If you’ve been searching “Is Ariana DeBose gay?” — the short answer is yes, she identifies as queer, and she has never been shy about it. In fact, Ariana DeBose is one of the most openly and proudly queer women in Hollywood, having made history on some of the biggest stages in the world. Here is everything you need to know about her identity, her relationships, and the latest news surrounding this trailblazing star.
Who Is Ariana DeBose?
Ariana DeBose is an American actress, singer, and dancer born on January 25, 1991, in Wilmington, North Carolina. She grew up in Raleigh and Wake Forest, NC, and launched her career through musical theatre and television. She is best known for winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her electrifying portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of West Side Story — a win that made history in more ways than one. Her accolades include an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award, along with Tony Award and Emmy Award nominations.
Is Ariana DeBose Gay? Her Own Words on Her Identity
Ariana DeBose identifies as queer — not gay specifically, but openly and proudly within the LGBTQ+ community. She has described herself as a “Black-identifying biracial queer Afro-Latina,” a full, layered identity she embraces publicly and without hesitation.
She first began speaking openly about her sexuality as early as 2018, telling Them magazine: “People say ‘you’re dressing like a male, or dressing femme, or dressing like a butch lesbian…’ No, boo — I’m dressing like me. I don’t subscribe to societal norms, and I’m more than a label someone else gives me.”
At the 2022 Oscars, when she became the first openly queer woman of color to win an Academy Award for acting, DeBose delivered an acceptance speech that moved millions. She looked into the eyes of her younger self and said: “You see a queer, openly queer woman of color, an Afro Latina who found her strength in life through art… To anybody who has ever questioned your identity ever, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us.”
Making History as the First Openly Queer Afro-Latina Oscar Winner
DeBose’s Oscar win on March 27, 2022 was a seismic moment for the LGBTQ+ community and people of color everywhere. She became the first openly LGBTQ+ woman of color to receive an Academy Award for acting, and the first Afro-Latina ever nominated and awarded in an acting category. In the same year, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
She has since spoken about what her identity means in a broader social context: “I am a Black-identifying biracial queer Afro-Latina. I am America. I am damn near a member of just about every marginalized community. That is not a red badge of courage, because I have opportunity.”
Ariana DeBose’s Partner and Relationship History
DeBose attended the 2022 Oscars with her then-partner, American fashion designer and costume director Sue Makkoo. The two celebrated the historic win together at the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. According to available public records, the couple had been together since approximately 2017, with the relationship reportedly concluding around 2023. DeBose has kept much of her personal life private in more recent years, choosing to let her work speak loudest.
Bringing Queer Characters to the Screen: Ariana DeBose in Scarpetta (2026)
One of the most talked-about developments in DeBose’s career in 2026 is her role as Lucy Farinelli-Watson in Amazon Prime Video’s Scarpetta, the high-profile thriller series starring Nicole Kidman. Lucy is a brilliant, tech-savvy computer genius and the queer niece of forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta. In the series, Lucy is grieving the death of her wife, Janet, and navigates that loss in a deeply human — and technologically complex — way.
DeBose has spoken passionately about what the role means to her and to LGBTQ+ representation today: “We’re living in a time where, you know what was once, maybe not groundbreaking, but where our community really fought for this, being able to play a character like this just to be the norm.” She added: “As much as Lucy’s sexuality is a topic of conversation — it is, but it isn’t. She’s just there. She just gets to be a whole person.”
She also expressed gratitude for the creative team behind the show: “I applaud our show runner, Liz Sarnoff, and, quite frankly, all of our producers, and Prime for not shying away and for not asking me to dim mine or Lucy’s sparkle.”
Back on Broadway and Stage: The Baker’s Wife and New Dramatists Luncheon
Beyond screens, DeBose has remained deeply committed to the stage. In late 2025, she starred in the Off-Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz’s The Baker’s Wife at Classic Stage Company, with performances running from October 23 to December 14, 2025. The production was widely praised.
In a full-circle moment, on May 26, 2026, DeBose was among the luminaries who gathered at the New York Marriott Marquis to celebrate Stephen Schwartz at the New Dramatists Annual Spring Luncheon — the very composer whose musical she had recently starred in. The star-studded event honored Schwartz for over five decades of contribution to musical theatre, including iconic works like Pippin, Godspell, and Wicked. Other attendees included Nicholas Christopher (Chess), Christopher Abbott (Death of a Salesman), Shoshana Bean, Jim Dale, and dozens of Broadway’s finest. The luncheon, presented by the playwright development organization New Dramatists (founded in 1949 and recipient of the 2001 Tony Honor for Excellence), supports emerging playwrights and the future of American theatre.
A Voice for the Community: Advocacy and Representation
Throughout her career, DeBose has consistently used her platform to advocate for fuller, richer representation of LGBTQ+ people — especially queer women of color. She has emphasized that characters like Lucy in Scarpetta matter precisely because they are portrayed as complete human beings, not defined solely by their sexuality.
“I am very glad of that, because it shouldn’t just be white presenting characters that get to play fully formed, layered, dynamic entities on screen,” she has said. “We exist, like, we’re not going anywhere.”
She also received the 2022 Inspira Award at the 35th Hispanic Heritage Awards, reflecting on making history as the first openly queer Afro-Latina to win an Oscar and on the importance of her Hispanic heritage. She has hosted the Tony Awards in 2022, 2023, and 2024, earning Emmy nominations for her hosting work.
What’s Next for Ariana DeBose?
With Scarpetta drawing major attention on Prime Video, an acclaimed stage career in full swing, and a continued presence at cultural events like the New Dramatists Spring Luncheon, Ariana DeBose shows no signs of slowing down. She remains one of the most significant and vocal queer artists of her generation, with a body of work that spans Broadway, film, television, and advocacy.
If Ariana DeBose’s story moves you, drop a comment below — and make sure you’re following along, because this trailblazing icon is just getting started.