IN THE HEIGHTS Cast Reflects on Creating (and Waiting for) the New Film!

Broadway fans have been waiting and waiting for the arrival of Warner Bros.'s adaptation of Lin Manuel-Miranda's In the Heights, and they got a treat yesterday when two new trailers were released. To celebrate, the team gathered to reflect on their experience making the film.

Director Jon M. Chu proudly applauded the work of his cast: "There are no dance doubles, no voice doubles. It's all our cast! They are pouring it out there. It's incredible."

"A lot of us come from the theatre, so I've known a lot of my cast mates before this and have gotten to work with a few of them," said Corey Hawkins, who plays Benny. "But also- we had like two months of prep work, sweating in the gym, training vocally and physically. It was incredibly challenging. It felt like a community... A huge part of it was trusting and giving over to the message, the story, and to the characters. I can't wait for folks to see it because it's wild!"

Olga Merediz, who memorably created the role of Abuela Claudia in the original Broadway production returns for the film and she's shared that she's been living by her character's mantra now more than ever. "During the pandemic, the song 'Paciencia y Fe', which Lin beautifully wrote, was very present in my mind because there wasn't much to hold onto," said Merediz. "It was something to remind me that we would get through the day. Don't worry, it's gonna be ok."

Stephanie Beatriz, who plays Carla, explained how her character has evolved from the original stage version. "Quiara [Alegría Hudes] and Jon really expanded on what Quiara and Lin originally created," she said. "Now they're partners, and not just work partners, but life partners. What was so gratifying to me as a person who is queer, was to see this relationship in the film be part of the fabric of their community... and that it's normal, and functioning and happy and part of the quilt that they've created. So much of this film is about where home is and who home is to you. For Carla, Daniela is home... It's just a happy, functioning relationship that happens to be gay."

Watch the trailer below!

In The Heights was originally scheduled to be released on June 26, 2020. That date was recently moved to June 11, 2021; it will be available to stream on HBO Max, and available in theaters, on that date.

The In the Heights film was written by Quiara Alegría Hudes. Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) directed the movie-musical. Anthony Bregman, Mara Jacobs and Scott Sanders produced.

The film stars Anthony Ramos as Usnavi, Melissa Barrera as Vanessa, Corey Hawkins as Benny, Leslie Grace as Nina, Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario, Stephanie Beatriz as Carla, Dascha Polanco as Cuca, Marc Anthony as Sonny's Father, Noah Catala as Graffiti Pete, and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Piraguero.

The Tony Award-winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS features music & lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The show opened on Broadway production in March 2008 and was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, winning four: Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography and Best Orchestrations. It won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album and was also nominated for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.