Manny Jacinto is in a good place and it has only got better. The Filipino-Canadian actor’s breakout role in the Golden Globe-nominated hit show, The Good Place, drew viewers, especially Southeast Asians, to his effortless charisma and comedic prowess; he played a DJ and dancer who was initially mistaken to be a Taiwanese Buddhist monk observing a vow of silence as he happened to be wearing a barong-inspired outfit. When he did speak and the credits rolled at the end of the first season (2016-17), fans of the show were proven right – his performance had caught the eye of the critics, gaining favourable reviews. His portrayal of a “lovable doofus” from Florida goes against the stereotypes of how Asian men are often portrayed in Hollywood.

The show’s success allowed him more room for role experimentation. Last year, he joined the stellar cast led by Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick – though disappointingly, in another silent performance, his lines were cut – and was among the leads in the romantic comedy, I Want You Back. He also cinched his next TV gig with no less than Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in the Hulu miniseries, Nine Perfect Strangers, an adaptation by David E. Kelley of Liane Moriarty’s 2018 novel of the same name.

PacMan revival?

Born in the Philippines and raised in Vancouver, Jacinto had a few small roles in film and TV before landing his biggest breaks. He happened to appear in a 2013 episode, titled “Pac-Man Fever”, of the long-running dark fantasy-drama Supernatural, and the PacMan adjacencies stirred instant connections to legendary Filipino international boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, not least because of the name similarity.

Making a name in Hollywood is, of course, a feat for our Manny, not just as a Filipino but as an Asian actor. As with any success, it took a lot of hard work, determination and patience. Having had the privilege of working alongside some of the industry’s biggest names, he is sure of one thing: he doesn’t want to get too comfortable.

Engineering a break

Life had a different path for Manny Jacinto before making it to the city of stars. Believe it or not, he was once a practising civil engineer. The University of British Columbia graduate was supposed to become a pharmacist, but having failed chemistry, he took another route – towards his dad, actually, thinking if his father could be an engineer, then why couldn’t he? But having accomplished that, he discovered his dancing feet.

“There were lots of risks or jumps but a lot of it came through a series of steps because if you told me eight years ago that I would be an actor, I would laugh. I wouldn’t believe you. It’s crazy, Filipinos and Asians performing onscreen. Dance and music were things I really resonated with so I was like, hey, I think that’s super cool, maybe let’s try it out.”

He took a dance class in downtown Vancouver and fell in love with performing. From dancing, he went on to acting and from there, it snowballed. Once this spark had activated his “acting bug”, he realised that he could express himself through different methods – from voice projection to gesticulation – and the floodgates to his career opened.

“I had a civil engineering degree in my back pocket so I knew that if things didn’t pan out, I could always go to engineering. I also have incredibly supportive parents who never frowned upon or hindered my need to explore the creative arts,” he shares.

Filipino etiquette

Filipinos, as many would and could attest, put a lot of emphasis and importance on work ethic, and for Jacinto, this is something that he has in his genetic makeup. He stresses that it was passed on to him by his parents, especially his father, who always finds a way to make things work and who has sacrificed everything for the family.

“That’s something I would love to tie into the script I’m writing,” he says, adding: “Filipinos have this general sense of optimism and sense of ease. I remember going back to the Philippines when I was younger, and there was just so much joy being around family.”

Despite growing up in Canada, the boyish-looking star identifies himself as a Filipino, with habits unique to the culture, such as the simple preference “to eat with a spoon and a fork”.

When the shoe fits

As for his physical attributes, Jacinto’s stunning looks, particularly his cheekbones and jaw, have also sparked rhapsodic gushing in The New York Times. When complimented on his supermodel jawline, he notes: “It’s very flattering, but the reaction usually involves me blushing and sweating in my palms.”

Often seen dressed down in denim jeans and t-shirts, the actor is quick to point out that shoes play an important role in his craft. “I have too many different shoes. I apply this to acting as well like I put on shoes to fit different characters,” he explains. “So, if I need to be Jason Mendoza [in The Good Place] – someone who moves a lot and is light on his feet – I wear sneakers, like a pair of Jordan’s or something like that.

“Yao of Nine Perfect Strangers is more of a minimalist so he will probably wear a Birkenstock. Logan from I Want You Back is more of a hipster, so he’ll probably be in vintage boots. Shoes help me get more grounded with the characters.”

More and/or Less

Like many other Asian talents currently making waves in the international mainstream media, Jacinto hopes to see more diverse faces on screen in the future – and not just in roles that are sidekicks, but those that occupy the lead spots. He also urges Hollywood to be more of a force for change and creativity: “I want to see more diverse stories. This isn’t a revelation, but a lot of things are being recycled or rebooted. There’s this fear for change or fear to do something different. I’d like to see less repetition and see more originality in the stories we tell.”