Ariana DeBose and Bella Ramsey hug it out at Emmys following Critics Choice Awards joke

Ariana DeBose and Bella Ramsey have hugged it out after a joke made at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards caused viewers to pit the two against each other.

Ramsey, while presenting at the Sunday night award show with DeBose's "Hamilton" co-star Anthony Ramos, introduced the nominees in the best song category, including Billie Eilish, Lenny Kravitz and Dua Lipa as "some of the most famous voices in the music industry" before taking a swipe at DeBose.

"Then there are the actors who think they're singers: Jack Black, Ariana DeBose, and Ken himself, Ryan Gosling," the 20-year-old continued.

The "Wish" star, 32, could be seen with a look of disapproval following the dig.

"No I didn't find it funny. Lol," DeBose wrote in a text post on her Instagram Story following the show.

But at the Emmy Awards a day later, the actors were all smiles while warmly embracing each other.

The joke spurred backlash on social media, with fans blaming both the award show writers and "The Last of Us" star for the joke.

"The writers for @CriticsChoice missed the mark with their comment about 'actors who think they're singers' and including Ariana DeBose as part of that list," one viewer wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "The woman starred in Broadway musicals - she's a trained singer."

"The way they insulted Ariana DeBose?!?!" another X user wrote. "I'm sorry, you said that about someone from the OG cast of Hamilton? Google someone before you approve the joke omg."

While other viewers pointed out that Ramsey wasn't the one who wrote the joke, some weren't as forgiving.

"You have the audacity to say she's an actress 'who thinks they can sing'?!" one user asked Ramsey. "That's not how you present a category or talk about people live on television."

Jamie Lee Curtis defends Ariana DeBose after Critics Choice Awards joke

Last year, DeBose went viral for her own award show moment, rapping about Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis and other nominated women at the 2023 BAFTA Awards. Though the stars showed support for DeBose, criticism about the rap led the Oscar winner to deactivate her X account.

The Essentials: 'Wish' star Ariana DeBose shares her Disney movie favorites

Jamie Lee Curtis defended DeBose on Monday, sharing a video on Instagram showing Ramsey's joke followed by clips demonstrating the "West Side Story" star's singing abilities. "ARE YOU … KIDDING ME!" Curtis wrote, adding that DeBose "IS A QUEEN!"

Curtis previously defended DeBose over her viral BAFTAs rap, telling USA TODAY, "It was fun, I honestly have no idea what people were freaking out about online. If that's what people are freaking out about, they really have to examine themselves. It's ridiculous."

Contributing: Brendan Morrow

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ariana DeBose and Bella Ramsey hug at Emmys after Critics Choice jab