Ariana DeBose on Being Praised by Denzel Washington and Feeling “Honored to Be Seen” | Oscar Nominees Night 2022 - video Dailymotion

DeBose is nominated for best supporting actress for her role in ‘West Side Story.’

Transcript

00:00Has it sunk in that you are forever Oscar nominee, or at least, at least?

00:06Oh, I mean, Oscar Academy Award nominee Ariana DeBose is very large and in charge.

00:14But I'm starting to let it hit me. It hit me at the luncheon today.

00:19Well, that's good to ask you.

00:20Oh, my gosh. It was so special.

00:23I was on the phone earlier trying to think what was my favorite moment,

00:28and, you know, I got to talk to Denzel Washington.

00:33Actually, he really walked up to me and hugged me, and I was like,

00:36number one, you understand who I am. It feels awkward and backwards.

00:40And he hugged me, he kissed me on the forehead, and he said,

00:43you know, I remember when I was the only black person in this room,

00:46and today I'm not alone, and I was like, wow, it was really special.

00:51And then there was quite a group photo, which I believe I captured.

00:54Yeah, I think you captured that.

00:55And, you know, well, Denzel Washington, Steven Spielberg, Penelope Cruz.

01:05Who else was in it? Oh, it was epic. It was really intense.

01:08Kenneth Branagh, the great Kenneth Branagh.

01:12Who was in this? I love this. Twitter.

01:14Paul Thomas Anderson.

01:15Paul Thomas Anderson and myself.

01:18That's pretty, like, what?

01:20A year ago. If we had said a year ago that this was going to be happening.

01:24No, not, no. I would have been like, you've lost your mind, and stop what you're doing.

01:28So what's the 20 days to go?

01:31Yeah.

01:31What are you most looking forward to about that evening?

01:35Just being there.

01:36I think that's what I learned today.

01:38It's like it really is just an honor to be there and to take it in

01:42and be able to look people in the face and have that, like, I don't know, recognition.

01:47And I've said it a lot throughout the last month.

01:50Like, it really is an honor to be seen, and I stand by that.

01:54I believe in it.

01:54And it's like I'm honored to be seen by this delegation,

01:58to be seen by this group of peers.

02:00It's weird to think that I'm their peer, but it's, I don't know,

02:04I'm really blessed to be a witness to the art that we're making right now,

02:07and I'm excited to be a part of it, so it's cool.