Recently Quiara Alegría Hudes (screenplay, original stage musical book) Jimmy Smits (Kevin Rosario), Olga Merediz (Abuela Claudia) and Scott Sanders (producer) joined iHeartRadio Broadway's SJ Arnegger to talk about being a part of the film adaptation of the hit Broadway musical In the Heights. The film will premiere on HBO Max on June 11th after opening the Tribeca Film Festival on June 9th. Filmed over several months in Washington Heights, In the Heights looks to be the next great movie musical adaptation giving a new generation the chance to experience the Lin-Manual Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes musical that was nominated for thirteen Tony Awards and won four, including Best Musical in 2008. During the interview, Hudes talks about the challenges of updated the screenplay for the film adaptation, while Smits and Merediz talk about being apart of the In the Heights Family since day one and why they are excited for audiences to see this film.
The film, directed by John Chu stars Anthony Ramos (A Star is Born, Hamilton), Corey Hawkins (Six Degrees of Separation, Straight Outta Compton, Kong: Skull Island), singer/songwriter Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (Vida), Olga Merediz (In the Heights), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent), Gregory Diaz IV (Matilda the Musical), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Dascha Polanco (Orange Is the New Black) and Jimmy Smits (The West Wing, Star Wars).