The 'Hamilton' Easter Egg You May Have Missed in Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'In the Heights'

Lin-Manuel Miranda made sure to add a nod to Hamilton in the In the Heights movie

Hamilton
Photo: Joan Marcus

Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda watching In the Heights this weekend probably caught the easter egg for his other Broadway smash hit Hamilton — did you?

The movie adaptation of Miranda's first hit musical hit theaters and HBO Max on Thursday, with fans quickly posting their reactions all over social media.

The film follows the role Miranda originated on Broadway, though Hamilton alum Anthony Ramos — who played John Laurens and Philip Hamilton — took over as Usnavi in the movie version. But that's not the only nod at Hamilton in the movie.

There's a scene where legendary actor Jimmy Smits, who plays businessman Kevin Rosario, is on hold while trying to reach Stanford's financial office. The movie lets us briefly hear some of the hold music he's listening to while waiting, and the tune is quite familiar to Hamilton fans!

The few seconds of music is the melody to "You'll Be Back," the song King George sings in the musical when America first claims independence. It's only a few seconds, but anyone who recognizes it is sure to get a laugh out of Miranda's smash hit getting a nod in another of his projects.

ANTHONY RAMOS as Usnavi and MELISSA BARRERA as Vanessa in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “IN THE HEIGHTS,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
Anthony Ramos and Melissa Barrera in In the Heights. Macall Polay

As it turns out, director Jon M. Chu recently confirmed Miranda, 41, was behind the idea.

"That was indeed a Lin idea, and we wanted to make it a Muzak version," Chu told TheWrap. "It's all part of the 'Lin-ematic Universe."

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Another Hamilton nod comes with the appearance of Christopher Jackson as the Mr. Softee ice cream man. Jackson played George Washington in the original Broadway cast alongside Miranda's Alexander Hamilton. The cameo is especially sweet as Jackson originated the role of Benny in In the Height's Broadway run.

Miranda also appears as the piragua (shaved ice) man, and the actor shares a scene with Jackson as his character confronts Jackson's in the movie as they play different characters in the story that first brought them together on stage.

Catch these Hamilton easter eggs in In the Heights, playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max now.

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