The hold music that plays when Kevin is on the phone is a version of King George's melody in Hamilton, another musical by Lin Manuel Miranda.
Filming for "In the Heights" coincided with filming for Steven Spielberg's remake of "West Side Story," with the two often filming just a few streets apart from each other. Director Jon M. Chu claimed that their sets were so close at one point that the catering truck for Spielberg's film was in their shots. At one point, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who had done Spanish translations for the 2009 revival of West Side Story, snuck over to their set, getting a glimpse of filming for the song "Maria."
According to Lin-Manuel Miranda, the role of the Piragua guy was almost cut since, as Miranda admits, the character contributes little to story. This broke his heart, since that subplot is meant to show the grit of small, local businesses. Miranda did not plan to appear in the film but Quiara Alegría Hudes suggested that Miranda play the role to avoid its being cut. Miranda agreed, and used the role to pay tribute to his grandfather, who had passed away a week after the Broadway production opened in 2008.
Just days before production started, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes attended a high school production of the play at George Washington Educational Campus in Washington Heights, which Miranda says was the first time the production had actually been performed in its namesake neighborhood. Many of the students who participated in that production were invited to become part of the film production, and are featured numerous times.
Christopher Jackson, who originated the Role of Benny on Broadway and has appeared in almost every Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, appears as the Ice Cream Truck owner whom the Piragua guy (played by Miranda) tries to outsell.
Luis Miranda, Luz Towns-Miranda: Lin-Manuel Miranda's parents appear during "Breathe" getting out of a car, with Luis telling Nina, "Welcome home."
Chris Jackson: As Mr. Softee. Jackson also performed and shared the stage with Lin-Manuel Miranda in his other produced musical, Hamilton, as George Washington.