In the Heights includes a sprawling cast of characters who can sing, dance, and act. Adapted from the Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, the movie version of In the Heights brings back a few familiar faces from Hamilton and a number of other projects across television, Broadway, and film.
Set in New York City’s Washington Heights, In the Heights follows multiple characters and storylines, but is most heavily focused on Usnavi de la Vega, Nina Rosario, Vanessa, and Benny. The four characters have a lot going on throughout the film as they grapple with their identities, dreams for the future, their relationships with each other, and what it means now that the neighborhood they grew up in is changing all around them. Since this is a musical, they each belt out several tunes to express themselves.
Of course, they aren’t the only ones who star in In the Heights, and their stories are uplifted by several more characters. From parents to local hairstylists, the musical is filled with a cast of new and veteran actors, although the cast of In the Heights' film adaptation did stir up some controversy. Here is a list of all the cast members, what else they’ve been in, and who play in the film.
Anthony Ramos as Usnavi de la Vega
One of In the Heights' main characters is Usnavi. He’s lost both of his parents after moving from the Dominican Republic to the United States and dreams of moving back to the island to reopen his dad’s store. Anthony Ramos is best known for playing John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in Hamilton. He played Usnavi in the 2018 Kennedy Center run of In the Heights and has been in multiple other stage shows, including Grease. Ramos has had roles in the TV series She’s Gotta Have It, the 2018 film A Star is Born, and has guest starred in the revival of Will & Grace.
Melissa Barrera as Vanessa
Vanessa is a budding fashion designer who dreams of moving to downtown New York to start a career. She’s also Usnavi’s love interest in In the Heights. Barrera began her acting career by starring in a series of telenovelas, including Tanto Amor and Siempre Tuya Acapulco. Most recently appearing as Sam in 2022’s Scream, Melissa Barrera’s first breakout role in the U.S. was playing Elizabeth Bennet in a series of staged readings called Acting for a Cause. Barrera is best known to U.S. audiences for her role as Lyn in the acclaimed Starz series Vida.
Corey Hawkins as Benny
Benny is an employee of the neighborhood dispatch, updating locals on traffic and other need-to-know information as they get around the city. Benny is also in love with Nina Rosario, his boss’ daughter. Corey Hawkins is best known for playing Dr. Dre in Straight Outta Compton. He’s also appeared as the supporting character Heath in six episodes of AMC's megahit series The Walking Dead and in the movies BlacKkKlansman, 6 Underground, Kong: Skull Island, and the series 24: Legacy.
Leslie Grace as Nina Rosario
Nina was born and raised in Washington Heights before going off to Stanford University to study, the first in her family to go to college. One of Nina’s biggest fears is letting down her dad and her community. Leslie Grace is an accomplished singer, having released two studio albums and collaborated with singers like Becky G and Maluma. On the acting side, In the Heights is actually her feature film debut, having only appeared in music videos before the musical film adaptation.
Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia
Abuela Claudia is the neighborhood’s beloved grandmother, whom everyone comes to for support and love. She came to the U.S. with her mother from Cuba as a young girl and has been living in Washington Heights since. Claudia has a penchant for buying lottery tickets. Olga Merediz originated the role of Abuela Claudia in the original show and played the role for the entirety of the musical’s Broadway run. Merediz has been in Orange is the New Black, Evita, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Marvin’s Room, and The Place Beyond the Pines. On Broadway, Merediz has also starred in Mamma Mia! and Les Misérables.
In The Heights Supporting Cast Of Characters
Stephanie Beatriz as Carla — Carla is a hairstylist who works at her mother’s salon in Washington Heights and knows pretty much everyone’s business at all times. Stephanie Beatriz is best known for portraying Detective Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She’s also guest starred in One Day At a Time, Into the Dark, and Modern Family. Her breakout role in film came in Short Term 12 and she’s since gone on to have a number of voice roles in BoJack Horseman, Bob’s Burgers, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, and the acclaimed Disney animation Encanto.
Dascha Polanco as Cuca — Cuca is actually a character addition to In the Heights’ film adaptation. She is a hairstylist and manicurist who works in a salon alongside Carla. Dascha Polanco is perhaps best known for playing Daya in Orange is the New Black. She’s also appeared in American Crime Story, Joy, When They See Us, Evil, and Russian Doll season 1.
