“West Side Story” star and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose will host this year’s Tony Awards, the organization announced Wednesday.
The actor, singer and dancer played Anita in Steven Spielberg’s feature-film adaptation of the iconic musical last year. She won the Oscar for best supporting actress, along with a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and BAFTA Award. In 2018, she earned a Tony nomination for best featured actress in a musical for “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.” She was also in the original ensemble for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton,” where she also played the key role of The Bullet.
“We are thrilled to have Ariana DeBose, who has captivated audiences with her inspirational roles on stage and in film and television, host this year’s Tony Awards,” said Jack Sussman, executive vice president of specials, music, live events and alternative programming at CBS in a statement. “After the challenging last two years, there is no one better to bring the theater community together on this important night honoring the best of Broadway and share the joys of live performing once again than this extraordinarily talented artist.”
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This year’s Tony Awards will take place on Sunday, June 12, at Radio City Music Hall. The ceremony will begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, airing live across the country for the first time. The broadcast will stream live on CBS and on streaming service Paramount+. Exclusive content will stream on Paramount+ an hour before the celebration begins.
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“I’m coming home! I’m so honored to celebrate 75 years of excellence in theatre, but more importantly every member of this community who poured themselves into making sure the lights of Broadway have the opportunity to shine brightly once again! This is a dream come true, and I’m excited to see you all on June 12,” said DeBose in a statement.
Nominations for the 2022 Tony Awards will be announced by Adrienne Warren and Joshua Henry on Monday, May 9.