Lin-Manuel Miranda Issues Statement Following Criticism of Afro-Latinx Representation in In the Heights Movie

In the Heights co-creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has issued a statement in response to a noted lack of color diversity within the film adaptation. Check out the statement below.

Adapted from Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes’ Broadway musical, the story follows a tight-knit community in NYC’s Washington Heights—which has one of the city's largest concentration of Latinx residents—as they experience success, joy, luck, love, and heartbreak. While the film features a range of dancers in several sequences, the vast majority of principal roles are played by light-skinned Latinx performers.

The movie premiered June 10 with a release in theatres and on HBO Max.

-LMM pic.twitter.com/CHfdLgFUz3
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 14, 2021

In the Heights stars Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, Daphne Rubin-Vega as Daniela, Leslie Grace as Nina, Corey Hawkins as Benny, Melissa Barrera as Vanessa, Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, Stephanie Beatriz as Carla, Dascha Polanco as Cuca, Gregory Diaz IV as Sonny, Marc Anthony as Sonny’s father, Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario, and Noah Catala as Graffiti Pete. Miranda, who also produces, plays the Piraguero.

The film features a screenplay by Hudes and is directed by Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians).

Check Out These Photos of the In The Heights Movie Starring Anthony Ramos

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_HR — Check Out These Photos of the In The Heights Movie Starring Anthony Ramos

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In the Heights Anthony Ramos Film HR 2019 — Anthony Ramos and Melissa Barrera in In the Heights

Macall Polay/Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Stephanie Beatriz and Daphne Rubin-Vega_HR — Stephanie Beatriz and Daphne Rubin-Vega in *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Dascha Polanco, and Daphne Rubin-Vega_HR — Melissa Barrera, Stephanie Beatriz, Leslie Grace, Dascha Polanco, and Daphne Rubin-Vega in *In The Heights*

Macall Polay/Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Melissa Barrera and Anthony Ramos_HR — Melissa Barrera and Anthony Ramos in *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Anthony Ramos and Jimmy Smits_HR — Anthony Ramos and Jimmy Smits in *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Stephanie Beatriz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Dascha Polanco_HR — Stephanie Beatriz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Dascha Polanco in *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Noah Catala, Gregory Diaz IV, Corey Hawkins, and Anthony Ramos_HR — Noah Catala, Gregory Diaz IV, Corey Hawkins, and Anthony Ramos in *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Lin-Manuel Miranda_HR — Lin-Manuel Miranda in *In The Heights*

Macall Polay/Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Dascha Polanco, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Stephanie Beatriz_Cast_HR — Dascha Polanco, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephanie Beatriz, and cast of *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Olga Merediz_HR — Olga Merediz and cast of *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, and cast_HR — Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, and cast of *In The Heights*

Macall Polay/Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Leslie Grace and Olga Merediz_HR — Leslie Grace and Olga Merediz in *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Jimmy Smits and cast_HR — Jimmy Smits and cast of *In The Heights*

In The Heights_Film_Production Photos_2021_Anthony Ramos, Gregory Diaz IV, and Leslie Grace_HR — Anthony Ramos, Gregory Diaz IV, and Leslie Grace in *In The Heights*

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