Lin-Manuel Miranda: Cheering For Me Now

Joseph, what are you doing.

I'm practicing my jazz hands for becoming an icon the musical. When you're lost and alone and have no one to hold, just look at us for guidance.

Okay, that makes us sound like some weird cult. I don't know that I want to be in this musical.

Well I'm committing to it.

We do not have budgets. Hello, how many times do I have to tell you.

That don't rain on my parade?

By the way, I didn't know that you could like hit notes like.

This, sing girl you got? I got a lot up my sleeve.

Every under valuing you as a co host, like what is my problem?

Anyway?

It's true.

While Joseph finishes his starring role and becoming an icon the Musical, we are here to talk all things Lin Manuel Miranda just one last time, and this is our last episode with the wonder Kind himself. But before we teach you how to say goodbye, we obviously have to chat it up to discuss everything we didn't get a chance to get to before.

We've also got a very special guest, more fun trivia, and we play favorites with all of Lynn's projects by giving you our ultimate ranking cue the lights.

I'm your host Lilianavosquez.

And I'm Joseph Carrio and this is Becoming an Icon.

A weekly podcast where we give you the rundown on how today's most famous LATINX stars have shaped pop culture.

And given the world some extra.

Subt Sit back and get comfortable.

Because we are going in the only way we know how with Buenagunasrisa's some chees.

And a lot of opinions as we relive their greatest achievements on our journey to find out what makes them so iconic. Before we say I have giost too, lin Manuel Miranda, we are welcoming a new guest to the Becoming an Icon crew.

She's a New York native Latina Inner Team journalist focusing on all things pop culture.

Let's give a very warm welcome to Kristin Malonado. Hi, Kristen, Hi, Christin.

Hello, I'm so excited to be here with you guys talking about Linn men Moa, Miranda, let's do this.

We are excited to have you. Well.

I love this level of energy for Lynn, like here we are you guys.

So, Kristin, I heard a rumor that you invited Lynn to your wedding.

What I did, I did kla in the actual fuckery.

Is this possible?

So there's this thing that apparently people do when you're getting married, where like you just have so many invitations. There's like this spacebook, but that's like, invite the celebrities and they probably won't come, but maybe they'll send you something. And so I invited to worry Kelly, I invited uh Gabriela Glecias. I invited Lin Mamal Miranda and lind Manma Miranda.

I even brought it up.

Today to show you.

He brought.

He sent me a little picture and a.

Little note he handwritten wrote to us, saying.

Thank you for your gracious invitation.

Although I was regretfully unable to attend, please accept my warmest congratulations on your nuptials.

I hope your ceremony was as beautiful as your love. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness and wedded bliss.

And then he said, and he signed it.

Oh my god, Oh my god, We're going to invite him to the opening of our musical and yes.

I will enjoy his musical. I'm ready, girl.

Do you work for tweets or likes? Or or chips and ships, because that's the kind of budget we're working with.

All the above.

Now, tell us why you are such a fan of Lynn.

You know, I mean I grew up as a theater kid, right, and I just love how he's been able to really like change the theater industry with everything from in the Heights to Hamilton and then you know, even going beyond that into Hollywood and kind of showing that there's a place for Latinos in these different spaces that.

We don't always necessarily to see ourselves in. And you know, like.

Hearing this music that he's written that really like celebrates Latino culture and identity, it's just like so inspiring and it makes you feel seen. And that's why I really enjoyed all his music and the projects that he's come up with, you know, because he combines a little bit

Now, did you ever were you ever in theater?

No? Just in high school and college, like middle school, high school, college.

I did a lot of college.

Okay, okay, yeah.

I actually started out as a theater major. Before I was like, I need a full time job, so then I journalism. But that's what I got me into entertainment journalism was that love of like theater and entertainment and movies and television and being like, how can I kind.

Of perform in a way still but make a career.

I have a little bit more of a stable career, you know, And so that's how I got into entertainment journalism.

Now, as a journalist, you get to cover a lot of amazing actors, producers, directors, writers. What we have found so interesting about our journey with Lynn is that he kind of touches all of those, right, He's like very.

Close to being a freaking peagot.

So, with your experience in entertainment journalism, is there anybody like Lynn out there?

Or is he truly like one oak?

