In the Heights is finally headed to the screen. Written by
Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda and playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, and directed by
Crazy Rich Asians’ Jon M. Chu, it’s a joyous, electric movie musical that celebrates the mostly Latino community in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in upper Manhattan.
The movie taps into the big dreams of its characters, including bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), aspiring designer Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), Stanford student Nina (Leslie Grace), car service dispatch operator Benny (Corey Hawkins), and many more of their friends and loved ones. Shot on location in the Heights, it feels like it’s hitting at the perfect moment, with theaters in the US reopening and people rediscovering their communities and the movies at the same time.
Lin as the Piragua Guy.
The early reviews on Twitter are mostly raves, with many saying it’s not only one of the best movie musicals in year, but one of the best films in a while. There is even awards buzz brewing with many saying that
Olga, who is reprising her Tony-nominated work from Broadway, should get a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Oscars.
In the Heights is also getting praise for giving the Latinx community the representation they deserve on the big screen. Make sure to watch the movie when it’s released in theaters and on HBO Max on June 11!
There are hit Broadway shows, and there s
Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda s story about America s founding became a worldwide sensation, and won countless awards. But prior to being in the room where it happened, Miranda brought his first musical
In the Heights to the stage. A film adaptation will arrive this summer, directed by
Crazy Rich Asians Jon M. Chu. Although it turns out there was pushback regarding
In the Heights cast.
Like the stage musical before it,
In the Heights is populated by an ensemble cast of mostly Latin actors. While the movie has familiar faces like Jimmy Smits, there are also stage performers playing major roles. Lin-Manuel Miranda recently spoke to the difficulty of getting some of these lesser-known names involved, saying:
The movie of
In the Heights, written by playwright Quiara Alegria Hudes, stars Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, a bodega owner whose parents immigrated to NYC from the Dominican Republic and who dreams of returning there himself one day. The movie takes place over three days as a winning lottery ticket and blackout in the height of the summer heat upend the lives of Usnavi, his Abuela Claudia, his love interest Vanessa, and home-for-the-summer college student Nina and her family struggling to make ends meet.
Featuring cast members Corey Hawkins, Jimmy Smits, Melissa Barrera, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Dascha Polanco and Stephanie Beatriz,