Ariana DeBose Calls Hosting the Tony Awards “A Bucket List Moment”

For Ariana DeBose, hosting the 75th Tony Awards was just as memorable as winning an Oscar.

The West Side Story star called the experience “a bucket list moment” in an exclusive interview with E! News’ Daily Pop on the Tonys red carpet.

“It’s one I didn’t know I had, you know?” DeBose said about the hosting gig on June 12. “When they call and they’re like, ‘You’re hosting the Tonys,’ and you’re like, ‘That sounds like a great idea,’ yeah, you go with it.”

DeBose said she was “happy to be home” onstage after taking home the 2022 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She was previously nominated for Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the 2018 Tonys for her role as Donna Summer in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

“This is all about fun, keeping it light, keeping it joyous and joyful,” she said about the night. “This community deserves joy, it deserves to be celebrated—been through a lot.”