The Acolyte’s Manny Jacinto aspires to be like another Star Wars leading man

Throughout his acting career, Manny Jacinto has faced stereotypes but is now receiving roles that match his talent. In the upcoming film “Freakier Friday,” he stars as Lindsay Lohan’s leading man, reprising a role originally played in the 2003 hit by Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis.

In a recent chat with Vanity Fair, Jacinto opened up about his career journey as an actor, highlighting actors who motivate him, deviating from the traditional Hollywood leading man stereotype. He mentioned Dev Patel, Steve Yuen, Pedro Pascal, and Keanu Reeves as his role models. Jacinto expresses that he admires these men not just for their exceptional performances, but also for carving out roles for themselves – individuals he aspires to emulate in his career.

In his extensive acting career, Jacinto’s portrayal of The Stranger/Qimir is particularly striking due to its edgy nature. Unlike other times when he played romantic interests, landing the role of a dark side user in Star Wars was a significant achievement for him. Similar to Hayden Christensen, Jacinto is another Canadian actor with roots in Star Wars, but he also identifies as Filipino. He often found it challenging to find actors who resembled him in Hollywood. Growing up, he had limited role models to emulate, and even now, he admits that it’s still not straightforward to see leading men who look like him on screen.

Despite battling feelings of imposter syndrome and questioning if his efforts are worthwhile, he consistently delivers impressive performances. He acknowledges that the show “The Acolyte” served as a pivotal moment for him, praising creator Leslye Headland for her confidence in him and assisting him in embracing the role of a leading man. Jacinto expresses gratitude towards Leslye, stating that she allowed him to be authentic on screen and convinced him that his portrayal of Manny was worthy enough to carry the leading role.

Despite my initial reluctance to take on a leading role, Headland convinced me to shift my perspective. Jacinto expresses, “She empowered me, making me believe that I could encompass the full spectrum of what it means to be a leading man. It transformed from an abstract idea into tangible reality.

Jacinto can look up to Pedro Pascal as an inspiration, who faced challenges in Hollywood similar to those Jacinto might encounter. Like Jacinto, Pascal contemplated leaving the acting profession a few years ago due to doubts about its worthiness. However, Pascal persevered with significant encouragement and resilience, ultimately securing a role on Game of Thrones, which he considers a turning point in his career. His standout performance as Oberyn Martell led to a prominent role in Narcos. The success of The Mandalorian followed, paving the way for leading roles in The Last of Us and Marvel’s Fantastic Four.

Manny Jacinto could eventually end up just like Pedro Pascal, given that he maintains confidence in his abilities. Granted, another season of The Acolyte would certainly aid him, and he stands poised to reprise the role of Qimir whenever needed.

The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.

2025-08-12 23:06

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