Ariana DeBose breaks silence on BAFTAs rap backlash

FLO are teaming up with none other than Missy Elliott for their brand new single, Fly Girl.

Even though it’s only been in theaters for a week, it’s clear from the box office receipts, thus far, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is not going to be a massive hit during its theatrical run. That marks two DC films in a row that have greatly underperformed at the box office (the other being “Black Adam” back in October of last year).

Jennifer Garner is preparing to mark a new milestone following her ex-husband, Ben Affleck's wedding to Jennifer Lopez in July 2022.The Yes Day actress will celebrate her first birthday since Ben and Jennifer cemented their reunion with two weddings last year. Jennifer will turn 51 on April 17, and will no doubt mark the occasion with her children, Violet, 17, Seraphina, 14, and Samuel, 11, and her boyfriend, John Miller.WATCH: How 'Bennifer' rekindled their romance after Jennifer Garner divorceDespite Jennifer and Ben divorcing in 2015, the former couple has remained on good terms, and successfully co-parent their children.

Angelique Jackson Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the popular video game “Gears of War” moves one step closer as Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Jon Spaihts has boarded the project. Best known for co-writing “Dune,” “Dune: Part Two” and “Doctor Strange,” Spaihts will now take on the challenge of adapting “Gears of War,” one of gaming’s richest and most acclaimed video game sagas, with over 40 million copies sold. “’Gears of War’ is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates,” Spaihts said in a statement to Variety. “It wants to be cinema, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.”

TWICE’s Chaeyoung is apologizing.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Amazon has ordered a series version of the E. Lockhart novel “We Were Liars” from Julie Plec and Carina Adly MacKenzie. “We’ve been obsessed with this beloved story for years and for a while it seemed like it might be the one that got away from us,” Plec and MacKenzie said. “But finally, we are elated to be bringing it to life with everyone at Prime Video and UTV, who are just as passionate about this twisty tale as we are. We‘re also incredibly grateful that the author has joined our creative team behind the scenes. As die-hard book fans ourselves, we have one message to the many loyal readers out there: if anyone asks you how it ends… just lie.”

BreAnna Bell Kamie Crawford has signed with CAA for representation. She continues to be represented by Range Media Partners and Brecheen, Feldman, Breimer, Silver, and Thompson. Perhaps most known for her role as a host on MTV’s “Catfish: The TV Show” (which she’s hosted since 2018), Crawford recently inked an overall deal with MTV Entertainment Studios in January and has since been named as the host of Paramount+’s “Are You The One?” and MTV’s “Ex on the Beach.” The former series, which ran for 8 seasons on MTV before jumping to the streamer, returned after three years off the air in January. She also hosted HBO Max’s “Sweet Life: Los Angeles” reunion special.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor Fremantle’s Documentaries division has launched Undeniable, a label dedicated to producing premium feature documentaries and series, in partnership with high-profile talent and international commissioners, Mandy Chang, Fremantle’s global head of documentaries, revealed Tuesday at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. The label is already developing several international projects and partnerships with high-profile filmmakers, including Amy Berg (“Deliver Us From Evil,” “Phoenix Rising”), Chris Smith (“Tiger King,” “Bad Vegan”), and Penny Lane and Gabriel Sedgwick (“Hail Satan?,” “Listening to Kenny G”). Chang said: “The launch of Undeniable further underlines our commitment and ambition to build Fremantle’s documentary output on the premium side. Working with the very best filmmakers and emerging talent, the label will provide editorial and production expertise and support in multiple genres. Importantly, it will provide a platform and freedom for creative talent to unlock and explore important issues and stories to be told.”

Ed Sheeran is opening up about his life in a way he never has before. The notoriously private musician broke down the hardest times of his life in an intimate interview published by  on Tuesday, peeling back the curtain of mystery surrounding his family life, battles with addiction and depression, and his upcoming album.«I spent so long with people laughing about me making music,» the 32-year-old tells of his highly memed rise to fame.

