|
Opening in movie theaters on Thursday and
streaming on HBO Max, Hollywood's biggest Latino film in decades
tells the stories of the dreams and challenges of the largely
immigrant community in Manhattan's Washington Heights
neighborhood.
The musical was filmed largely on location in Washington
Heights, a choice that brought the authenticity that director
Jon M. Chu and the musical's creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, were
aiming for.
"They'll yell at you if you're parking in their space, but
they'll also invite you in for a beer. And they're also, when
you're performing, they're hanging out the window with their
flag, cheering you on," said Chu.
Corey Hawkins, who plays taxicab employee Benny, was raised in
the neighborhood and says filming there was like coming home.
"It was during the summer. So the kids were out on the streets.
The fire hydrants were literally open. And it was just ... it
was like magic. It was one of the best summers I've ever had,"
he said.
Aside from Jimmy Smits, most of the cast are rising Latino
singers, dancers and actors who hope the movie will open the
door https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-latinos-finally-get-their-turn-with-lin-manuel-miranda-movie-in-heights-2021-06-07
to others that showcase their community.
"I hope that it means what 'Black Panther' meant for the Black
community. I hope that it means what 'Crazy Rich Asians' meant
for the Asian community," said Melissa Barrera, who plays
aspiring fashion designer Vanessa.
"You'll see all the flags from all the Latin American countries
on the screen at one point," Barrera said. "It feels like this
movie is the unicorn and it's the one and only like this. And it
shouldn't be; there should be more."
Smits, who was an early supporter of Miranda's stage musical of
the same name, gets emotional when talking about the impact he
hopes the film will have both for Latinos and beyond.
"Every movie, you want it to resonate universally," Smits said.
"The delivery system being the musical here, it's just joy, and
we need this right now."
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant and Rollo Ross; editing by Jonathan
Oatis)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content
|
|
