In the Heights creator Lin-Manuel Miranda is apologizing for the lack of Afro-Latino representation in the film based on his Tony Award winning musical.
In the Heights may have been one of the most highly anticipated releases of the summer, but the movie musical’s big debut didn’t come without some discourse.
Specifically, many took to the internet to criticize the film for keeping dark-skinned Afro-Latinos in the background of large dance numbers, and out of main roles.
In the Heights, which is based off of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony Award winning musical of the same name, is set and is centered on the vibrant and diverse Latinx community that resides in the New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights. Those who took issues with the film’s diversity issues pointed to the fact that the movie musical failed to accurately represent the neighborhood in question— specifically it’s darker skinned Afro-Latino population.
In response, Miranda took to his Twitter account late on Monday (June 14) afternoon to address the criticism.
“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 so much to represent with pride and joy,” wrote Miranda as part of a lengthier letter. “In trying to paint a mosaic of this community, we fell short. I’m truly sorry.”
You can read Lin-Manuel Miranda’s full statement with regards to the In the Heights movie criticism below.
-LMM pic.twitter.com/CHfdLgFUz3
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 14, 2021
In The Heights is out now in theaters and on HBO Max.