At 36 years old, Manny Jacinto has had a career that most actors couldn’t dream of. Years removed from earning a college degree in civil engineering, he’s starred in everything from award-winning series like The Good Place to star-studded comedies like I Want You Back. Not to mention, he’s reportedly secured a role in the highly-anticipated Freaky Friday sequel. However, the most commercially successful project he’s been part of didn’t provide him an opportunity to deliver any dialogue and it’s an experience that has stuck with him for a few years.
In 2022, Jacinto starred as Lieutenant Billy “Fritz” Avalone in Top Gun: Maverick. While the film grossed nearly $2 billion worldwide and earned an Academy Award in the process, the veteran actor didn’t provide him any opportunities to speak despite being part of the main cast. According to multiple reports, his lines were cut from the film, but he still says it was a “great experience.”
“There was this sense of where the film was going [on set], like I can see them focusing the camera more on these [other] guys and not taking so much time on our scenes. Fortunately, it still was a great experience — you get to see this huge machine at work, see how Tom Cruise works, and you get to be a small part of this huge franchise,” he told GQ.
Instead of doubting himself or his ability as an actor, he says the “great experience” motivate him to create future opportunities for himself and other actors of color.
“At the end of the day, Tom Cruise is writing stories for Tom Cruise,” he continued.
“It’s up to us — Asian Americans, people of color — to be that [for ourselves]. We can’t wait for somebody else to do it. If we want bigger stories out there, we have to make them for ourselves.”
