The 37-year-old is the first Southeast Asian romantic hero in a major Disney theatrical release—a huge milestone for Filipino representation in Hollywood.
Actors rarely reach the pinnacle of success with a straightforward trajectory. Most toil for several years, biding their time and honing their skills in bit roles. The same is true—and especially so—in the case of Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto.
Manny has all the makings of a Hollywood leading man. He has a lethal face card, one that seems sculpted by the gods—no objectification here, just stating facts. Chiseled at the right corners, breathtaking in its perfection. Beyond that immaculate jawline and heartwarming smile, Manny is, more importantly, a talented actor with a range that spans laugh-out-loud (as in Jason Mendoza in The Good Place) to chilling and sinister (as in Qimir/The Stranger in Star Wars: The Acolyte).
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But a lead role requires more than just a pretty face and acting chops. Especially if you’re an actor of color in famously white Tinseltown, the history of which Variety describes most aptly as one of “bias.” In fact, Hollywood has only recently started to make strides toward representation (still faltering every now and then), opening roles to POCs which would have been unthinkable several years ago.
A quick look at the Manila-born actor’s IMDb page reveals an already extensive filmography that dates back to a 2012 short film and totaling 52 acting credits. It wasn’t until 2016 when he finally landed his breakout role as the lovable doofus Jason Mendoza in The Good Place. While Manny’s portrayal of his character endeared him to many, won him fans, and landed him roles in equally big-budget productions such as Amazon Prime’s Nine Perfect Strangers season one (2021) and the blockbuster hit Top Gun: Maverick (2022), he still wasn’t lead enough material yet.
It’s a joy to be here. With this project we really tried to represent Filipino culture,” Manny said, his voice cracking with emotion. “I hope I made you proud.”
Manny had to wait a few more years for two big Disneyfied breaks that would catapult him to Hollywood’s A-list.
The first of his two career-changing roles is that of the enigmatic Qimir/The Stranger in Disney and Star Wars’ The Acolyte (2024). The series may not have been renewed for a second installment (infuriating fans, myself included), but one season as a sinister and murderous Sith Lord is enough to win our national treasure legions of new fans—particularly Star Wars junkies who are known for their fierce loyalty and deep love for the franchise.
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The Acolyte highlighted Manny’s acting range. It was like a whiplash seeing him transform from the adorable Jason in The Good Place to the menacing Qimir in The Acolyte. Despite the series’ mixed critical reviews, the cast’s performance was praised, with several critics giving a special shoutout to Manny, and one even calling his turn to the dark side “phenomenal.” On a side note, even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, do yourself a favor and watch The Acolyte. Seeing Manny brandishing a light saber and doing all those Jedi moves is a sight to behold.
In his latest project, his second for Disney, Manny has finally been given that material to prove he is more than ready to take on romantic lead roles. Every huge male actor in Hollywood has had at least one, from Leonardo di Caprio, who was dreamy in Romeo + Juliet, to Tom Hanks, who was unforgettable in Sleepless in Seattle. The romantic hero is that archetype that could catapult an actor to superstardom, a place I think our dear Manny is already on the brink of.
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In Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 Disney hit Freaky Friday, Manny plays chef and doting father Eric Reyes, who is also the love interest of Lindsay Lohan’s Anna Coleman. Globe invited The POST to a special screening of the film, which also doubled as a meet-and-greet with the Manny Jacinto in the flesh. Tagged my good friend and fellow fangirl Aida along who, without a second thought, rescheduled an important meeting just so she could see Manny in person. We would have been perfectly content catching a glimpse of him, but we had the unbelievable luck of having the chance to have a photo with him (our shrieks, which made Manny laugh, still make me snort) and winning a signed poster (double yay!).
I loved the film (The POST reviewed it here). It made me laugh so hard my belly ached and my eyes watered. It made me nostalgic for the person I was 22 years ago who also laughed like a madwoman watching the OG Freaky Friday. It made me feel a lot of feels—as a parent, wife, daughter, and woman who has passed the forty-year-old mark. (How dare the movie call Coldplay a band for old people! Such disrespect!)
It also made me feel something else. Something Manny the person, not just Manny the Freakier Friday actor made me feel while watching the film. During the screening, Manny shared that this is his first trip to the Philippines to promote a project. “I’ve never done that before so this is incredibly special,” he said, breaking into a wide smile. “It’s something I’ve worked hard to do in my career, to represent us properly on screen, so I hope you enjoy it.”
“It’s a joy to be here. With this project we really tried to represent Filipino culture,” he said, voice cracking with emotion. “I hope I made you proud.”
There. That feeling of immense pride. Seeing Manny in that movie made me so proud as a Filipino. Finally, finally someone who looks like the men around me has taken on a romantic lead role for the very first time in a Disney film. It is a milestone not just for him, but for us Filipinos who have waited far too long to see a white female lead fall head over heels with a brown-skinned man whose parents had to fly 13 hours from Manila to attend their Los Angeles wedding.
As an older millennial, I grew up with a Hollywood so white it seemed preposterous to see a Filipino man make the white female lead swoon. That idea is no longer preposterous. So, yes, Manny, we are proud of you—immensely proud.
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