Ariana DeBose deactivates Twitter account following divisive viral Baftas rap

Ariana Debose has deactivated her Twitter account following the response to her rap rendition at the British Academy Film Awards.

The actress, who previously won a Bafta and Oscar for her role in last year’s West Side Story, has been the hot topic of conversation on social media after her high-energy performance at the ceremony on Sunday.

Debose gave a rap celebrating the women nominated for a Bafta this year, which included Ana De Armas, Cate Blanchett and Viola Davis.

Her performance didn’t appear to land well though among the audience at the Royal Festival Hall, as the nominees appeared to react awkwardly when the camera panned on them.

The filmed reactions led fans to mock Debose for her performance on social media.

It now seems that the American actress has taken the ridicule to heart, as she has deactivated her Twitter page.

Debose’s Instagram page is still running.

One viewer tweeted about Debose’s rap: “I feel bad that it flopped.”

Another added: “I fear I’m going to be quoting Ariana DeBose’s dreadful Baftas rap until my deathbed”.

Others poked fun at DeBose referencing actress Angela Bassett, as she said the nominated actress “did the thing” during her performance.

Following the criticism, Bafta producer Nick Bullen has come out in defence of DeBose.

Bullen said that the comments made towards the actress have been “incredibly unfair”, and that the performance should be recognised as one celebrating “a woman of colour who is at the absolute top of her game”.

He told Variety: “I think a lot of people don’t like change, and there’s a view that the Bafta have to be this slightly stiff, traditional British, middle-England messaging.

“But American awards shows have much more razzmatazz, much more showbiz, and perhaps a broader range of people being involved.

“We felt we’re not about revolution, we’re about evolution.”