Manny Jacinto's Leading Role in 'Freakier Friday' Sparks Excitement

Manny Jacinto's Rise as a Leading Man

Manny Jacinto is undeniably in his leading man era. Over the past few years, he has made a name for himself in Hollywood, and now he's on the press tour for Freakier Friday, the sequel to the 2003 film of the same name. The movie, set for release on August 8, follows Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis as they reprise their roles as the body-swapping mother-daughter duo Anna and Tess Coleman. This time, the story takes a new turn with Anna’s daughter and stepdaughter-to-be involved in the mix.

Jacinto plays Eric Davies, Anna’s fiancé, who is completely unaware that his fiancée has swapped places with his stepdaughter-to-be, while his daughter has traded places with his soon-to-be mother-in-law. At 37, Jacinto recognizes the significance of this role and the opportunities it brings.

“It’s wild that I get to do this. I never would have thought I’d play the love interest to Lindsay Lohan; I watched Lindsay Lohan as a kid,” he said in an interview. “It’s wild what you can do if you put your mind to it.”

Beyond starring alongside Lohan, Jacinto was drawn to the role because of its importance to the Asian American community. It's rare to see someone who looks like him in such a mainstream role, and he knows that.

“I mean, you don’t get to see a lot of Asian American males as a love interest or as a solid father figure, and that was definitely the part that enticed me about it,” he said.

With Freakier Friday, Jacinto fully embraces his potential as a leading man. Fans who have followed his career since The Good Place are proud of his rise and newfound status as a heartthrob.

Veronica Fitzpatrick, a Filipino American adjunct assistant professor at Brown University, noted the significance of seeing an Asian man romancing anyone in a mainstream film. “That we're seeing it in a mainstream film like Freakier Friday helps further normalize the very normal, very not-novel idea that AAPI men have sex appeal and romantic currency.”

Raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Jacinto gained recognition for his role as Jason Mendoza on NBC’s The Good Place. His performance charmed audiences with his aloof but well-intentioned character. From there, he landed a starring role in Nine Perfect Strangers and appeared in Top Gun: Maverick, despite his lines being cut.

His steady rise to stardom took a significant turn when he portrayed the brooding Sith Lord the Stranger on Disney+’s The Acolyte. This role shifted how Hollywood viewed him, positioning him as an Asian male worthy of a lead role. Jacinto even received attention on TikTok, where fans created shirtless edits that had loyal Acolyte viewers rethinking their allegiances.

“The Stranger flips classic gender tropes of hypersexualization,” Leslye Headland, the creator of The Acolyte, told GQ. “But a true sex symbol is someone who resonates emotionally with fans. Manny’s magnetism is rooted in his acting, not just his physique. His ability to access vulnerability, empathy and longing is very compelling.”

Women have played a crucial role in Jacinto’s success. His female fanbase is substantial, but he is particularly moved by the support from women behind the scenes. Without them, he believes his career wouldn’t have taken the path it has.

“Women have been a huge champion for me. It’s always been women who have been able to look past what I have done and see the potential of what I can do,” he said, naming Nicole Kidman, Leslye Headland, and Freakier Friday director Nisha Ganatra. “Thank God I get to do this during this day and age when there are so many women at the top… who see my potential and are not afraid to explore that.”