Tony Awards 2024: Ariana DeBose draws mixed reaction opening awards show after THAT disaster at the BAFTAs
Ariana DeBose drew a mixed reaction as she opened the Tony Awards 2024 on Sunday - one year after she was roasted over her BAFTAs 2023 rap.
The Oscar-winner, 33, slipped into a dazzling gold vintage Bob Mackie fringed gown and bejeweled headpiece as she kicked off her hosting duties with a powerful singing and dancing performance which she choreographed.
The star certainly gave the performance her all as she commanded the stage while belting out her lyrics, before she was lifted up before the star-studded audience.
The actress ended the number by dropping backwards off a platform - and only then delivered her opening monologue.
However the star divided fans with her performance - with some criticizing her 'pitchy' vocals while others lauded her theatrics.
Ariana DeBose drew a mixed reaction as she opened the Tony Awards 2024 on Sunday - one year after she was roasted over her BAFTAs 2023 rap
The Academy-Award recipient was ridiculed online over her 2023 rap
One fan wrote: 'I usually love Ariana DeBose but she really sounded like she was struggling vocally during the opening number of Act II. #TonyAwards Definitely not one of the better opening performances.'
Another penned: 'everything ariana debose says is delivered just like lady gaga giving an impassioned monologue about being yourself.'
Others wrote: 'Say this of #ArianaDeBose, this show-stopper KNOWS how to make an entrance', 'I love the opening of the show, Ariana DeBose's outfit was so cute' and why is ariana debose doing her entire opening monologue in cartoon fortune teller cadence.'
One fan lambasted the decision to get DeBose to host the show for a third time, writing: 'no shade to ariana debose but why do they keep getting her to host awards shows.'
Another wrote: 'It was a hot mess. It was horrible!! I also think it's way past time we get another host for the Tony's. I'm tired of her already.'
The star's monologue saw her joke she was pitching a three hour musical about her BAFTAs rap.
She also said: 'The theater is a safe place for us. And in the most trying of times, art is imperative because art reflects society and provides context for the very real situations that we find ourselves in today. The collective experience can cross boundaries and unite people from all walks of life.
'Broadway has a lot to offer. No matter what you are looking for, I promise you, there is a play or a musical that will touch your heart, speak to how you are feeling, help you cope, give you courage. You might even feel motivated to go out into the world and create change because Lord knows we need some.'
Tony Awards 2024 winners: AT A GLANCE
MUSICAL CATEGORIES
Angelina Jolie and daughter Vivienne were producers on The Outsiders which earned four wins at the a Tony Awards including top honor Best Musical
Best Musical: The Outsiders
Best Revival of a Musical: Merrily We Roll Along
Best Actor in a Musical: Jonathan Groff - Merrily We Roll Along
Best Actress in a Musical: Maleah Joi Moon - Hell's Kitchen
Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Daniel Radcliffe - Merrily We Roll Along
Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Kecia Lewis - Hell's Kitchen
Best Direction of a Musical: Danya Taymor - The Outsiders
PLAY CATEGORIES
Producer David Adjmi accepted Best Play for Steophonic which earned five
Best Play: Stereophonic
Best Revival of a Play: Appropriate
Best Actor in a Play: Jeremy Strong - An Enemy Of The People
Best Actress in a Play: Sarah Paulson - Appropriate
Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Will Brill - Stereophonic
Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Kara Young - Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Best Direction of a Play: Daniel Aukin - Stereophonic
The Oscar-winner, 33, slipped into a dazzling gold vintage Bob Mackie fringed gown and bejeweled headpiece as she kicked off her hosting duties with a powerful singing and dancing performance which she choreographed
The star certainly gave the performance her all as she commanded the stage while belting out her lyrics, before she was lifted up before the star-studded audience
The star was hosting the show for the third time
The actress ended the number by dropping backwards off a platform - and only then delivered her opening monologue
She exuded confidence onstage during the evening
However the star divided fans with her performance - with some criticizing her 'pitchy' vocals while others lauded her theatrics
'Truth is told onstage every night — and twice on matinee days. The theater is a safe place for us all. And in the most trying of times, art is imperative. Because art reflects society and provides context for the very real situations that we find ourselves in today."
During her notorious BAFTAs opening performance, she presented a rap song about the female nominees, that mentioned 64-year-olds, Angela Bassett and Jamie Lee Curtis and more.
Her fun song featured the rap lyrics, 'Angela Bassett did the thing, Viola Davis, my woman king… Jamie Lee, you are all of us!'
Social media called the performance 'painful' and 'awkward' before a whole host of memes ridiculed the act.
Angela took the time to message Ariana to make sure she was doing okay, stating: 'I just wanted to make sure she was okay because, you know, it's a lot of attention. And she is A-Okay,' according to Variety.
As the online frenzy took over, Jamie broke their silence and desperately came to Ariana's defense.
The Oscar recipient stated: 'I'm unclear as to what the f*** people are on about. She is a fantastic talent.
'These people should shut the f*** up, back the f*** off, and let this woman just shine her light because she is fantastic. SHE IS FAN-TAS-TIC,' Deadline reported.
Tony Awards 2024 winners in full
Best Musical
Hell’s Kitchen
Illinoise
The Outsiders - WINNER
Suffs
Water for Elephants
Angelina and Vivienne Jolie were massive winners as their production of The Outsiders won top honor Best Musical
Best Play
Jaja's African Hair Braiding
Mary Jane
Mother Play
Prayer for the French Republic
Stereophonic - WINNER
Best Revival of a Play
Appropriate - WINNER
An Enemy of the People
Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Best Revival of a Musical
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Gutenberg! The Musical!
