Ariana DeBose talks Disney's 'Wish,' being a 'big softie' and her Oscar's newest neighbor

Ariana DeBose didn’t wish upon a star for an actors’ strike but nevertheless made the most of a well-earned break.

“It forced me to sit down and take a nap because I really needed one. It's been a very busy and life-changing couple of years,” says DeBose, 32, the “Hamilton” alum and Broadway veteran who made a major mainstream splash when she won her Oscar in 2022 for “West Side Story.”

She’s back in familiar surroundings – a musical! – with Disney’s animated fantasy “Wish” (in theaters now), starring as an idealistic 17-year-old named Asha who yearns for a better life for her people, befriends a magical star and locks horns with a villainous king (played by Chris Pine).

“My favorite part about her is how selfless she is. She makes a wish that's not for herself. It's for everyone around her and I empathize with that,” says DeBose, whose next projects include the spy thriller “Argylle” (in theaters Feb. 2), the dark superhero movie “Kraven the Hunter” (Aug. 30) and the upcoming culinary horror film “House of Spoils.”

DeBose talks with USA TODAY about “Wish,” navigating fame and her Oscar’s newest neighbor:

'Wish' review:Ariana DeBose is a powerhouse in a musical that owns its Disney-ness

Question: I’m sure you've sung a lot of “I want” songs over the years. How does “This Wish” compare?

Answer: It's a really hard song, I'll tell you that right now (laughs)! It is a deceptively challenging song. I had a lot of anxiety because this song is so beautiful and so earnest, and it does feel like the mother of all “I want” songs. I wanted to meet its excellence, if that makes sense. So I actually had to do a lot of training. I'm still training. I've had voice lessons every day this week so that when I do finally step out into the world and perform this publicly, it is everything it should be because the song demands it. It's a beautiful message and it's an important message right now.

What's it going to be like hearing a little girl sing “This Wish” on TikTok or somewhere else?

I'm going to cry. I'm a big softie and I think it'll probably make me weep.

Playing Calypso in “Kraven” is your first foray into superhero movies. How was that?

The original comic book character is a voodoo priestess. What was really fun is that film being more of an origin story, it gave us a little leeway. So there are really beautiful elements of my character that honor what has been, what the world knows of her, and also allows for a little something different. But it was a challenge because I booked that job literally the night I won the SAG Award (for "West Side Story"), and then I won the Oscar, got on a plane, went to London and made that movie. 

No wonder you needed that nap.

I promise you, when I say that I have earned a nap, I really mean it.

In the last two years, you won an Oscar, accidentally went viral with a rap about Angela Bassett and hosted a writer-less Tony Awards. What did you learn about yourself amid all that?

I learned that I do indeed thrive in gray space. I tend to handle pressure really well, and that is a good thing if you want to be in the entertainment industry. You're never not going to find yourself in pressure-filled environments or tough moments. It happens to everyone. But there's one thing I know now: I am still willing to bet on myself. There's always a way through.

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Is the Oscar still on your fireplace mantel or does he move around?

He's still there. I was one of Glamour UK's women of the year, and so now it's like Oscar and then my Glamour “G.” It just feels like a nice complement to each other.

My Oscar has always sat beside a picture of me and Steven (Spielberg) that was taken on the set of "West Side Story," but I also added this photo of Jamie Lee Curtis jumping in the air when she's on stage receiving her Oscar. There was something so beautiful about (presenting her with an Academy Award and) being a part of the process of welcoming in the next Oscar winner. So that feels like my little corner of good energy. I like it.