Lin-Manuel Miranda impressed his now-wife Vanessa Nadal with his verbal gymnastics! In a new interview for People, Miranda mentioned how it wasn't easy for him to make a move, but his rap skills ended up catching her attention!
Miranda's friend says that he's "got zero game" with ladies
Miranda may be gifted with words, but as it turns out, he wasn't as skilled when it came to flirting with women! "Lin’s got zero game," Anthony Veneziale, his longtime friend and collaborator, said of the Hamilton creator. "He’s not a ladies man."
It actually took seven years for Miranda to approach Nadal! As People mentions, he invited her to a performance by his improv troupe, Freestyle Love Supreme, in 2005. "I was trying to work up the nerve to talk to her," Miranda explained.
Miranda says Nadal asked him out after second performance
Miranda finally connected with Nadal because of that performance, and the two stayed in touch. However, it wasn't until Nadal went and saw another performance by the group that she decided to make a move herself! "That was when she asked me out," Miranda told People. "She was impressed at my ability to do this very specific thing."
He credits Freestyle Love Supreme with being a significant part of his life creatively. "I always joke that Freestyle Love Supreme was the opposing muscle group of all my other work," says Miranda. "The degree to which it’s affected my writing is pretty remarkable." The improvisational rap group also includes Veneziale, as well as Miranda's Hamilton collaborators, Christopher Jackson and Thomas Kail.
Miranda talks about parenting amidst protests and pandemic
Miranda and Nadal have two children together— 5-year-old Sebastian and 2-year-old Francisco. And because of the current state of the world, they've been gently informing Sebastian about what's going on! "The hardest and most important part of being a parent is to imbue your kids with empathy," Miranda explained.
"It’s important to have conversations about what’s going on with our kids. We’ve talked, in an age-appropriate way, about the Black Lives Matter protests and what’s going on with the pandemic," Miranda said. "He certainly understands that folks are sick and that we’re keeping him safe."
Miranda's friend calls him "the absolute best dad he can be"
Miranda's friend Veneziale also told People that he's seen Miranda have lots of fun being a dad! "Seeing him with his kids, and the way they’re so incredibly playful, it’s like, 'Wait, how is he filming His Dark Materials and attending the stand-up comedy showcase his kid did in kindergarten?'" Veneziale said. "It’s cool to see him being the absolute best dad he can be."
The improv and rap group that got Miranda and Nadal to connect, Freestyle Love Supreme, has a new documentary out! So if you're curious about the early days of Miranda's career, check out We Are Freestyle Love Supreme on Hulu! Miranda's most famous work, Hamilton, is also available to stream now on Disney+.