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos are getting candid. In an exclusive clip from Wednesday's premiere episode of her new SiriusXM podcast , the couple recalls the start of their relationship when Consuelos was «insanely jealous.»«My biggest complaint about you over the course of our marriage, and this is not recent because it definitely changed… but you used to be insanely jealous and that was a hard pill to swallow,» Ripa says. "… It's very hard being married to somebody who is jealous.«Ripa explains that her husband, whom she wed in 1996, used to have „a perception of a scenario.“»It was our first week of marriage, because we didn't take our honeymoon until later. You were working and I went to visit you in Boston," Ripa recalls.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com A24 just swept the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Thanks to “Everything Everywhere All At Once’s” massive showing throughout the night (the multiverse movie took home four wins at the 2023 SAG Awards ceremony) and Brendan Fraser’s victory for “The Whale.” Thus making this the first time in history that a studio has captured every major film prize (minus the stunts award that went to “Top Gun: Maverick”). This colossal night for A24 feature “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, started early with Jamie Lee Curtis (who won for actress in a supporting role). Next up was Ke Huy Quan taking home the trophy for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role. That was followed by Michelle Yeoh, who won for actress in a leading role, and then the show closed with a win for bestperformance by a cast in a motion picture. These four wins for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” broke the SAG record for most wins by a single film at the show.

Ariana DeBose knows how to «do the thing» when it comes to poking fun at herself.The Oscar winner took the stage alongside Diego Luna to present at the 2023 SAG Awards on Sunday. First, the pair shared a laugh about how to quiet down the crowd — in both Spanish and English, before DeBose beckoned to Luna to read the list of nominees.«Diego, do the thing,» she said, poking fun at her viral musical clip from the 2023 BAFTAs.The moment was made even better by a perfectly-timed cutaway to Angela Bassett herself, who proved once again that she's in on the joke, sharing a laugh with DeBose.Ariana DeBose: «Diego, do the thing.» #SAGAwardspic.twitter.com/2Rc0xzFy30The reference is to DeBose's opening for the 2023 BAFTA Awards, in which she performed «Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves» and «We Are Family,» and the infamous original rap where she shouted out the awards show's female nominees, including the line, «Angela Bassett did the thing / Viola Davis, my woman king.» Bassett herself even poked fun at the new meme when she accepted her Entertainer of the Year award at the 2023 NAACP Awards on Saturday.«I guess Angela Bassett did the thing,» she quipped to the audience's laughter.The 2023 SAG Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb.

Ariana DeBose is leaning into her viral rap from last weekend’s BAFTAs!

Taking it all in. Angela Bassett reached out to Ariana DeBose after the West Side Story star’s BAFTAs rap went viral.

gushed to Deadline Saturday night, explaining that the lack of enthusiasm on the crowd’s face was in part due to cameramen shoving cameras into the actor’s faces.Both DeBose, 32, and Curtis were in attendance at Sunday night’s SAG Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel in Los Angeles, California. Curtis dazzled in a low plunging red gown while DeBose was pretty in pink in a two-piece suit.“Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my ‘Woman King,’ Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” DeBose, 32, rapped at the opening of the BAFTAs, which quickly became a meme.The clash of applause and critique from the internet prompted the Golden Globe-winning actress to deactivate her Twitter account.“She is a fantastic talent, these people should shut the f–k up, back the f–k off and let this woman shine just her light,” Curtis chided the haters.Her comments join in the chorus of praise for the performance amidst the online disgust – even BAFTA showrunner Nick Bullen slammed the critics, saying they probably “don’t like change.” “The songs she was singing are very familiar songs, the room was clapping, and people were sort of dancing to the music,” Bullen told Variety.

Jamie Lee Curtis is not holding back.

There’s like. There’s love. And then there’s Jamie Lee Curtis’s review of Ariana DeBose’s rap at the BAFTAs.

