Ariana DeBose reveals BAFTA told her to ‘celebrate women’ amid rap backlash

Ariana DeBose has revealed she was told to “celebrate women” at the 2023 BAFTAs as she responded to brutal criticism of her now-popular rap.

In her first interview since the BAFTA rap hit, DeBose said she wanted to celebrate women with her performance at the Feb. 19 ceremony.

“That’s what I want to do,” DeBose explained on BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on February 25.

“It’s not like I’m like, ‘Hey BAFTA, let me in!’ Believe it or not, they’re actually calling me. That’s the mission, like, ‘Come celebrate women.’ ’ I was like, ‘Of course! “We did it, and it was fun.”

DeBose’s performance at BAFTA includes cover Rhythmic gymnastics with Aretha Franklin Sisters Are Doin’ It for themselves and We Are Family by Sister Sledge.

However, her personal rap, especially the lyrics “Angela Bassett did this,” has sparked criticism and memes on the Internet.

While DeBose praised one of them on Instagram, commenting, “Honestly, I love this,” she deleted her tweet despite the backlash.

Looking at the positives, the Oscar-nominated actress said of her time at BAFTA: “Not gonna lie. I had a great time.”

“It was great. Then I was cutting rugs all night with Emma Thompson. Like, this is great. I had a great time. Baz Luhrmann came to me and he said, ‘No, I thought you were great, and that was fun. I had a lot of fun. I was like, ‘Work!’”