Lin-Manuel Miranda on making In the Heights into a movie full of joy and love By Leigh Scheps Lin-Manuel Miranda talks In the Heights
It wasn t Lin-Manuel Miranda s idea to appear on screen in In the Heights, the jubilant new movie adaptation of his 2008 Tony Award-winning musical the Broadway hit that paved the way for Hamilton. He says he would have been happy sitting in his writer s chair and cheering on the cast filming in his own neighborhood. But he was persuaded to take on the small role of Piragüero, who pushes a cart selling shaved ice with fruit-flavored syrups, thanks to the film s screenplay writer, Quiara Alegría Hudes.
Miranda says when he saw Ramos as Usnavi for the first time, it was sort of like watching your kid try on your childhood clothes, and it fits him better.