NEW YORK (AP) â Color. Dance. Music. Joy. An all Latino cast!
The hype for âIn the Heightsâ has brought great expectation for Latinos in the United States, a group thatâs been historically underrepresented and widely typecast in films. With upcoming titles like âCinderellaâ with Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello, âThe Hitmanâs Wifeâs Bodyguardâ with Mexican star Salma Hayek and Steven Spielbergâs revival of âWest Side Story,â itâs just the beginning of a string of productions that place Latinos front and center.
âIn the Heights,â which opens Friday, is director Jon M. Chu's adaptation of the Tony-award winning musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara AlegrÃa Hudes about the hopes and struggles of residents of New York Cityâs Washington Heights. Many hope it marks a new beginning on the big screen for the largest minority group in the country â one that mirrors shifts that have already happened for Black and Asian actors and creators.