Lin-Manuel Miranda Reveals More on Composing STAR WARS 'Cantina' Score with J.J. Abrams

As reported last week, HAMILTON creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda has composed part of the score for the new STAR WARS film. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Miranda revealed more about his collaboration with director J.J. Abrams on the music for the "cantina" scene.

After meeting Abrams at one of HAMILTON's performances, Miranda said he jokingly offered, "'Well, if you need a cantina scene, some cantina music, let me know.' And he took me up on it."

They wrote piece together -- Miranda without even watching the scene he was composing for -- by sending "one sort of music file that we shared back-and-forth." "J.J. just sent me the temp music they scored to; I started with that beats per minute, that tempo; and then we just started writing from there," Miranda said.

Miranda described the process as a "joyous collaboration. I'd write stuff, and then he'd add stuff, and I'd take away some of his stuff and add some of mine." He added: "[Abrams] is a really wonderful musician, on top of the polymath we already know he is."

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS hits theaters on December 18.

Actor, composer, writer, playwright, lyricist, and rapper Lin-Manuel Miranda is best known for creating and starring in the Broadway musicals IN THE HEIGHTS and HAMILTON.

Miranda wrote the music and lyrics for the musical IN THE HEIGHTS, which opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in March 2008. Miranda's written work for the show earned him numerous accolades, including the 2008 Tony Award for Best Original Score and the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Miranda's performance in the show's lead role of Usnavi earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Miranda is currently performing on Broadway in the lead role of Alexander Hamilton in HAMILTON, a new musical for which he wrote the book, music and lyrics. He is a 2015 recipient of the MacArthur "Genius" Award.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride