Three-time Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda took to Twitter to announce the complete main cast members of his upcoming In the Heights movie, revealing that singer-songwriter Leslie Grace and Mexican actress Melissa Barrera (Vida) have been cast as the film’s female leads. In addition, Miranda has also shared the first behind-the-scene photo from the film’s rehearsal. Featuring our first look at the four main leads together, you can check out the full photo below.
Grace and Barrera are set to portray the roles of Nina and Vanessa, respectively. Nina is Benny’s love interest. She described as someone who is admired by the neighborhood due to being the first one from her family to get into an Ivy league college like Stanford University. While, Vanessa will be Usnavi’s love interest, who is described as stunningly beautiful and catches the eye of every guy in the Heights. She lives with her alcoholic mother and dreams of moving away from the Barrio.
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Warner Bros.’ upcoming In the Heights film adaptation is based on Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s award-winning Broadway musical of the same name. The film will also star Anthony Ramos (Hamilton, A Star is Born), Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton) and Golden Globe winner Jimmy Smits (NYPD Blue), whom will be playing the roles of Usnavi de la Vega, Benny and Kevin, respectively.
In the Heights is set in Washington Heights in New York City and focuses on a bodega owner who is closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic after inheriting his grandmother’s fortune. The musical won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical.
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Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) will direct from a script written by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Hamilton). Miranda, Anthony Bregman, Mara Jacobs, and Scott Sanders will serve as producers on the project. Miranda portrayed the lead role of Usnavi in the Broadway musical, and also wrote the music and lyrics.
In The Heights will be filming this summer on location in NYC’s Washington Heights. It’s scheduled to open in June of 2020.
Oh, and we’ve BEEN rehearsing…#InTheHeightsMovie pic.twitter.com/ogA0QzWdKs
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) April 11, 2019
