Actor Manny Jacinto celebrated his 38th birthday on Aug. 19, and he spent some of his last days as a 37-year-old in Rosemont, Illinois, for FAN EXPO Chicago 2025. The performer known best for his work in The Good Place, The Acolyte and, most recently, Freakier Friday was a guest at the comic convention for two days. Between meeting fans for photo ops and autographs, he spent time reminiscing on his projects, sharing his own Star Wars fandom and answering fan questions during a Saturday afternoon panel.
Manny Jacinto Reiterates His Love for The Acolyte at FAN EXPO Chicago
A less typical question, one person asked Jacinto about the watch he was wearing. Interestingly enough, the watch was an homage to his time as part of the Star Wars franchise. He mentioned that he got the watch to “commemorate the baddies,” like his Acolyte character Qimir/The Stranger. Jacinto followed up by lightheartedly saying he wouldn’t recommend getting into watches but called his Rolex “a special one.”
The Disney+ series debuted on the streaming service in June 2024. Just two months later, news broke that the show wouldn’t continue and get a second season. Fans at the FAN EXPO Chicago panel were vocal about their love for The Acolyte, always showing love when the series or Qimir was mentioned. And the fans aren’t alone in hoping the first season of The Acolyte is all that will be seen of Jacinto’s Qimir.
“I truly hope not,” Jacinto said when asked about whether everyone had seen the last of his Acolyte character. “I would love nothing more than to run it back.”
Later on in his panel, Jacinto got into the nuances of Qimir. He said The Pirates of the Caribbean’s Jack Sparrow was an inspiration for the first iteration of Qimir, noting Sparrow’s playfulness and voice.
At Star Wars Celebration earlier this year, Jacinto was presented with a Hasbro replica “The Stranger” helmet. A fan asked him about the prop and what he did with it. Jacinto confirmed he was able to keep the helmet but hasn’t displayed it — yet.
“It hurts a little too much right now,” Jacinto admitted.
Manny Jacinto, the Star Wars Fan
Despite being a Sith Lord, Qimir became a fan favorite for many Star Wars fans. Amiable and approachable, Jacinto has a demeanor and tone of voice that’s very different from his Acolyte character. But one thing he does share with Qimir/The Stranger? Lightsaber preferences.
“For some reason, I have an affinity for red,” Jacinto said when asked about what color his personal lightsaber would be.
At the comic convention, Jacinto showed he fit right in with the crowd by sharing his own Star Wars fandom preferences. He said he loves Star Wars: A New Hope. When asked by a fan how it feels to play one of the most bad*ss Star Wars characters, he responded in a playful but modest way: “Is Hayden Christensen in this room?” (Christensen was at the same convention, but never made an appearance at Jacinto’s panel.) He also chose Christensen when another fan asked which Star Wars villain he’d like for Qimir to share the screen with.
Another Star Wars actor Jacinto spoke highly of was Kelly Marie Tran. He raved about her performance as Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and wished there was more to the character.
“Just seeing her on screen, it gave me chills,” Jacinto said.
What the Future (Hopefully) Holds for Manny Jacinto
Jacinto proved his prowess with comedy in The Good Place, and he showed his range with the action, adventure, drama and mystery of The Acolyte. He displayed his worth as a rom-com lead in Freakier Friday, and he mentioned he recently filmed a Western, The Stalemate. But there are other genres of TV and film he would like to do.
“I joke about it all the time, but a musical would be…interesting,” he said, emphasizing the last word. “Give me some time!”
Jacinto may have joked about needing singing lessons before he can actually be in a musical, but he already has experience in another important area for the musical genre: dance.
In an interview with Glamour, Jacinto said he initially wanted to be a professional dancer, dancing for artists and touring the world. Though he didn’t ultimately pursue dance as a profession, it was how he met his wife, fellow actor Dianne Doan (Descendants, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). The two met during a hip-hop training program in Vancouver, Canada.
In Freakier Friday, Jacinto put those skills to use during a dance rehearsal scene. At his panel at FAN EXPO Chicago, a fan asked about the scene, which acts as an ode to Dirty Dancing.
“It was an evolution from an idea,” Jacinto said.
He proceeded to explain how it wasn’t originally written into the film. Rather, Freakier Friday director Nisha Ganatra wanted “something fun” between Jacinto and Lindsay Lohan’s characters. That premise became a dance rehearsal.
When asked about people he would like to work with, Jacinto brought up two names. He mentioned director Celine Song, specifically noting her work with Past Lives and Materialists. He also gave praise to Jordan Peele, calling the actor/director’s work “incredible.”
