Q&A: Leslie Grace lives full-circle moment ‘In the Heights’

AP: You’re not just making your acting debut in any movie, but in the biggest possible Latino release. How are you feeling now that it is finally opening?

Grace: I just feel so blessed. I feel fulfilled to be a part of something that not only is so beautiful and so big and was so incredibly challenging and fun to make, but that also gives back and pays homage to the stories of my mother and my grandmother and my family, my dad, you know, the people that I really know that have brought me up and that have supported me in so many ways. It’s a full-circle experience for all of us for so many reasons, but for me it’s really close to home because of the story.

AP: How did you get the role of Nina?

Grace: I had been auditioning for maybe three years — I kept this little dream to myself, like a little secret, that I really wanted to act. And I thought that my first role would be a guest role as a music artist on some show, since I was just getting started. Then the opportunity for “In the Heights” came along and I was like, “I need to audition for this! I need to be a part of this!” It was my first in-person audition.

AP: We’ve seen you singing, dancing and acting in music videos. What was the biggest challenge of doing that now in such a huge motion picture?

Grace: I think that we all felt like Nina: She doesn’t want to let anybody down. We knew this was the biggest job that we’ve ever heard of for a Latino leading cast to tell the story and tell it in all of its brilliance and splendor, and also do good on the neighborhood that Lin loves so much. The challenges for me were to feel like I had something of value to bring when I’d never ever been on a move set, and doing it with such brilliant people. So you’re overcoming your own insecurities to see what you can bring to your character. And then, the dancing. Man! As a music artist, I’ve done choreography, but never like this before.