Vanessa Nadal, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Wife, Was Once His High School Crush

Lin Manuel Miranda is capping off an incredible couple of years with several Oscars nominations for Mary Poppins. With him at the Academy Awards may be his supportive and impressive wife, Vanessa Nadal, who's been by his side since the very beginning.

Face, Head, Event, Smile, Suit, Ceremony, White-collar worker, Formal wear, Happy, Businessperson,
(Image credit: Michael Tran)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is capping off an incredible few years—the hit musical Hamilton that won him a Pulitzer, the music he created for Moana, his starring role in Mary Poppins Returns—with several Oscar nominations, thanks to Mary Poppins. It's not clear whether he'll perform at the Academy Awards, but he'll likely be there to support the film and crew. And with him may be Lin-Manuel Miranda's impressive wife, Vanessa Nadal, who's been by his side since the very beginning.

Here's what we know about the adorable couple. Prepare yourself, please, because I'm about to gush.

Nadal is impressive, to say the least. The New York-based lawyer went to MIT for undergrad, and worked as a scientist for Johnson & Johnson. Then, she switched directions and went to Fordham for law school, according to her LinkedIn. She practiced at law firm Jones Day until 2015.

In their New York Times wedding article, Miranda revealed that he first spotted Nadal at Hunter College High School.

The two reconnected in 2005 when Miranda invited her to some of his shows. "When he came onstage, I thought, I really like this guy,” Nadal said. “He was up there free-styling and weaving rhymes together. It’s pretty impressive. He’s really, really smart.”

The couple got married at the Belvedere Mansion in New York, and it was apparently a tour de force of musical talent. A full orchestra and Broadway singers performed, as did Miranda. He dedicated an entire number ("To Life" from Fiddler on the Roof) to her. Are you crying yet? Because I am. 

The couple have two sons together, Francisco (born in 2018) and Sebastian (born in 2014). Miranda announced the birth of their second child in the most Miranda-y way possible:

And the two incorporate their kids into their professional world:

They have an adorable dog.

In addition to being madly in love and building a sweet family, Nadal and Miranda also casually adopted a stray puppy from the Dominican Republic. Ugh, so perfect:

The couple is lovey-dovey.

Here they are, being adorable as can be after Miranda got his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (also, you can spot Nadal's MIT "brass rat" class ring!):

Photograph, Love, Interaction, Snapshot, Hug, Smile, Happy, Romance, Fun, Black hair,

(Image credit: Albert L. Ortega)

She's THE most supportive wife.

Nadal is only the world's greatest cheerleader for Miranda and everything that he does. Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Aaaaand Exhibit C, all part of the same Twitter thread:

And Miranda is in awe of her.

Miranda thanks his wife whenever he wins awards (so, a lot). For his first Tony win for Best Musical (In the Heights) he rapped, "Vanessa, who still leaves me breathless, thanks for loving me when I was broke and making breakfast."

And at the 2016 Tonys, for his speech to accept Best Original Score for Hamilton, he said, "My wife’s the reason anything gets done. She nudges me towards promise by degrees. She is a perfect symphony of one. Our son is her most beautiful reprise."

Wherever you are, you can probably hear my sobbing by now.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York TimesParentsInStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLEHarper’s BazaarSeventeenGood Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeanshow sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.