Oh my gosh, well, how dare you Lilyana that it's too much, that's too much for it to handle right now?

You know, I definitely think that there's people out there that are in the same kind of like crew like that are building towards that I think of, like someone like Lauria Caldron Kellett who writes and show runs and you know, I interviewed her and acts. I interviewed her a couple of a couple of years ago, and she kind of talked about how she first started creating her own projects because she wanted to be seen and wanted to be in them, and I was like that.

I love that.

You know, like we don't get to represent, we don't get to be represented all the time, so you know, we'd write it.

For ourselves right and put ourselves in it.

So definitely someone like her comes to mind, someone like Michael R.

Jackson Polletzer Winner.

Creating a story that represents queer black men, and I just I love seeing people who are who are trying to break boundaries and and show us in ways, you know, people in ways that we haven't been necessarily seen before. So that's another person that I think of that's that's killing the game.

I love that.

I love seeing that.

You know, it feels like Lynn has just this incredible mass appeal children. Grandma's me Joseph of like black, white, brown, green, purple, it does not matter like, I'd rarely come across somebody that does not have something incredible to say about Lynn or Lynn's work. Why do you think his work has had the success that it has, Because here's the thing. If you had pitched me a musical about Alexander Hamilton that was wrapped, I would have been like, no, thank you, bye, no ooh no.

But then you see it through Lynn's lens, through his pen, through his genius, and all of a sudden, it is everything that is in like the cultural lexicon, Like how does that happen for somebody? Like what did he do? How did he make magic? With Hamilton?

You know? I think there's so many different levels to

I can't teall you how many times.

I'm Disney Plus and my husband watches it with him because he's a hip hop fan and he connects to that, and so he's like, oh, that far goes hard, you know, and he's like surprised. But like, how like just how much it connects to to even someone that maybe wouldn't even necessarily be a huge fan of musicals, you know,

Like you on this show, it makes you think that could be me.

Like I could be a person making these changes and stuff like that. Really, I think just shows how like representation can really influence people to make big changes in the world. Just from seeing someone else do it.

I love that you said that, because you're setting us up perfectly for the Little Mermaids.

So, Joseph, how in the dare I'm not ready? I just got the goosebumps when you said that. What yes, Joseph.

So you know, obviously when we think of Lynn, we think of In the Heights, We of course think of Hamilton. But let's take it current, right, because we just got hit with The Little Mermaid, the live action film. People

Yes? I do. I don't, well, I don't know.

What kind of VHS tapes you've got hiding in there.

The ones I have at my house made it all the way to New York, but the other Disney ones, they say it at my mom.

So let's talk about The Little Mermaid because he plays such a huge role in this film, obviously not on screen but behind the scenes, writing the music. And one of the things that he was asked about was obviously the controversy surrounding Ariel, right, and it being Chloe Joseph, you saw the film, what were your impressions of it?

And also Kristin have you seen the movie?

I have, absolutely, So.

I'm going to go back to lin Manuel in general and then we'll go back to Ariel. But it's like, you know, what Lynn did for Hamilton is bringing in a different side of inclusivity where you're just kind of like listen rappers listen to words like they're telling you a story, right, And so he was able to get a different group of people to listen educate themselves with

I thought it was incredible.

I think it's just watching things like that is a testament to me of it doesn't matter if you are the exact background of that person, but just to see another person of color in that space, like it felt really magical to me.

And it made me feel like.

You know, even as an adult, like I could be a little Morman, you know, like I could be whatever that is. Like, I just think that there's like this real power in seeing things like that, because I feel like there's so many times where you watch them things and you just think, well, I can't do that, and then subconsciously it's because, oh it's because I've only ever

Can do that. I've been see there's been so many productions recently of.

Legally Blonde that have been done that have black women as the role of Elle Woods, and I'm like it just it makes me feel like like tingles inside, you know, to just be like a wait, could you imagine that?

Then I think it takes it to another another.

Level of like, well I could be a part of making something like that happen, or I could you know, you could be a lawyer or something. You know, and like see yourself in spaces maybe that on television or movies you don't always necessarily see yourself in, but like those people exist doing those jobs in real life.

I think that's the brilliance and the magic of him. You know, he just removes all of these barriers that really don't impact the impact of the character or the experience of seeing a film or watching a movie. He just strips all of that away and just gets right down to the core of like who is this person as a human?

