globe Award winner and Tony Award nominee, so it’s no surprise to learn that she is an incredibly driven individual.

“It takes courage to be ambitious, to dare to go after what you want or believe you can achieve,” she shared of her mindset. “And that is not for everybody. And that’s O.K.”

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Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.