Lin-Manuel Miranda honors ‘In the Heights’ actress Doreen Montalvo, who died at 56

“In The Heights” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda remembered Doreen Montalvo as a powerful performer and dear friend in a moving tribute following the actress' death.

Montalvo, who was part of the original Broadway cast for “In The Heights” and will appear in the show’s upcoming movie adaptation, was 56.

“It is monstrously unfair that we did not get more time with her,” Miranda wrote in a series of tweets Saturday night. “More shows with her. More music with her. More life with her. When someone brings that much joy and love to everyone they meet, that much commitment to the craft they love... it’s unfair. And heartbreaking.”

Miranda, who starred in “In The Heights” as well, recalled Montalvo being the first person to audition for the show in 2002.

He said he was immediately moved by her voice when she sang La Lupe’s “Qué Te Pedi” during that tryout.

“She played Benny’s mom Alma that first year,” Miranda tweeted. "We cut the role. So she played Camila, then Daniela, then Abuela, and by 2007 she was so invaluable to us that she covered all those roles both Off and On Broadway, in addition to her onstage role, who @quiarahudes named ‘Cuca.’ ”

“In The Heights,” which opened on Broadway in 2008, won four Tony awards, including best musical.

Miranda, who also wrote and starred in “Hamilton,” said Montalvo is “all over” the “In The Heights” movie, which is set to come out in June.

“Everyone who met Doreen became her new friend,” he wrote. “She held her friends so dearly and easily. You’d go to her cabaret show and see people YOU hadn’t seen in years; but Doreen stayed in touch. Everyone stayed in touch with Doreen.”

Montalvo will also appear in the December 2021 film adaptation of “West Side Story."

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