Manny Jacinto expressed his openness to working on a film in the Philippines, whether in front of or behind the camera.
"I think the actual goal is I am trying to write and create stories that could hopefully actually film in the Philippines as well. So yeah both whether to act here or to create stories to act here," he remarked in an interview with Boy Abunda.
In the same interview, the Filipino-Canadian actor shared his process when preparing for a role. "It is very analytical first, so I will study the script, the scene. I do all these notes like relationships... I make a backstory and figure out who this is on the page and then once I figure that all out, I put it on its feet and I figure out how the person moves, how he sounds and also how he would interact with the other characters," he relayed.
The Freakier Friday star also spoke candidly about his experiences as an actor in Hollywood, revealing that he faced numerous rejections.
"It's a pretty tough industry especially as a person of color whether you're Asian or Filipino, in general it can be pretty tough. There's a lot of rejections in auditions, in casting choices, in projects, and you just have to keep on going," he revealed.
Despite these challenges, Manny said he has continued to persevere. "I think I've built a lot of work ethic from my parents because of their work ethic and I just continue to strive on," he highlighted.
Throughout his career, Manny has worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names, most recently starring in Freakier Friday alongside Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. When asked how he managed the pressure of working alongside such big stars, he credited his performance background.
"I came from a dance background so without dance I wouldn't have been able to act. I think that's the beauty of Filipinos we love to perform, so we love to sing, we love to dance, we love to act, we love to do all these things and be in front of the camera. And I think seeing that within my culture, I was like, why not me? So I gave it a try and here we are. But it is a lot of work, it's a lot of preparation. A lot of being prepared for your lines or your scenes in general," he remarked.