Manny Jacinto on His Parents’ Life Lessons and Filipino Roots
Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto reflects on the parenting values that shaped him — and the importance of staying rooted
Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto arrived in the Philippines earlier this week to promote Freakier Friday, the sequel to the beloved body-swap comedy starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. In the new film, Manny plays Eric Davies, a charming British chef and single father who becomes Anna’s (Lohan’s) new love interest.
Before the movie’s premiere on August 5 at a mall in Pasay, Manny — best known for his roles in The Good Place and Star Wars: The Acolyte — sat down with ABS-CBN to reflect on tracing his roots and the life lessons he learned from his Filipino upbringing.
The Lesson That Stuck
Though he last visited the Philippines in 2023, Manny says this trip marks the first time he’s returned for work — and it carries emotional weight.
“[It’s] to connect back to the roots… It’s just to spread love and connect with the Filipino fans,” he said in his On Cue interview. “It’s always to touch base and connect with the community here because it means a lot to me.”
His parents, he added, made sure he never lost touch with his heritage — or the values that come with it.
“Stop being so mayabang (arrogant),” he said with a smile. “Work hard, keep your head down… and keep on working. I got my work ethic from my parents. I don’t think I’d be where I am without getting inspired by them.”
Telling the Filipino Story
Before acting, Manny trained as a dancer, and before that, he studied engineering. But everything, he says, eventually led him to storytelling.
“Without dancing, I would never be able to act,” he explained. “To be able to act, to be able to tell stories — to tell Filipino stories and to be represented on screen — it means the world to do that.”
Representation, both behind and in front of the camera, is something Manny takes seriously.
“The great thing about being on screen now is that if they have to cast me, they have to cast my father or siblings or friends as Filipinos.”
He recalled one of his earliest castings alongside fellow Filipino-American actor Eugene Cordero in The Good Place, and hopes to create more opportunities for other Filipino actors. In a 2024 interview with Vogue Philippines, Manny shared his desire to collaborate with artists like Dolly de Leon and filmmaker Isabel Sandoval (Lingua Franca).
And yes — he’s just as Filipino off-camera, too. When asked if he enjoys karaoke, Manny didn’t hesitate: “I think it’s just part of our DNA.”
A New Kind of Leading Man
In Freakier Friday, Manny’s character offers something different, not just as a love interest, but as a single dad and emotional anchor.
“I’m not gonna lie; I love dunking the ball,” he told InStyle in July. “Getting the ball and getting to shoot and make people laugh … but another reason why this character appealed to me was just [to show that] I can be the heart of this story. I can be the straight man.”
Photo from SM Mall of Asia Facebook
Even with his growing success, Manny remains humbled by where he’s landed, especially opposite a star he grew up watching.
“I never would have thought I’d play the love interest to Lindsay Lohan; I watched Lindsay Lohan as a kid,” he shared. “It’s wild what you can do if you put your mind to it.”
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