Who Is Ariana DeBose’s Partner? What We Know About Her Relationship Status

Ariana DeBose gained widespread acclaim and a well-deserved Oscar win for her performance in West Side Story—but this is just a sliver of the full scope.

The 31-year-old triple threat is also known for her work in the original Broadway productions of Hamilton, Motown: The Musical, Bring It On and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. Plus, she boasts an impressive list of accolades, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and a SAG Award for Best Supporting Actress. But here’s what we really want to know: Is she dating anyone? And if so, who is Ariana DeBose's partner? Keep reading for all the details.

The pair met in 2018 while working on Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. DeBose starred as Disco Donna, while Makkoo worked as the costume associate. (For her performance, DeBose received Tony and Drama League Award nominations.)

Although DeBose and Makkoo tend to keep their relationship private, they're definitely IG official.

In April 2022, DeBose shared a series of photos of her and Makkoo at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, and her caption read, “Grateful to be surrounded by so much love.”

Before Makkoo, DeBose dated Jill Johnson, a Broadway props master who has worked on shows like Motown and If/Then. The crew member seems to be keeping a low profile, so not much is known about her career and personal life. However, while chatting with Playbill in 2015, she opened up about one of the most challenging parts of her job.

Johnson said, “I'm on the crew, so for us it's a lot of stress—a lot of stress that is just unavoidable. Of course, I bring that home with me, but [Ariana] navigated it really, really well. She handled me, and I don't know how she did it.”

According to the former couple, they first met while working together on Motown: The Musical in 2013. But it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. DeBose told Playbill, “We first met on Motown, but we didn't start dating until I was in Pippin and she was working on If/Then.”

Johnson chimed in, “We had secret access to each other because [the Richard Rodgers and the Music Box theatres] share an alley.”

DeBose added, “So during my half hour and for pre-set, I would either go through the little doorway and go say ‘Hi’ to her or she'd come say ‘Hi’ to me. It was very…romantic?”

The actress even recalled an awkward moment when she accidentally walked in during one of Johnson’s live shows. DeBose said, “[The alley is] very secluded. You can only see it if you're in the back of both of the theatres. It was quite exhilarating. There was one day where I didn't realize they had an earlier curtain. I was going back through the little doorway to come say, ‘Hi’ and I walk in and see all of the cast members. I was like, ‘Oh, wow everybody's here!’ Then I walk into [Jill's] office and I'm like, ‘Hey, babe!’ and she's like, ‘What are you doing?’ Then I hear Idina [Menzel] singing which means there is a show going on. I've got half of my circus makeup on my face, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I'm so sorry!’”