Jamie Lee Curtis has defended Ariana DeBose and her viral BAFTAs rap.Last weekend, DeBose opened the 2023 BAFTAs by performing an original song that name-checked various Best Actress nominees including Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh.The performance proved divisive online though, with some people calling it “cringe”. Following the backlash, DeBose deactivated her Twitter account with BAFTAs awards producer Nick Bullen described the criticism as “incredibly unfair.”“Everybody I’ve spoken to who was in the room absolutely loved it.

Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, performed an original song at the ceremony earlier this week that name-checked various Best Actress nominees including Bassett, Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh.“Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my Woman King, Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” sang the West Side Story star as she danced around the stage. After the performance was widely mocked online, DeBose deactivated her Twitter account and BAFTAs awards producer Nick Bullen described the criticism as “incredibly unfair.”Speaking to Variety at the NAACP Image Awards last night (February 25), Bassett said she checked up on DeBose after the incident and the criticism that followed.“I DM’d her last night.

Ariana DeBose's now-infamous rap performance at the 2023 BAFTA Awards has officially come full circle. During Saturday night's 54th NAACP Image Awards, the breakout star of DeBose's viral rap, Angela Bassett, proved she knows how to carry a joke while accepting her Entertainer of the Year award onstage.«I guess Angela Bassett did the thing,» she quipped to the audience's laugher.«I guess Angela Bassett did the thing» — Angela Bassett as she accepts her entertainer of the year award at the #NAACPImageAwardspic.twitter.com/mevSTcKhUSThe reference is to DeBose's opening for the 2023 BAFTA Awards, in which she performed «Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves» and «We Are Family,» and the infamous original rap where she shouted out the awards show's female nominees. “Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my 'Woman King,' Blanchett Cate you're a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” sang DeBose. The camera panned to the women as they were name-dropped. Memes quickly made their rounds on social media among a wide range of responses, which seemingly led DeBose to deactivate her Twitter account. But on Instagram DeBose reacted graciously, commenting on a carousel of memes with, «Honestly I love this.»In a preview for an upcoming interview on BBC Radio 2's  posted on TikTok, the  star brushed away the criticism and focused on the love she's received.

Angela Bassett opened up about being told she “did the thing” by Ariana DeBose during a now-viral performance that opened the 2023 BAFTAs.

J. Kim Murphy Angela Bassett has simply done the thing once again. After being name-dropped by Ariana DeBose in a rap that opened the BAFTA Film Awards, the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star tells Variety that she reached out to DeBose in the aftermath to check in on her. “I DM’d her last night. I did. It was beautiful,” Bassett told Variety senior entertainment writer Angelique Jackson on the red carpet at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday evening. “I just wanted to make sure she was okay because, you know, it’s a lot of attention. And she is A-Okay.”Angela Bassett DM'd Ariana DeBose. "I just wanted to make sure she was okay, because it's a lot of attention." https://t.co/JAcEviI0Qj pic.twitter.com/anzVhOZ0cc Bassett’s mention was one of the catchier lyrics in DeBose’s opener. DeBose, who won last year’s BAFTA and Academy Award for best supporting actress for her performance in “West Side Story,” kicked off the British Academy Film Awards on Feb. 19 with a rap that name-dropped several of the evening’s nominees, including directors honored in debut feature and women competing in both the lead actress and supporting actress categories. The production also featured renditions of “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” and “We Are Family.”

BAFTA Awards, but the Oscar winner seems to have embraced the craze. “The Internet is wild, y’all! Appreciate all the love,” DeBose wrote on Instagram with a series of photos and TikTok videos paying tribute to her performance.

Ariana DeBose is addressing her viral 2023 BAFTAs opening performance in a new interview.

I’m sitting on the sofa in my flat on Thursday evening, laughing to myself as I rewatch Ariana DeBose's ‘Angela Bassett did the thing’ BAFTAs rap for the eight-hundredth time in a row when I hear a massive bang from outside followed by chants and cheers from, what I can only presume, a group of rowdy men.

