Lin-Manuel Miranda Addresses ‘In The Heights’ Lack Of Afro-Latino Actors
In The Heights creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda has taken to Twitter to address the lack of Afro-Latino representation. “I started writing In The Heights because I didn’t feel seen….
Lin-Manuel Miranda attends the opening night premiere of ‘In The Heights’ during 2021 Tribeca Festival at United Palace Theater on June 09, 2021 in New York City.
Noam Galai/Getty ImagesIn The Heights creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda has taken to Twitter to address the lack of Afro-Latino representation.
"I started writing In The Heights because I didn't feel seen.
And over the past 20 years all I wanted for us-- ALL of us--to feel seen.
I'm seeing the discussion around Afro-Latino representation in our film this weekend and it is clear that many in our dark-skinned Afro-Latino community don't feel sufficiently represented within it, particularly among the leading roles.
I can hear the hurt and frustration over colorism, of feeling still unseen in the feedback.
I hear that without sufficient dark-skinned Afro-Latino representation, the work feels extractive of the community we wanted to so much to represent with pride and joy.
In trying to paint a mosaic of this community, we fell short.
I'm truly sorry.
I'm learning from the feedback, I thank you for raising it, and I'm listening.
I'm trying to hold space for both the incredible pride in the movie we made and be accountable for our shortcomings.
Thank you for your honest feedback. I promise to do better in my future projects, and I'm dedicated to the learning and evolving we all have to do to make sure we are honoring our diverse and vibrant community.
Siempre, LMM."
Watch the trailer for In The Heights below, which is now streaming on HBO Max.
Miranda got mixed reactions on Twitter, mostly negative and calling him out, with one user writing, "But didn't you receive the same 'feedback' when it was a play? Why are you acting brand new? I'm confused."
Another user said that "there is no way to represent every way a Latino looks. I am blonde & light-eyed." To which another commented, "It's easy for you to dismiss the darker versions of Afrom Latino because you were represented."
Another debate ensued with the matter of how much of Latinx representation Miranda should have been responsible for in the movie:
Here are some more mixed reactions of Miranda's movie:
