DeBose, 31, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in the 2021 musical “West Side Story,” was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for her rendition of “This Wish,” from the animated film “Wish.”
Bella Ramsey and Anthony Ramos were onstage to present the award in the Best Song category, according to Deadline.
Ramsey, the star of the television series “The Last of Us,” began her presentation by saying the nominees in the category were “delivered by some of the most famous voices in the music industry.”
Ariana DeBose, Oscar award winning, Tony nominated, OG cast member of Hamilton on BROADWAY…. “THINKS she’s a singer”?!? Who wrote this bit?! I want names #CriticsChoiceAwardspic.twitter.com/gWawjZeg9m
Ramos named Billie Eilish, Lenny Kravitz and Dua Lipa as the “famous voices,” according to Deadline.
Ramsey then added, “And then there are the actors who also think that they are singers.”
She named Jack Black, DeBose and Ryan Gosling as the group in the latter category.
The camera panned to DeBose, who appeared to be miffed but managed to smile and laugh at the joke, Deadline reported.
DeBose has appeared in Broadway musicals like “Bring It On, Motown: The Musical,” “Pippin” and “Hamilton,” the entertainment news website reported.
She earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Donna Summer in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical,” according to Deadline.
While DeBose kept her composure during the ceremony, DeBose’s fans were quick to express their displeasure on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Who wrote this bit?! I want names,” one person posted.
“Terrible goof!!!! Rude and wrong!” another person added.
“Calling her an actress who thinks she can sing. Girl. GIRL!!!!! I’m sorry, you said that about someone from the OG cast of Hamilton? Google someone before you approve the joke omg,” another fan wrote.
The way they insulted Ariana DeBose?!?! Calling her an actress who thinks she can sing. Girl. GIRL!!!!! I’m sorry, you said that about someone from the OG cast of Hamilton? Google someone before you approve the joke omg #CriticsChoice