Top 5 Facts about Lin-Manuel Miranda
MsMojo, List, Top 10, Top 5, Facts, Viral, 10 most, countdown, YouTube, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Broadway, Actor, Composer, Writer, Rapper, PEGOT, Sesame Street, Disney, Hamilton, Tony Awards, Moana, The Little Mermaid, Alan Menken, New York City, Puerto Rico,Top 5 Facts about Lin-Manuel Miranda
Here’s a man who definitely didn’t throw away his shot! Welcome to MsMojo’s Top 5 Facts. In this instalment, we’re counting down the top 5 facts about actor, composer, writer, and rapper Lin-Manuel Miranda. Warning: After this video, prepare to be as obsessed with him as the rest of the world.
#5: He Has Done a Lot of Small Writing Projects – Some Not So Small
Most know that Miranda wrote and starred in a musical about American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton called… “Hamilton.” One of the many similarities Lin shares with Hamilton is his tendency to write… a LOT. When Miranda’s father was a New York political consultant, Miranda Senior snagged his son a job writing jingles for former governor Eliot Spitzer’s 2006 campaign. Closer to his Broadway home, Lin co-wrote that killer Tony Awards opener in 2013 – got an Emmy for it, no big deal. He also co-wrote “Jabba Flow,” a new Cantina song for “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens,” sung in Jabba the Hutt’s native language. Fun fact: it’s basically a Huttese version of Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me.” This man can do EVERYTHING.
#4: He’s About to Be in All Things Disney
July 9th 2016 was the last night of Lin-Manuel’s run as Hamilton on Broadway. But being who he is, of course he wasn’t going to take a break. The creative genius is in incredibly high demand, but since Lin’s quite the Disney fan, he’s diving headfirst into projects for the Mouse House. In addition to his collaboration with J.J. Abrams for “The Force Awakens,” he’s attached to three other Disney projects… so far! He co-wrote the music for 2016’s “Moana,” is going to work with Alan Menken on a live-action “The Little Mermaid” due in 2017, and has an acting role in the “Mary Poppins” sequel due in 2018. We’re sure he doesn’t mind the Disney collaborations; he did name his son Sebastian after all!
#3: His Heritage Is a Constant Inspiration
Lin loves to stay close to his roots. Though Miranda was born and raised in New York City, the rest of his family hails from Puerto Rico, where he spent a month a year visiting his grandparents. The idea of an immigrant making a name for himself in a new country was an important one for Lin-Manuel, as he could see his father doing that very thing – and so it was that side of Alexander Hamilton’s life he wanted to highlight. In fact, Miranda’s earlier Broadway show, “In the Heights,” was about life in the Latino neighborhood Washington Heights, where Miranda himself grew up. Today, in between composing music and raising a family, he still finds time to act as an advocate for his people and uses his celebrity as a platform to raise awareness about the debt crisis currently plaguing Puerto Rico.
#2: He Has Guest-Starred on Some of Your Favorite Shows
Though Lin-Manuel often works behind the scenes writing and composing for his many projects, there are times when he’s been right under our noses without us even realizing it! He’s rapped his way onto “How I Met Your Mother” and even found a way to rhyme stuff with “Canada.” On “House,” he was his regular excitable self, though of course House was not having ANY of it. He even made a minor appearance on “Sesame Street,” for which he also composed some music and lyrics. And, as you can expect, his “Saturday Night Live” episode was nothing short of hilarious. With his recent rise to fame after all the praise for “Hamilton,” you’re sure to notice him popping up even more when you least expect it.
#1: He Almost Has a PEGOT
For those unaware, when you’ve won all five of the following awards: a Pulitzer, an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, you have a PEGOT. Pretty impressive, right? Only composers Richard Rodgers and Marvin Hamlisch hold the honor… until now – almost. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who began his career as a high school English teacher, never could have dreamed it, but he’s currently one award away from the illustrious PEGOT – he just needs an Oscar to join their ranks. And we don’t want to jinx it but, with his Disney credits on the horizon, he may just be able to pull it off! But hey, Lin’s no stranger to breaking records, since “Hamilton” was nominated for a whopping SIXTEEN Tonys in 2016. With a MacArthur Genius Award under his belt to boot, he could boast a Mac PEGOT. Who else can claim THAT?
So, obsessed yet? Are you off to listen to the “Hamilton” soundtrack right now? For more young, scrappy and hungry top 10s and “Non-Stop” top 5s, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.
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