Cate Blanchett hit the red carpet in a chic turtleneck look for the premiere of her newest movie, TÁR, held during the 2023 Berlinale Film Festival in Germany on Thursday (February 23).

Lizzo made a playful reference to Ariana DeBose’s viral rap at the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards, during a concert in Amsterdam last night (February 23).The actor, best known for starring in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, performed an original song at the ceremony earlier this week that name-checked various Best Actress nominees including Angela Bassett, Cate Blanchett and Michelle Yeoh.“Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my Woman King, Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” sang the West Side Story star as she danced around the stage. After the performance was widely mocked online, DeBose deactivated her Twitter account and BAFTAs awards producer Nick Bullen described the criticism as “incredibly unfair.”Last night, Lizzo drew huge cheers as she joked: “Let’s shake it off! Angela Bassett did the thing, shake it off!” before copying DeBose’s shoulder shimmy at a concert at the Ziggo Dome.

Angela Bassett did the thing, and so did Ariana DeBose!

Ariana DeBose is laughing along with everyone else.

Ariana DeBose has seen the memes about her viral BAFTAs rap performance and «loves» them as well! The  star took to Instagram on Monday to react to a carousel of memes that are a nod to her saying «Angela Bassett did the thing» on the awards show stage. «Honestly I love this,» DeBose commented under a post from writer Evan Ross Katz. A post shared by Evan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz)On Saturday, DeBose performed the opening number at the 76th British Academy Film Awards in London. Her mash-up included “Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves” and “We Are Family,” as well as an original rap where she shouted out the awards show's female nominees. “Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my 'Woman King,' Blanchett Cate you're a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” sang DeBose.

A song gone wrong? Ariana DeBose instantly received the meme treatment after her viral performance at the 2023 BAFTAs — but the jokes seemingly didn’t sit well.

performance at the 2023 BAFTAS where she performed a cover of Eurythmics’ “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves” and Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family.”The “West Side Story” star also included her own rap where she name-dropped all the female nominees.“Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis my ‘Woman King,’ Blanchett Cate you’re a genius, Jamie Lee you are all of us,” sang the 32-year-old as the camera panned to each actress. The rap immediately went viral but has become the subject of many memes and ridicule. DeBose even deleted her Twitter account but later liked an Instagram post poking fun at her rap.

It looks like Ariana Debose has issued her first reaction to her viral 2023 BAFTAs performance.

The 2023 BAFTAs on Sunday were supposed to be about the awards, but social media is focused on just one musical performance from the evening.

continued her habit of at the last on February 19—this time, with a Maison Margiela dress that she first wore to the Oscars in 2015. The Australian star, who picked up the best leading actress award for her powerful performance in Tár, wore a reworked version of the original black gown, with the frayed detailing on the sleeves and the hem being much more noticeable this time around. When it came to accessories, Blanchett showed how a switch-up can instantly update a look. The actor originally paired the gown with a statement turquoise necklace by , but opted for a necklace by for its latest outing.

the end of Happy Valley this month, James Norton looked delighted to be enjoying the London social scene alongside his fiancée Imogen Poots.The couple, who live together in Peckham, were among the star-studded guests at The Charles Finch & CHANEL 2023 BAFTA party over the weekend.WATCH: James Norton reveals his surprising career before acting Smiling for the flashing photographers, the loved-up duo were very much in sync with their coordinating attire. James, 37, rocked a black suit with white pinstripes over a black T-shirt, and added two silver necklaces and shiny leather shoes.Meanwhile, his partner Imogen put on a stylish display in a grey oversized coat which was teamed with a black crepe blouse, white stripy trousers and metallic silver pumps.At the exclusive bash, they mingled with the likes of Danielle Deadwyler, Brendan Fraser, Michelle Yeoh and Taron Egerton.