Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Most Joyful Fanboy Moments
It’s November! Or as we like to call it The Month Moana Comes Out. It’s no secret we’re huge Hamilton fans here at Quirk Books, so naturally we’re excited to see and hear what Lin-Manuel Miranda’s written for Moana. (Also, how do you have the time, Lin?) To celebrate the release of Disney’s newest film, here are our five favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda moments.
Talking About Les Miserables on The Tonight Show
Every theatre artist has a memory of the first play they ever saw, but Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first literally runs parallel with his current hit. Lin-Manuel Miranda gushed about Les Miserables when he visited Jimmy Fallon at The Tonight Show last November. The megamusical is performing in the theatre next door to the Richard Rodgers and we love the “Can you believe it?” tone behind Lin’s excitement about this. And as if we didn’t love his enthusiasm already, there’s more. He goes on to talk about Hamilton’s student matinees and how much he loves his teenage audiences. “Teenage audiences can’t lie,” he raves. “They’re the most incredible audiences we have.”
Freestyling in the Rose Garden With President Obama
If President Obama had just complimented our freestyling, we would have fainted on the spot. But not Lin-Manuel Miranda. He laughs with disbelief and hugs the 44th President of the United States. Hugs him! “Do you think that’s going viral?” the President asks. “That’s going viral!”
Sitting at Alexander Hamilton’s Desk in the PBS Documentary Hamilton’s America
Perhaps our favorite moment of the 90 minute PBS documentary Hamilton’s America was when Lin-Manuel Miranda was walking through Alexander Hamilton’s home with a National Park Ranger. He’s immediately — and understandably — in awe of the former Treasury Secretary’s desk. The man wrote like he was running out of time, after all. “Can I touch the desk?” Lin asks as he sits down at Hamilton’s chair. When the Park Ranger lets out a hesitant “No…,” Lin throws his hands up. “Okay. I won’t!” he says, clearly delighted with himself.
Carpool Karaoke with James Corden
We love how excited Lin-Manuel Miranda was about Carpool Karaoke, especially when James Corden started rapping Lafayette’s part in “Guns and Ships.” And it only gets more exciting from there. When Audra MacDonald, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and Jane Krakowski join the car and start dividing up the roles in “One Day More” from Les Miserables, we’re reminded of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first theatre experience all over again. And, let’s be real, we’re also reminded of our high school days carpooling to thespian competitions. “I did not live until today…”
Getting Emma Watson to Beatbox on ABC News
Emma Watson interviewed Lin-Manuel Miranda as part of the UN Women’s Solidarity Movement and at one point she asked if he would freestyle about gender equality. “What I said was I’m happy to freestyle if you beatbox,” Lin reports as he makes himself more comfortable on the couch. Emma asks him a bunch of stalling questions about the brand of beatboxing he requires, hoping that he’ll freestyle without her assistance. And he calls it out in such a delightful way at the end of their collaboration. “Holy cow, this is such a meme. Thank you. This is the beatbox dream team.” It’s the best.
