Ariana DeBose did the thing!
Well, the talented queer actress has actually done quite a few incredible things throughout her career. The Out100 cover star has already made history for the LGBTQ+ community by winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.
As the first Afro-Latina, the first openly queer woman of color, and the first openly queer woman to win an acting Oscar, DeBose has inspired countless LGBTQ+ individuals to pursue their dreams. Now, she's expanding on her impressive portfolio by joining Audible in the new series Exoplanet.
By focusing on important themes such as chosen family and community, the series follows crew members after they crash on a deadly exoplanet, but in completely different time periods separated by centuries.
"I always felt like I contained multitudes. I don’t enjoy being boxed in. Even though it may take a little bit here and there sometimes for people to see the possibilities of my talent, I knew I wouldn’t have gotten this far if I didn’t believe in my own possibilities. I just keep challenging myself and the right things keep showing up,” Dubose tells Out.
DeBose has always pursued her projects with a deep sense of passion. She is well aware that her public platform inspires others to keep working toward making their dreams a reality, and she hopes to continue doing exactly that.
"If anyone out there has needed to see that in order to find confidence in themselves, great! It makes some of the challenges I’ve experienced worth it. It’s why queer talent continues to pursue the things we love and we’re passionate about. Any time I hear a story or get a DM, it does make all the difference. It keeps me going and generates more dreamers. I’m trying to create more room for us. We’re thriving, but we can thrive so much more. We haven't even scratched the surface."
Sadly, it's easier said than done to reach high levels of success in the entertainment industry, but DeBose has overcome plenty of adversity in her impressive career. She encourages any aspiring talent struggling with the grind to keep their eye on the prize.
“Your story’s not over yet! No matter how hard it feels right now, and yes it is hard, if you wake up the next day and you still have air in your lungs, the story is not over. It’s another day to create and dream. It’s another day to get up and try again. The day you give up is the day the dream dies.”
This resilience is especially vital now, as the 2026 midterm elections are proving to be a source of hope for people in the queer community. As the Democratic Party takes over the Senate and the House of Representatives, DeBose is calling out bigots who continue to use their platforms to spread hatred and misinformation.
"Please grow up. There are so many problems in the world. If you’re worried about one of my trans siblings reading a book in a library, but you're not worried about potentially the person who should not have a gun walking into an open space and making bad choices with that, I don’t know what to do for you. Please find some perspective. Can we handle the real issues in our world?"
With her future looking undoubtedly bright, DeBose is ready to tap into more queer projects on the screen or stage. The star wants to give back to the LGBTQ+ community by tackling roles that'll resonate with fans around the world.
"I am definitely manifesting more queer roles where no one dies. It feels like we're slowly getting past that, which is great. I’m manifesting joyful projects. Can we bring back the art of feeling good and joyful? Radical optimism my friend! Where are those stories? Hold onto your joy!"
Exoplanet is streaming now on Audible. Fans can follow Ariana DeBose on Instagram here.
