You’ll Never Believe What Acting Doors Freakier Friday Has Opened For Manny Jacinto

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It’s ironic that Eugenio Derbez is so convincing as a loving father, Hollywood wants to see him play the role again. He’s also starring in the upcoming romantic comedy Love Language with Chloe Grace Moretz and Anthony Ramos. However, it was his heartwarming scenes with his on-screen daughter and step-daughter in the Freaky Friday sequel that really resonated, highlighting the film’s focus on family.

I recently learned that ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan got to chat with Manny Jacinto at a celebration for the digital release of Freakier Friday. They were surrounded by Pink Slip vinyls, and he was talking about how landing a bigger movie role has really made him think about his career and what he wants to do next. We also got some insight into how he feels about his character in The Acolyte and where it fits into the larger Star Wars story.

Freakier Friday Opened 1 Door For Manny Jacinto That He’d Like To Close (For Now)

When asked what made Freakier Friday different from his other projects, Jacinto highlighted its wide release in theaters and how much it meant to his family. He explained, “‘Special’ is a pretty general term, but this was special because my parents actually went to see it in a movie theater. They haven’t gone since COVID, but they insisted on seeing this one on the big screen.”

William Jackson Harper first gained widespread recognition for his role as the lovable Jason Mendoza on the popular TV show The Good Place. While he’s appeared in films like Bad Times at the El Royale and Top Gun: Maverick, and had significant parts in animated movies like Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind and Freakier Friday, his latest film represents a new high point in his career. What made the experience even more special was that his entire family came to support him. He shared, “They brought all of my aunts and uncles, all of whom don’t ever do anything. That’s why it’s special.”

My first thought after seeing him charm Lindsay Lohan was that he should be in more romantic comedies. However, Hollywood seems to have other plans. He joked that the industry is a bit strange, and now he’s suddenly being offered roles as dads! He admitted he’s trying to push back against that typecasting, saying, ‘I don’t think I’m quite ready for dad roles yet. Can we revisit that?’ He wants to avoid being pigeonholed, explaining it’s partly just stubbornness. As an artist, he wants the freedom to explore all kinds of roles and not be limited to just one type.

Manny Jacinto Still Looks Fondly On The Acolyte

Jacinto won over many fans with his role as Qimir, also known as the Stranger, in The Acolyte. Despite the show’s cancellation after a single season, his complex character generated a lot of buzz online. The actor noted the enthusiastic response, saying, “People have really connected with the character, and many have been sharing their thoughts and support.”

While there’s no official news about Qimir’s return, Jacinto hinted that characters often reappear after a long time. Interestingly, his co-star from Acolyte, Jodie Smith-Turner, will be reprising her role in season 3 of Star Wars: Visions. Jacinto also mentioned that a lightsaber prop related to his character might soon be available to fans. He concluded by saying that even small developments are positive, but it’s still difficult to dwell on what might have been.

Leslye Headland suggested that the character known as The Stranger could be connected to the Knights of Ren, possibly even being their first member. I think that’s a really interesting idea – it’s something we haven’t seen in Star Wars before. With shows like The Mandalorian and the upcoming Ryan Gosling movie, it’s clear Disney is willing to try new things, so we’ll have to see what happens. However, it’s challenging to build on this idea given what’s already been established in the Star Wars universe.

Everything Else We Learned About Manny Jacinto & Freakier Friday

ScreenRant: What has your favorite reaction been to the movie now that it’s out?

You know, it’s been amazing seeing how people have reacted to the show, and honestly, the biggest thing I’ve noticed – at least regarding my character – is everyone loving the dance sequence! It’s clearly a tribute to Patrick Swayze, and people really picked up on that, which is awesome.

That scene wasn’t originally planned, and securing the music rights was difficult. But our producer, Kristen Burr, insisted it was a crucial and emotional moment, and we managed to make it happen. Thankfully, my back held up during filming!

ScreenRant: What’s your favorite Pink Slip song?

Manny Jacinto: Oh, wow. “Take Me Away.”

ScreenRant: Do you have an untapped genre that you would love to try?

I’m a huge fan of Manny Jacinto, and I’ve heard how much he loves anime! He’s really into shows like Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen, and he’s said he’d jump at the chance to help bring those worlds to life in live-action. I think that would be amazing, honestly!

Be sure to check out more of our Freakier Friday coverage here:

  • Jamie Lee Curtis Explains The Ending
  • Nisha Ganatra’s Freaky Friday 3 Pitch
  • Lindsay Lohan & Julia Butters Interview

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2025-11-13 03:40