In The Heights: Leslie Grace on her starring role in the Lin-Manuel Miranda story
Leslie Grace, centre, in a scene from In The Heights, with Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco and Daphne Rubin-Vega.
It’s the New York musical that beguiled audiences, the show that became a smash on Broadway and now a big-screen adaptation. Long before Lin-Manuel Miranda developed Hamilton, he became known in musical theatre for In the Heights, his first onstage hit.
The story celebrates the dreams and ambitions of a group of residents in the city’s Washington Heights. Produced by Miranda - who co-wrote the stage musical - it comes to cinemas amid strong early reviews.
For lead actress Leslie Grace, the movie truly resonated - because she filmed it just streets away from where her immigrant mother first set up her own modest business.
“I'm Dominican American, so a lot of the experiences we’re touching upon in our movie are very close to home. I felt that personal responsibility, and I also felt the weight of all my family's sacrifices and everything they've done for me to fulfil a dream such as this for myself and not wanting to mess it up.
“Both my parents were Dominican, but I grew up in New York - a typical Hispanic home where there was always music playing. They came here to work hard. My mom climbed the ladder as a beautician in New York, washing your hair and blow drying hair. One of them happened to be two blocks away from where we shot. This for her is a true full circle moment to be able to see her baby girl in her first film.”
In the Heights was Miranda’s first big success, and the musical that enabled him to go on to make Hamilton. He originally starred in the show which played off-Broadway before opening there in 2008.
Adapted from the book by Quiara Hudes, it’s set over a three-day period and among the mainly Dominican neighbourhood in the city. It went on to win four Tony Awards and tour globally.
While this is Grace’s big-screen debut, she is already a big star in music circles in the US. The Grammy-nominated singer had two hit chart albums and burst onto the Latin music scene as a teenager, blending traditional bachata music from her parents’ homeland with r&b. The traditional music form was primarily performed by men, and initially, acceptance for the young Grace was difficult.
“It was a whirlwind for me,” she says now. “I was still in high school the time, singing Bachata and using pop and r&b, which was something that was fairly new at the time. It was very male dominated.
“The industry that I was entering into was male dominated in and of itself, not only the genre, but the industry itself. I didn't have a lot of people from a female perspective, and definitely not as a young 16-year-old female perspective.”
Even as her music career took off, Grace had long had ambitions to act. She trained and went through the auditions process in the hope of making a breakthrough, all the while watching the work of her acting peers, including our own Saoirse Ronan.
“I think she's a great example of a young woman who also has a very specific experience and is doing it. She's a hard worker. I've watched a lot of her films and seen her do her thing. To see someone so young, achieving such merit, it’s an inspiration to someone like me who's just getting started on this side of the industry.”
Grace was already auditioning for roles when she heard that Miranda was about to follow on the success of Hamilton by bringing In the Heights to the big screen, with Jon M Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) directing.
“I was a huge fan of Lin and I felt like it was a match for me, playing a role as close to myself as I think maybe I'll ever play in my career as an actress.”
She says she was initially nervous at the prospect of taking on her first movie role in a Miranda musical. “You feel like it's a little bit intimidating. But then you meet Lin. He disproves all of those stereotypes of really smart, successful people. When you feel his warmth, and you see how truly normal he is, his way of being a normal human being is fully attached to his brilliance. If he were any type of other way, I think he wouldn't be able to make the amazing art that he does.”
In the Heights opens in cinemas on Friday, June 18
Fifteen months after Covid first hit, summer blockbuster season is finally upon us. Here are some of the other big movies coming our way over the coming weeks.
Pixar’s latest animated adventure is set in the sun-drenched Italian Riviera, home to a young sea creature named Luca (Jacob Tremblay) who, like his peers, is warned not to venture above the surface of the water. They are feared by humans who consider them bad luck. But when Luca discovers he turns to human form above water, summer is set for vintage Vespa rides, gelatos and pasta dishes - if only he can continue to disguise his true identity.
In cinemas and on Disney+ with Premiere Access from June 18
Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) gets her long awaited standalone in Marvel’s action spy thriller. This prequel to The Avengers tells how Romanoff must manage her own history and tattered relationships before superhero life beckons. In doing so, she must take on a dark and powerful force determined to take her down. Florence Pugh and Rachel Weisz also star.
In cinemas and on Disney+ with Premier Access from July 9
Action movies don’t get much bigger than this stunt-packed series which only seems to grow in popularity with every outing. Justin Lin returns to direct the latest actioner which centres on Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto, nudged out of his quieter life to get the crew back together by a dangerous foe.
In cinemas from June 24
Drac and his monster pals return for the latest in the popular animation series for family audiences. When a new invention goes badly wrong, they are transformed into humans. Set to be the final feature in the series, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg are joined by a cast including Steve Buscemi and Kathryn Hahn. In cinemas from July 23rd.
A standalone sequel to the 2016 film (and also a reboot), James Gunn’s feature sees the return of Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Jai Courtney. The story revolves around the eccentric antiheroes’ adventures after being dropped off at a remote island packed with their enemies.
In cinemas from July 30
