Rita Moreno believes viewers criticizing Lin Manuel Miranda for whitewashing the lead roles in “In The Heights” are not targetting the right individual, arguing that Miranda did a great deal for on-screen Latinx representation in America.
During an appearance on “The Late Show” on Tuesday, Moreno defended Miranda (who created “In The Heights” and co-wrote the Broadway musical of the very same name) over the movie’s decision to cast white-passing Latinx actors as the majority of the primary characters.
She’s addressing the criticism about Lin M
On Tuesday’s episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Rita Moreno believed that negative comments toward Miranda about racing in the film’s casting “really upsets me.” Miranda’s movie adaptation of In the Heights – particularly, discussions revolved around colorism.
Moreno, 89, told host Stephen Colbert:
You can never do right, it seems. This is the man who literally has brought Latino-ness and Puerto Rican-ness to America. I couldn’t do it. I would love to say I did, but I couldn’t. Lin-Manuel has done that really singlehandedly and I’m thrilled to pieces, and I’m proud that he produced my documentary [Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It.]
After its June 10th release in theatres and on HBO Max, social media users pointed out the fact that “In The Heights” mainly features light-skinned Latinx prospects and that the majority of Black Latinx actors are actually cast as historical actors.
On Wednesday, the 89-year-old actress issued a statement on Twitter saying that she was “disappointed”
I’m incredibly disappointed with myself. While making a statement in defense of Lin-Manuel Miranda on the Colbert Show last night, I was clearly dismissive of black lives that matter in our Latin community. It is so easy to forget how celebration for some is lament for others.
— Rita Moreno (@TheRitaMoreno) June 17, 2021
Rita Moreno states she’s “disappointed” in herself for being “dismissive” of the Black Latinx group while she was defending Lin Manuel Miranda, that has just recently faced criticism for colorism in the movie adaptation of his Tony-winning musical, In the Heights.
Meanwhile, Miranda, director Jon M. Chu and several of the film’s cast have publicly tackled the colorism boasts.
When asked by Colbert, who is fifty seven, whether she recognizes where are these concerns from people coming from and whether she believes the criticism against Miranda, 41, particularly is “misplaced,” the actress – who’ll appear in the forthcoming remake of West Side Story, many years after starring in the first movie – replied, that she is simply stating that why cant people wait for a while and leave the matter alone? Adding that there are many people of colour in Puertorriqueño, who originate from Guatemala, some are dark and some are also fair. Puerto Rico has people of all colours,Moreno explained
-LMM pic.twitter.com/CHfdLgFUz3
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 14, 2021
Miranda produced as well as stars in In the Heights – posted an apology Monday after the film’s director Jon M. Chu as well as cast members Melissa Barrera and Leslie Grace had been asked about the colorism and casting options within the movie in an interview.
Chu, Barrera, 30, and Grace, 26, were asked about the absence of Afro Latino actors in top roles within the musical movie in an interview with The Root’s Felice Leon. Felice Leon described herself as a Cuban descent black female, about “the absence of Black Latinx folks represented” in the movie thinking about the movie’s primary cast was mostly light brown rather than black.
The director said it was one thing that had to be talked about and he “needed to be informed about it, of course.”
