15 Interesting Facts About Lin-Manuel Miranda

Introduction:

Lin-Manuel Miranda is a multi-talented, award-winning artist, author and philanthropist who continues to inspire and influence the world. From his popular musical, Hamilton, to his work on Disney’s Moana, Lin-Manuel Miranda is a highly decorated and wildly popular figure. In this article, we will share 15 interesting facts about the life and work of Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Fact 1: He Wrote Hamilton as a Concept Album

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical composition Hamilton was initially written as a concept album—a set of songs and musical pieces without visual or theatrical components—in 2009. For six years, the mixtape was made available via streaming services however, it wasn’t until a full Broadway production of Hamilton was created that the musical gained the acclaim it is now known for.

Fact 2: He Started Acting at Age 9

From a young age, Lin-Manuel Miranda was interested in the performing arts. When he was nine years old, he wrote a rap song for a school play and was front and center for the performance. This marked the start of his journey into music, entertainment and theatre and set the course for a number of Broadway successes in the future.

Fact 3: He Composes Music and Writes Lyrics

Lin-Manuel Miranda is known for combining the two talents of composition and writing. His award-winning musicals Hamilton and In The Heights are not only composed by Miranda, but he also wrote the lyric and book. Miranda also wrote full-length scores for Walt Disney Animation’s Moana, as well as shows like Freestyle Love Supreme.

Fact 4: He is a Grammy and Tony Award Winner

Lin-Manuel Miranda has won several award nominations for his Broadway performances and original work. He has won two Grammy Awards, three Tony Awards, and an Emmy Award. In addition, Miranda has been recognized for his service to the entertainment world, receiving an American Latino Media Arts Award and a MacArthur Fellowship.

Fact 5: His First Major Job Was with Freestyle Love Supreme

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s unique talent was first recognized by the musical and comedy troupe Freestyle Love Supreme in 2004. Miranda was asked to join as a performer and writer, giving him the exposure and mentors he needed to begin his professional writing and theatrical career.

Fact 6: He Is From Puerto Rico

Lin-Manuel Miranda was born in New York City to parents originally from Puerto Rico. He is incredibly proud of his Latinx roots, and always serves to honor his heritage both personally and in his work. His musical, In The Heights, which takes place in the Latinx-dominated neighbourhood of Washington Heights, deals with many of the issues facing the Latinx community with a great deal of passion.

Fact 7: He Worked on Moana Tale-Telling Method for Three Years

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work on the Walt Disney film Moana was three years in the making. He started the process of creating an entirely new tale-telling method, which was then studied and modified by the Moana director, John Musker. After trial and error, they created a traditional Polynesian story-telling form that suited the needs of the film.

Fact 8: He is a Bestselling Author

In addition to his success in music and the theatre, Lin-Manuel Miranda is also a bestselling author. His book, Gmorning, Gnigth!, which is based on his Twitter poems, became a New York Times bestseller in 2017. His book, Hamilton: The Revolution, which is based on the Broadway musical his created, was also a number one New York Times Bestseller.

Fact 9: He Wrote His Own Rap in Hamilton

Within Hamilton, there is at least one song where Lin-Manuel takes on the rapping part himself. His song, “My Shot”, features Miranda in each of the performances as he performs the rap himself. Many of the other characters are rapped by Miranda as well, with just some of them being Alexander Hamilton, King George, and Aaron Burr.

Fact 10: He Has Performed with The Rockettes

Lin-Manuel Miranda is no stranger to taking the stage. On December 1, 2014, he was asked to join The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular show at Radio City Music Hall. Here, he performed “Alexander Hamilton” with the internationally-renown troupe in front of a sold-out crowd.

Fact 11: He Struggled to Find the Musical Hamilton’s Sound

Lin-Manuel Miranda is known for seamlessly melding hip hop, R&B, and traditional musical theatre to create the score for Hamilton. However, it took a great deal of effort for Miranda to perfect the sound of his masterpiece. He spent extensive amounts of time crafting each piece of the musical and sampling existing songs from artists like Common and Notorious BIG in order to find the right formula.

Fact 12: He Has His Own Anthology

In 2018, Lin-Manuel Miranda released an anthology with five of his musicals covering two separate compilations. The fully-licensed compilations cover each of his musicals, including Hamilton, In the Heights, Bring It On, and Early 21st Century Songs.

Fact 13: His Musical In the Heights Was Nominated for 13 Tony Awards

In the Heights, one of Miranda’s first musicals to be released, was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score. Linda Waterloo, who was the show’s drama desk-winning choreographer, also received a nomination for Outstanding Choreography. However, the majority of the nominees were related to Miranda’s creation, including his Direction, Orchestrations, and Score.

Fact 14: He Filed a Lawsuit over His First Musical

Shortly after the success of his first musical, In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda faced a lawsuit from producer Scott Sanders over Miranda’s refusal to continue his involvement with the show. Miranda defended himself, and the two were able to settle out of court.

Fact 15: He Is an Amazing Philanthropist

Lin-Manuel Miranda is also celebrated for his philanthropic efforts. He has started a number of charitable foundations, initiatives, and events to help those in need and to advocate and promote diversity and equal rights. He also received the 2019 Diversity in Arts Leadership Prize from Americans for the Arts.

Conclusion

It’s easy to see why Lin-Manuel Miranda is an inspiration to so many. From humble beginnings to one of the most decorated figures in the entertainment world, Miranda’s journey has been one of amazing talent and covetable grit. These 15 interesting facts about Lin-Manuel Miranda provide just a peek into the triumphs and struggles of his career.