Ariana DeBose in good spirits at SAG Awards 2023 after polarizing BAFTAs rap

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Ariana DeBose is doing the thing at the 2023 SAG Awards.

The Oscar winner was all smiles on the red carpet Sunday evening while dressed in an oversize pink suit jacket with matching pants.

She attended the show as a presenter exactly one week after her opening performance at the BAFTA Awards went viral over a rap verse that name-dropped several female nominees.

“Angela Bassett did the thing / Viola Davis, my ‘Woman King’ / Blanchett Cate, you’re a genius / Jamie Lee [Curtis], you are all of us,” DeBose, 32, rapped as the camera panned to each actress.

Social media had a field day afterward, particularly with the “Angela Basset did the thing” line, which quickly morphed into a meme.

Ariana DeBose on the red carpet at the 2023 SAG Awards.
Ariana DeBose was all smiles on the 2023 SAG Awards red carpet.
Getty Images

Shortly after the polarizing number, the “West Side Story” star deactivated her Twitter account but shared a cryptic message on Instagram.

“Babygirl [sic], in a world full of choices, choose yourself,” the post read.

Ariana DeBose on the red carpet at the 2023 SAG Awards.
The actress has had a difficult week following her BAFTAs performance.
WireImage

Eventually, DeBose found her sense of humor by commenting on a roundup of memes and tweets making fun of her performance.

“Honestly I love this,” she commented Monday.

Ariana DeBose on the red carpet at the 2023 SAG Awards.
DeBose won an Academy Award for her role in “West Side Story.”
WireImage

Amid the backlash, Bassett shared Saturday that she had contacted DeBose to check in on her.

“I DMed her last night. I did. It was beautiful,” the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star, 64, told Variety at the NAACP Image Awards. “I just wanted to make sure she was OK because, you know, it’s a lot of attention. And she is A-OK.”

Although, Bassett couldn’t help poking fun at the rap when she won an award later that evening.

“I guess Angela Bassett did the thing,” she joked while imitating DeBose’s shoulder moves as she accepted the trophy for Entertainer of the Year.

Ariana DeBose performing at the 2023 BAFTA Awards.
DeBose was mocked for her viral rap.
Getty Images for BAFTA

But DeBose has at least one celeb firmly in her corner.

Jamie Lee Curtis enthusiastically defended the Broadway star’s maligned performance Saturday while attending at the Producers Guild Awards.

“I’m unclear as to what the f–k people are on about,” the “Halloween” star, 64, told Deadline. “For me, it was joyous, celebratory, sisterly, hot, spicy, and she’s just so incredibly talented. … She is a fantastic talent. People should shut the f–k up, back the f–k up and just let this woman shine her light. She is fantastic.”


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