Right, And that's how we connect to characters.

That we see in films, in television, in books, whatever that is. Like think about it when you read a book, like I don't usually assign a race, right, like I'm having an it's a character.

Yeah, you're developing the character exactly.

And I think that's just what's amazing about him is his ability to do that all the time, Like he did that with in Gunhal right, like that was the first time like I felt seen in a Disney movie Joseph too.

Right, he did it with Hamilton.

He's doing it with the Little Mermaid and it's not like he's just doing it and it's like, eh, it was cool, it was okay. It's like he's doing it at the highest level, like the big like Disney, like Global, Like this man just crushes And I think you know, he doesn't just do films and television, he also does like documentaries. He brings so much attention to like causes, like as somebody who's Puerto Rican, like Chris and I know you're Puerto Rican as well. Like that what he's

Like Hamilton's going back to Puerto Rico this summer. Like he doesn't stop. It's not like he's showing up when something.

Bad happens and then he's like all right, peace, got my photo, op, I'm out. Like at the core, like Puerto Rico's his soul, it's his identity, it's his heritage, and like, I love the attention that he brought, love that he took the like Hamilton there. I love that he was influential on bringing Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show to Puerto Rico.

Like he doesn't stop. And I think that's what's so amazing.

He just constantly gives back to his community around him. And aside from almost being a pegot, which he's gonna get it, Like, let's be clear, he's gonna get it. He's just he's amazing. So we want to have a little fun with you, right, We want to do just a little game, okay, because Lynn is known like you said, or your husband said, he wouldn't be your husband say about his bars.

Oh he got fire bars?

Okay, So we know that Lynn has firebars, so we want to test your prowess when it comes to his firebars.

So I have a feeling you know a lot of rap. We are going to test your skills. We're going to give you a lin Manuel lyric and a rap and I want you to tell me which is which. So is it rap realness or is this a lin Manuel lyric? Let's go such a blunder. Sometimes it makes me one er. Why I even bring the thunder? Is that a lind Manuel lyric or a rap?

I think that's a rap.

It's from Ribleton. Okay, don't worry, you got this, You got this.

Up.

Okay, between you and me, she's kind of a prima donna.

I think it's a rap. And god, oh my gosh, I don't know.

How do I know know any songs I listen to the whole day.

Okay, I'm gonna help you on this one, but I'm gonna hurt our listener's ears because I am not a rapper, all right, Right, Sometimes it makes me wonder her I keep from going under.

Okay, that's a lin Manuel song.

No, that's a rap. Isn't it a rap? That's a rap? That's the song that's a Grandmaster flash.

Yeah, you know what it is? I need my husband here because family.

I don't know.

No, you know what you need is you need me not rapping?

Yeah, maybe you needed to like the actual sound.

Bite, correct, Yeah, I need you need the soundwied. Yeah, all right, we're gonna try one more time. All right, here's another one. Lind Manuel lyric or rap realness. I'd start my life with a brand new lease Atlantic City with a Malibu breeze.

I think it's a line.

Final answer, Kristen, Yeah, okay, let's call your lifeline, Joseph car Joseph.

It is definitely Linnen in the Heights, Oh yeah, because I love I love that part.

You guys nailed that. Okay, well maybe did it nail it, but you had fun doing it, and that's all that matters, all right.

So before we let you go, you're such a lind fan. Joseph and I are also huge Lind fans. Our audience listening, if they weren't when they started this podcast, they are now. So let's rank your top three Linn projects of all time, because not only does that give us insight into who you are and people can find you and follow your career, but it also gives our audience some homework in case you pick something that maybe they haven't seen, haven't heard.

Or didn't even know was attributed to Lynn.

All right, so rank your top three Linn projects from these In the Heights, Hamilton, Mowanna and Ganto Vivl Tick Tick Boom in the Heights of the movie and The Little Mermaid. Okay, and go backwards, go three, two one, Okay.

My three is in the Heights the movie. That soundtrack is just crazy. I love that soundtrack so much, and it's one of those ones that I feel like it was a bit underrated when I came out, But the more I like watch it again and again, I'm like.

Oh my god, this is insane, Like it's.

Just so it's also perfect time to listen hello summer on de I feel like they need.

A release it. They really do. Just need to re release it for the summer in select theaters because it is everything. I listened to it when I'm walking. Okay.

