Top 10 Subtle In the Heights Details We Love

What do “In the Heights” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” have in common? Well, let us tell you. Lin-Manuel Miranda called the classic 1946 Christmas flick’s ending, “one of the best… of all time.” It helped shape Usnavi’s story arc, and his character was built with the goal of emulating this ideal ending. Usnavi’s cornerstone bodega is where everyone’s lives and stories become interwoven. But, like George Bailey, he dreams of starting a life elsewhere, until ultimately realizing that there’s no place like home. During the “Finale,” after he has this lightbulb moment, Usnavi echoes George’s same words from the movie’s final scene.

As any New Yorker could tell you, the A Train does indeed pass through Washington Heights. However, this is a Lin-Manuel Miranda musical and every detail is far more nuanced than just that. “Take the A Train” is also a famous jazz standard from the collaboration of Billy Strayhorn and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. As Usnavi raps this line in the title track, you can hear horns in the background playing the very recognizable opening bars to their signature melody. He also drops another cultural reference, later on, expertly rhyming “cold water” with “Cole Porter” as he complains about the heat.

Fans of this fantasy trilogy will be delighted to learn that there’s a subtle nod to its third book, “The Amber Spyglass,” in the show. Miranda is a huge fan of the novels, even playing Lee Scoresby in the BBC’s television adaption. However, the moment that influenced his songwriting happens between Lyra and Will. As they part to their respective worlds, they vow to sit on the same bench on the same day every year and think about each other. When Nina decides to go back to college, Benny worries about making it long distance. So, these lovebirds make a very similar promise as well.

This actress got her big break originating the role of nineteen-year-old exotic dancer, Mimi Marquez in Jonathan Larson’s “Rent.” But did you know that this isn’t the only original Broadway cast she’s been a part of? If you were fortunate enough to catch “In the Heights” on Broadway, you might recall that it opens with Graffiti Pete turning on his boombox. The radio announcer’s voice that you then hear belongs to, yep, you guessed it, Daphne Rubin-Vega. Just over a decade later, Lin-Manuel Miranda announced on Twitter that Rubin-Vega had been cast in the movie as feisty salon owner, Daniela.

Miranda has said that he wrote the kind of music you would be likely to hear if you wandered through Washington Heights. The soundtrack is comprised of salsa, mambo, merengue, reggaeton, and hip-hop, amongst other rhythms. What you might not have noticed, though, is that each generation has a distinct sound that reflects their heritage. “Paciencia y Fe,” sung by Abuela Claudia is the “mambo-est mambo that ever mamboed,” whereas “Enough” sung by Nina’s mom, Camila, plays to a salsa beat. The younger generation borrows from all of the above, usually overlaying it with hip-hop, as they both grapple with and celebrate their bicultural identities.

As well as “In the Heights,” Lin-Manuel Miranda is the genius behind another barely known musical called “Hamilton.” For those of you who have seen it, or heard its soundtrack, there’s a fun little easter egg to listen out for in the movie. There’s a scene where one of the characters is waiting on the phone and the hold music is “You’ll Be Back” as sung by King George. Miranda contemplated the conflicts of both musicals existing in the same world, especially since several actors overlap. However, it’s such a fun treat that we’re totally willing to suspend our disbelief.

When the movie was officially greenlit, everyone wanted to know if the composer, lyricist, and original Usnavi would at least make a cameo. As we learned in the trailer, he would indeed, this time playing the role of the Piragua Guy. He’s also joined by OBC Abuela Claudia, Olga Merediz, who reprises the role. However, one you may have missed is the actor portraying Piragüero’s rival, Mister Softee. You probably know Christopher Jackson as the original George Washington from “Hamilton.” But did you know that he also originated the role of Benny? Also, look out for Seth Stewart, the original Graffiti Pete on Broadway.

The world was a very different place when this musical made its Broadway debut in 2008. So, naturally, it’s needed some updating over the years. One change that particularly stood out to fans occurs during the song “96,000.” Benny dreams about being so rich that he can hire a so-called billionaire with questionable views as his caddy. But as Miranda said, “Time made a fool of that lyric.” Instead, it was replaced with a reference to a famous golfer with dubious morals, Tiger Woods. This change was apparently made a while back, but for many of us, it only became canon through the movie’s soundtrack.

Fun fact: While “In the Heights” was filming on location, Steven Spielberg was just a few blocks away shooting the new “West Side Story” movie. However, similar settings aren't the only feature these films share. Miranda has often spoken about the influences the 1957 musical had on his life and career. He even worked on the 2009 bilingual Broadway production, starring the original Vanessa, Karen Olivo, as Anita. Speaking of Anita, take a listen to the opening bars of the “In the Heights'' title track. Notice how Miranda borrowed the clave rhythm from the start of “America.” Once you hear it, you can’t un-hear it.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a self-professed lifelong fan of Disney’s “DuckTales” series. In fact, he joined the “DuckTales” family as Fenton Crackshell-Cabrera, when the show was rebooted in 2017. During the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, he highlighted a connection between the “Darkwing” theme song and Nina’s solo number, “Breathe.” He said that the theme song played an instrumental role in his development as a songwriter. And it was here that he first discovered the triple internal rhymes that he adopted as well. This man’s genius simply knows no bounds. We can watch “In the Heights” over and over again and always discover something new.