Lin-Manuel Miranda announced the news on Twitter.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has announced on Twitter that Melissa Barrera and Leslie Grace will join Anthony Ramos and Corey Hawkins in the upcoming film adaptation of In the Heights.
Actor-singer Barrera, who will play Vanessa, is known for appearing in the telenovelas Siempre Tuya Acapulco and Tanto Amor. Grace, a Billboard-charting singer-songwriter, will play Nina. As previously announced, Ramos will star as Usnavi, with Hawkins as Benny.
With a score by Miranda and book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, In the Heights won the 2008 Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Music and Lyrics (Miranda), Best Choreography (Andy Blankenbuehler), and Best Orchestrations (Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman). The original cast recording won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. The film will be directed by Jon M. Chu, and will shoot, according to Miranda, in this summer in the New York neighborhood of Washington Heights.
*taps*
And now, I'm thrilled to announce some of the cast of our In The Heights film…@ARamosofficial IS Usnavi@MelissaBarreraM IS Vanessa#CoreyHawkins IS Benny @lesliegrace IS Nina RosarioWe film this summer. Uptown.
Right here In The Heights.
…More soon! pic.twitter.com/xTfzjydC9n
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) April 11, 2019