Number two, number two incan So I think that was such a fun movie. And you know, I actually had family visiting and we watched it again, but like in Spanish, and like I was like reading the subtitles and you could like it really changed the game, Like you could there was like so much more emotion.

It like took it to another level.

That's gonna be my homework, thank you.

I have never thought of that.

That's genius.

Oh my gosh, it was so it's so good and the music's incredible.

So absolutely, and then number one, I gotta go Hamilton.

Wow, Oh my gosh, I can't even tell you how many times I've listened to that, Like literally that that one trio of songs that's like satisfied and helpless.

And like the opening of on repeat over and over. I like do performances in my living room.

Okay, we're gonna need to post that on it social media. Please.

We are the same people, Christina, we are the same people. Yeah.

I'm just going to put this out there because you know, Lynn sent you that note. So, Lynn, if you're listening, we would love to know what are your top three projects of all time? And also, Joseph, do you want to jump in on this. I already know what you're going to say, and Ganto's is number one. Let's just end it right there.

Oh my god. Okay, but you know what in me researching Lynn, remember when we first were talking about Lynne, I was like, I don't know. Okay, first of all, I didn't even fucking know. I was obsessed with Lynn. So I'm going to go it would be in the Heights, Mowana in Heights the movie, but in Ganto is just my I have never loved a Disney movie like I like that one.

I love it.

You what is yours?

Well?

But It's also kind of not fair because have you seen The Little Mermaid justin yet?

So The Little Mermaid cannot be on my list because I had not seen it.

But I also have a two year old.

So I'm going to say for me, number three would be In the Heights the musical, just because I'm so connected to that story. I'm also so connected to like Rent, you know, like I go so hard for Rent from the rest of my life. So In the Heights was kind of like the bridge that I needed, and I was like missing that element from my life. So In the Heights is just so impactful for me as like a young woman who's I don't know, like it was going through like discovery.

I just really loved In the Heights.

I just love it so much and connected me to my culture in a way that like I had never seen on the Broadway stage.

I didn't know we could do that. So In the Heights.

I'm going to say Mowana too because it is now on repeat all the time because I have a child and it's brilliant. And then I'm going to have to say Hamilton, I mean, I don't again like you would have told me fifteen years ago, that I would know like ninety percent of the lyrics to the Federalist.

Papers, Hamilton's biography what, and I would know facts about American history. No, yeah, so Hamilton. So there we go. We share number one, Kristen.

But I think for everybody listening, everyone has their own experience with it.

But before we let you go, I do want to know what do you.

Think the future holds for mister Miranda, Like, what do you want to see from him?

I mean, I want another Broadway musical, that's for sure.

Well, you got one New York, New York, that's.

True, But I want like another like full original, you know, like where he's putting everything out in there. I just think that it's so important the way that he's like telling such authentic stories about like our experiences and like owning those narratives and just like really showing how like opening like people's eyes to the possibilities for themselves that are so limitless.

And I I want another.

Like full original musical from him. I would also love to see, like I love to see like a Hamilton like movie musical adaptation.

That would be really cool.

Don't start Wow, Oh.

That would be awesome. And then I mean I'm waiting for his oscar.

I think, honestly, this is the kind of person that he's such a brilliant you know, writer, creator, composer, actor, Saint Rappert like everything that like, I can see him double peagot it, you know, down the line, maybe he'll be the first ever double peagt Damn.

I literally just left the Zoom meeting.

Well, Kristin, you have been incredible.

Thank you so much for sharing your passion for Lynn with us.

And where can people follow you?

You can find me at kmldo okay and the ld O everywhere, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok YouTube, and then on my website culture planet dot net, where I can for the world of entertainment while also shining a light on representation and inclusion.

We love that. Thank you so much.

Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you so much. This is so fun.

And I'm gonna have to listen to the soundtracks a little bit more and you know, come back and represent for those rap songs down the line, because that was terrible, terrible.

But so fun.

Next on becoming an icon another triple threat singer, actor, dancer.

And a downright inspiration to all.

He blew open the doors for every Latino artist out there now Enrique Martine Moratis aka Ricky Martin. Becoming an Icon is presented by Sol and Iheart's Michael Duda podcast Network. Listen to Becoming an Icon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast