Academy Award winner Rita Moreno has issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter commenting on remarks she made Tuesday on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, saying she is “incredibly disappointed” with herself for glossing over concerns of representation from the Afro-Latino community in Warner Bros.’ musical In the Heights.
Asked about criticisms of In the Heights over a lack of darker-skinned Latinos among its core characters, Moreno, 89, defended the film’s creator/producer Lin-Manuel Miranda stating,
“I’m simply saying, can’t you just wait a while and leave it alone?”
After trending on Twitter because of those comments Moreno issued the following statement:
“I’m incredibly disappointed with myself. While making a statement in defense of Lin Manuel Miranda on the Colbert Show last night, I was clearly dismissive of black lives that matter in our Latin community. It is so easy to forget how celebration for some is lament for others. In addition to applauding Lin for his wonderful movie version of In the Heights, let me add my appreciation for his sensitivity and resolve to be more inclusive of the Afro-Latino community going forward. See, you CAN teach this old dog new tricks.”