Daphne Rubin-Vega as Daniela — Daniela is the owner of the neighborhood salon Carla and Cuca work at, though she’s contemplating moving its location throughout the film. Daphne Rubin-Vega is best known for originating the role of Mimi in Rent, though she’s also appeared in a number of film and TV roles, including the Sex and the City movie, the musical series Smash, and Katey Keene. Rubin-Vega is an accomplished singer, having released several singles, and was once a part of the group Pajama Party.
Jimmy Smits as Kevin Rosario — Kevin is Nina’s father and the owner of the local dispatch company, which he sold half of to pay for Nina’s Stanford education. Jimmy Smits is a prolific actor who is known for playing Bail Organa in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. He has also starred in well-known TV series like NYPD Blue, The West Wing, L.A. Law, Dexter, and How to Get Away With Murder. He’s also appeared in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Sons of Anarchy.
Gregory Diaz IV as Sonny de la Vega — Sonny is Usnavi’s cousin who works with him at the bodega. Gregory Diaz IV is one of the younger of the cast and has the least amount of credits, but has already been in a plethora of films and TV shows, including Vampires vs. the Bronx, New Amsterdam, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Other Notable In The Heights Cast & Characters
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Piraguero — Piragua is a shaved Puerto Rican dessert and that’s pretty much what Pirageuro does, he sells piragua to the neighborhood kids. This is a much smaller role for Lin-Manuel Miranda, who originated the role of Usnavi in the Broadway musical. Miranda is famous for playing Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton and he’s appeared in Mary Poppins Returns, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, How I Met Your Mother, and His Dark Materials. Miranda has also composed music for Disney’s Moana and Encanto.
Mateo Gomez as Alejandro — Alejandro is the accountant who encourages Usnavi to put a down payment on his dad’s old hotel in the Dominican Republic. Mateo Gomez has been in Joy, The Bone Collector, Law & Order, and Jessica Jones.
Marc Anthony as Gapo de la Vega — Gapo is Usnavi’s uncle and Sonny’s father, allowing his son to work in Usnavi’s bodega. Marc Anthony is a popular singer, with several notable hits. Anthony has also starred in films like Man on Fire, Hackers, and the TV series Hawthorne.
Olivia Perez as Iris — Iris is one of the kids Usnavi is telling his story to about the magic of Washington Heights. Olivia Perez has starred in Swallow and Netflix’s Dash & Lily.
Christopher Jackson as Mr. Softee Truck Driver — This role is exactly what the name suggests. The Softee truck driver is also a local nemesis of Piragua Guy, since they’re both attempting to sell to the kids in the same neighborhood. Christopher Jackson plays the character here and he’s best known for originating the role of In the Heights’ Benny, as well as George Washington in Hamilton. Jackson has also starred in Bull, When They See Us, and Tracers.
Noah Catala as Graffiti Pete — Pete does a lot of graffiti on the sides of buildings in Washington Heights and appears throughout the film, even inspiring one of the characters with their project. Noah Catala’s only other acting credit was in Netflix’s The Get Down.
Ariana Greenblatt and Ariana Saintclaire Gomez as Young Nina and 12-year-old Nina — Two versions of Young Nina appear during the song “Breathe,” in which older Nina sees the way she was. Ariana Greenblatt has appeared in Love and Monsters, as young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, and the series Stuck in the Middle. In the Heights is Ariana Saintclaire Gomez’s first role.
In The Heights’ Casting Controversy Explained
There's no doubt that the entire cast of In the Heights consists of incredibly talented performers, but the movie's casting choices did spark significant and merited critique for one major failing: the erasure of the Black Latinx community. Miranda's original musical and its film adaptation both seek to represent an authentic, colorful depiction of Washington Heights, but nearly every major actor in In the Heights is light-skinned. Colorism, or the bias against dark-skinned people in favor of those with lighter skin, is a pretty glaring problem with In the Heights. In reality, the neighborhood of Washington Heights boasts a strong Afro Latinx presence, but the film doesn't represent this community at all. While this doesn't seem to have been intentional, it does speak to a distinct lack of intention around bringing truly authentic representation to the screen. Many culture critics took to Twitter to discuss this issue in the wake of In the Heights' release, and Miranda issued a public apology in which he promised to do better in his next projects (via Vox). While In the Heights is in many ways an enjoyable film that celebrates Latinx culture, this misstep is a critical one to consider.