Merrily We Roll Along - WINNER
The Who's Tommy
Best Book of a Musical
Kristoffer Diaz, Hell's Kitchen
Bekah Brunstetter, The Notebook
Adam Rapp and Justin Levine, The Outsiders
Shaina Taub, Suffs - WINNER
Rick Elice, Water for Elephants
Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre
Adam Guettel, Days of Wine and Roses
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, Here Lies Love
Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, The Outsiders
Will Butler, Stereophonic
Shaina Taub, Suffs - WINNER
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play
William Jackson Harper, Uncle Vanya
Leslie Odom, Jr., Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Liev Schreiber, Doubt: A Parable
Jeremy Strong, An Enemy of the People - WINNER
Michael Stuhlbarg, Patriots
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play
Betsy Aidem, Prayer for the French Republic
Jessica Lange, Mother Play
Rachel McAdams, Mary Jane
Sarah Paulson, Appropriate - WINNER
Amy Ryan, Doubt: A Parable
Sarah Paulson took home Best Actress in a Play for Appopriate
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical
Brody Grant, The Outsiders
Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along - WINNER
Dorian Harewood, The Notebook
Brian d'Arcy James, Days of Wine and Roses
Eddie Redmayne, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical
Eden Espinosa, Lempicka
Maleah Joi Moon, Hell's Kitchen - WINNER
Kelli O'Hara, Days of Wine and Roses
Maryann Plunkett, The Notebook
Gayle Rankin, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play
Will Brill, Stereophonic - WINNER
Eli Gelb, Stereophonic
Jim Parsons, Mother Play
Tom Pecinka, Stereophonic
Corey Stoll, Appropriate
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play
Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Doubt: A Parable
Juliana Canfield, Stereophonic
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Mother Play
Sarah Pidgeon, Stereophonic
Kara Young, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch - WINNER
Kara Young was recognized in the Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical
Roger Bart, Back To The Future: The Musical
Joshua Boone, The Outsiders
Brandon Victor Dixon, Hell's Kitchen
Sky Lakota-Lynch, The Outsiders
Daniel Radcliffe, Merrily We Roll Along - WINNER
Steven Skybell, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical
Shoshana Bean, Hell's Kitchen
Amber Iman, Lempicka
Nikki M. James, Suffs
Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, Monty Python's Spamalot
Kecia Lewis, Hell's Kitchen - WINNER
Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll Along
Bebe Neuwirth, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Scenic Design of a Play
dots, Appropriate
dots, An Enemy of the People
Derek McLane, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
David Zinn, Jaja's African Hair Braiding
David Zinn, Stereophonic - WINNER
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
AMP featuring Tatiana Kahvegian, The Outsiders
Robert Brill and Peter Nigrini, Hell's Kitchen
Takeshi Kata, Water for Elephants
David Korins, Here Lies Love
Riccardo Hernández and Peter Nigrini, Lempicka
Tim Hatley and Finn Ross, Back To The Future: The Musical
Tom Scutt, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club - WINNER
Tom Scutt was bestowed with Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Best Costume Design of a Play
Dede Ayite, Appropriate
Dede Ayite, Jaja's African Hair Braiding - WINNER
Enver Chakartash, Stereophonic
Emilio Sosa, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
David Zinn, An Enemy of the People
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Dede Ayite, Hell's Kitchen
Linda Cho, The Great Gatsby - WINNER
David Israel Reynoso, Water for Elephants
Tom Scutt, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Paul Tazewell, Suffs
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Isabella Byrd, An Enemy of the People
Amith Chandrashaker, Prayer for the French Republic
Jiyoun Chang, Stereophonic
Jane Cox, Appropriate - WINNER
Natasha Katz, Grey House
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Brandon Stirling Baker, Illinoise
Isabella Byrd, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Natasha Katz, Hell's Kitchen
Bradley King and David Bengali, Water for Elephants
Brian MacDevitt and Hana S. Kim, The Outsiders - WINNER
Best Sound Design of a Play
Justin Ellington and Stefania Bulbarella, Jaja's African Hair Braiding
Leah Gelpe, Mary Jane
Tom Gibbons, Grey House
Bray Poor and Will Pickens, Appropriate
Ryan Rumery, Stereophonic - WINNER
Ryan Rumery earned Best Sound Design of a Play for Stereophonic
Best Sound Design of a Musical
M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer, Here Lies Love
Kai Harada, Merrily We Roll Along
Nick Lidster for Autograph, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Gareth Owen, Hell's Kitchen
Cody Spencer, The Outsiders - WINNER
Cody Spencer triumphed in the Best Sound Design of a Musical category for The Outsiders
Best Direction of a Play
Daniel Aukin, Stereophonic - WINNER
Anne Kauffman, Mary Jane
Kenny Leon, Purlie Victorious: A Non-Confederate Romp Through the Cotton Patch
Lila Neugebauer, Appropriate
Whitney White, Jaja's African Hair Braiding
Best Direction of a Musical
Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along
Michael Greif, Hell's Kitchen
Leigh Silverman, Suffs
Jessica Stone, Water for Elephants
Danya Taymor, The Outsiders - WINNER
Danya Taymor won Best Direction of a Musical for The Outsiders
Best Choreography
Annie-B Parson, Here Lies Love
Camille A. Brown, Hell's Kitchen
Rick Kuperman and Jeff Kuperman, The Outsiders
Justin Peck, Illinoise - WINNER
Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll, Water for Elephants
Best Orchestrations
Timo Andres, Illinoise
Will Butler and Justin Craig, Stereophonic
Justin Levine, Matt Hinkley and Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance), The Outsiders
Tom Kitt and Adam Blackstone, Hell's Kitchen
Jonathan Tunick, Merrily We Roll Along - WINNER
