Who Does Lin-Manuel Miranda Play in the In the Heights Movie?
Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical In the Heights is lighting up the big screen this summer, but fans wont see the Tony Award winner in the role he originated on Broadway over a decade ago. Instead, fellow Hamilton alum Anthony Ramos steps into the character of Usnavi in the new movie directed by Jon M. Chu. Keep reading! According to Variety, Miranda opted against reprising the role of Usnavi in the film because he felt he had aged out of the part. Related: Daphne Rubin-Vega Shares Details on In the Heights Boot Camp and Why the Film Will Be Utterly Positive for the Latinx Community  I was going to be Usnavi in the first go-round because I had been playing it on Broadway. And then when that whole situation ended, I closed the book on it. I was like OK, Im working on this other thing [Hamilton], Ill just keep writing. I saw Anthony in a production of In the Heights, and I cant tell you how surreal it was, Miranda confessed to Variety. (Macall Polay)  The actor described Ramos connection to the lead character as molecular. He added, It was just like, I was playing Usnavi and Anthony is Usnavi. Thats genuinely how I felt when I watched him do it. That was a good six months before we were even talking casting, but I knew he had the chops to do it.  Parade Daily Celebrity interviews, recipes and health tips delivered to your inbox. Email Address Please enter a valid email address. Thanks for signing up! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. While Miranda is not returning to Washington Heights as Usnavi, he does have a small role in the film as Piragero a.k.a. the Piragua Guy. (Piragua is a Puerto Rican shaved ice treat, often sold by sidewalk vendors in Upper Manhattan.) It almost didnt happen, Miranda told the San Francisco Chronicle of his onscreen character. I really was very like, I dont need to be in this movie. But Jon [M. Chu, the director] would joke, Well, I still havent cast Piragua Guy. '  Related: Lin-Manuel Mirandas Sweetest Good Morning and Good Night Tweets  In the end, Miranda took the part and really made it a love letter to his late grandfather. Im wearing his glasses around my neck, he shared. Ive got the dime store Estefana cowboy novels that he would carry around fing everywhere. His character even has his own song in the movie, aptly titled Piragua, which finds him belting out a big number about the refreshing dessert. Miranda was talked into the role because he was concerned that the song could be cut from the film. [Screenwriter Quiara Alegra Hudes] talked me into it, he told CBS News. If youre in it, its the surest way the song doesnt get cut. '  Theres no plot in Piragua,' he added. Its a metaphor for the entire neighborhood. Like, life is hard. Prices are going up, but we keep scraping by.  Related: Lin-Manuel Miranda on Mary Poppins Returns, His Love of Musicals and Meeting Julie Andrews  Bonus Lin-Manuel Miranda in the In the Heights movie  Mirandas appearances as the Piragua Guy dont end with the movie. Stick around for a post-credits scene featuring the Broadway star! In the Heights is now playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max through July 11  Next, find out why our movie critic calls In the Heights a technicolor extravaganza of dazzling sights.