Manny Jacinto, a Canadian-Filipino actor, spoke to students about his acting journey and childhood on April 15 in the Wool Ballrooms. Invited to campus in a multi-club collaboration from the Filipino Student Association, Student Activities Board and Great Issues Committee, Jacinto spoke in a guided interview. 

Jacinto originally rose to fame for playing the goofy Florida-man-turned-Tibetan-monk Jason Mendoza in the hit NBC comedy “The Good Place” and still looks back at the role fondly. 

“It’s easy to let that character become two dimensional,” Jacinto said. “I had an affinity for these characters, not because they were dummies, but because they thought outside of the box a little bit, and that’s what I found myself doing with Jason,” Jacinto said. 

He also spoke about the obstacles he had to overcome before getting this role, facing lots of rejection out of the gate.

“It was being a person of color during that time when I was acting and studying … a lot of guys my age, going for the same stuff, just kept saying ‘forget it. I can’t do it. I quit. I’m going to China or Korea or back to my hometown or whatever,’” Jacinto said. “There just wasn’t a lot of opportunity, and it was really hard.” 

Jacinto spoke about the traditional values that drove him to keep on this path and how he dealt with wanting to provide for his family while still pursuing his passions, similarly to many Asian kids. 

“I feel like we all grew up on the values of discipline and sacrifice, and making our family proud,” Jacinto said. “There [is] a huge pressure to take care of them, but there is also a side of wanting to be happy for ourselves, and I was lucky enough to find that balance of joy and discipline.”  

Jacinto highlighted his upcoming project: an animated Universal Pictures movie, “The Forgotten Island,” which is heavily inspired by Filipino culture and Philippine mythology.

“It’s pretty wild getting to see Filipinos and Filipino culture on the big screen. I never thought that would happen … I’m so proud I get to be part of something like this, because it’s incredibly inspiring,” Jacinto said. 

As he was invited by the FSA, members of the organization also asked him about his life as a Filipino and how it has impacted his travel through Hollywood. 

“It’s still a working problem. There is a decent amount of visibility with Filipinos out there now, like with Olivia Rodrigo or Jo Koy,” Jacinto said. “We’re not necessarily seeing an elite status, but these films are a step forward.” 

Jacinto highlighted how he has always worked to make people hear Filipino stories and ensure Filipino people have the same opportunities he did. 

“All I ever wanted was to kind of usher in that possibility of more stories, of opening the door and letting the next generation direct and act and produce, so that we can bring more stories to the table,” Jacinto said. “It’s definitely still a work in progress.” 

The talk included an audience Q&A, where Jacinto answered questions about his favorite Filipino foods and what anime he was currently watching, such as “Attack on Titan,” a project which he would love to play in live action.  

He also left the audience with some helpful advice, which focused on the idea of impermanence and living in the moment. 

“From my very first project, the guy that played my uncle was a Buddhist monk … I was having a great time and wanted to hold on to the moment, and he taught me that it’s not about trying to recreate moments, but rather being present, enjoying it and being able to let go,” Jacinto said. “You will feel much more at ease if you can accept the fact that things come and go.”  

At the end of the talk, raffle winners were invited backstage to meet and take photos with Jacinto. 

The GIC regularly brings speakers to campus, most recently Marissa Bode and Alyson Stoner, as well as another “Good Place” alum, Jameela Jamil. 

Information about GIC’s future events can be found on their Instagram, @slugreatissues.

The Filipino Student Association will also be hosting their 28th Annual Showcase, Magkaiba, themed around Spiderman with the tagline “Into the Filoverse.” The event will be on Saturday, April 25, and information can be found on their Instagram, @magkaiba_2026.