"Lin Manuel Miranda is a Puerto Rican singer/songwriter/actor who is most known for his musical, Hamilton, and more recently for the Disney hit movie Encanto. He was nominated in the 94th Oscars (2022) for “Most Original Song” with “Dos Orugitas” from Encanto. If Miranda wins this, he will become the 17th EGOT at 42 years old." -- Alex STullman, 6th grade
Miranda was born on January 16, 1980, in Upper Manhattan in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, Luz Towns and Luis A. Miranda, Jr. His first Broadway hit was In the Heights, a musical about a group of Latino people in the barrio of Washington Heights, where the rich and white are taking over.
Miranda stated in an interview that In the Heights was very much based on his own experience growing up in the same neighborhood. His exposure to various genres of music at an early age ignited his love for hip-hop, which is an obvious inclusion with most of his music. Miranda’s work includes In the Heights, Hamilton, Bring It On: the Musical, Disney’s Moana, and Encanto.
The EGOT is, of course, an acronym, standing for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony: the four biggest stage and screen awards in US entertainment. EGOTS are especially talented individuals who have achieved all four. Sixteen entertainers have achieved the EGOT over the years, from the likes of Richard Rodgers in 1962 to performers like Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks and John Legend. The last winner was Alan Menken in 2020.
Miranda is not a man lacking accolades, but at this year’s Oscar ceremony he’ll have an opportunity to join a truly elite group of entertainers. When asked in a New York Times interview, “This is your second Oscar nomination, and if you were to win, you’d become the 17th person to attain EGOT status. How does it feel?” Miranda answered, “On one level, it feels totally silly, because that is a term that got popularized by 30 Rock which is a hilarious thing for anyone to chase: that you’re chasing something Tracy Jordan chased. But on another level, the thing that always feels special about this is that artists vote on it. My fellow moviemakers, my fellow songwriters, the music branch. I’ve met some of those folks, and they’re like the most incredibly, wildly intelligent folks who have made music that I love.”
The movie Encanto itself is also a bit of a wonder. It follows Alma Madrigal, who fled her home years ago while escaping conflict. She saved her three infant children, but lost her husband, Pedro. Devastated, Alma clung to the candle she was using to light her way, which became enchanted — hence the “encanto” — and imbued her family members with magical powers, all except her grandchild Mirabel.
The song for which Miranda was nominated, “Dos Orugitas,” is a heart wrenching melody near the end of the movie which left viewers in tears. This all-spanish song may not be the catchiest in the movie, but the “Most Original Song” award definitely belongs to it and it’s creator.
Miranda stated in an interview that In the Heights was very much based on his own experience growing up in the same neighborhood. His exposure to various genres of music at an early age ignited his love for hip-hop, which is an obvious inclusion with most of his music. Miranda’s work includes In the Heights, Hamilton, Bring It On: the Musical, Disney’s Moana, and Encanto.
The EGOT is, of course, an acronym, standing for Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony: the four biggest stage and screen awards in US entertainment. EGOTS are especially talented individuals who have achieved all four. Sixteen entertainers have achieved the EGOT over the years, from the likes of Richard Rodgers in 1962 to performers like Rita Moreno, Audrey Hepburn, Mel Brooks and John Legend. The last winner was Alan Menken in 2020.
Miranda is not a man lacking accolades, but at this year’s Oscar ceremony he’ll have an opportunity to join a truly elite group of entertainers. When asked in a New York Times interview, “This is your second Oscar nomination, and if you were to win, you’d become the 17th person to attain EGOT status. How does it feel?” Miranda answered, “On one level, it feels totally silly, because that is a term that got popularized by 30 Rock which is a hilarious thing for anyone to chase: that you’re chasing something Tracy Jordan chased. But on another level, the thing that always feels special about this is that artists vote on it. My fellow moviemakers, my fellow songwriters, the music branch. I’ve met some of those folks, and they’re like the most incredibly, wildly intelligent folks who have made music that I love.”
The movie Encanto itself is also a bit of a wonder. It follows Alma Madrigal, who fled her home years ago while escaping conflict. She saved her three infant children, but lost her husband, Pedro. Devastated, Alma clung to the candle she was using to light her way, which became enchanted — hence the “encanto” — and imbued her family members with magical powers, all except her grandchild Mirabel.
The song for which Miranda was nominated, “Dos Orugitas,” is a heart wrenching melody near the end of the movie which left viewers in tears. This all-spanish song may not be the catchiest in the movie, but the “Most Original Song” award definitely belongs to it and it’s creator.
