Manny Jacinto has set the Internet ablaze over past few weeks with his performance on Disney+’s The Acolyte. In this era of Star Wars content, there seems to be more complaining about aspects of the new series or movies than there is praise, but Manny Jacinto’s Qimar seems to be a new bad-boy favorite. Some have dubbed him the new Kylo Ren or have posted various thirst traps of his shirtless scenes. Now, the actor has a chance to expand his fanbase by way of his role in the long-hoped-for Freaky Friday 2. Jacinto recently discussed his involvement in the upcoming Disney movie and the rising “Lohanaissance” while also explaining why he signed on.
It’s been over 20 years since Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis’ first Freaky Friday film hit theaters, which is somewhat hard to believe. The sequel to the beloved millennial classic is set to hit theaters next year with most of the original cast returning along with some new faces. 36-year old Manny Jacinto is one of the franchise’s newcomers, and he grew up during the height of Lindsay Lohan’s acting career. During an interview with GQ, Jacinto praised Lohan but also revealed he has a more personal reason for joining the family comedy:
I never would’ve thought I’d be a part of the Lohanaissance. She’s an icon. But I took this role because it’s definitely another big shift and something I’d never done before.
The “Lohanissance” is real and, for most of the fans who adored her while growing up in the early 2000s, Lindsay Lohan was (and remains) an icon. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen Get a Clue, and of course, Mean Girls, are among the great high school movies she starred in. Lohan took a hiatus from acting but, after starring in two Netflix rom-coms and a making a top-secret cameo in the Mean Girls remake, she is back to entertaining audiences.
Manny Jacinto is definitely fortunate to be a part of the production, and it’ll certainly be refreshing to see him try something different as an actor. At this point, it’s unclear just who he’ll be playing in Freaky Friday 2. Maybe he’s play the new love interest of Lindsay Lohan’s Anna Coleman, who’s set to become a stepmother in this new installment. If that’s the case, then the story should be very interesting given that Chad Michael Murray is back for the movie and once again playing Anna’s old flame, Jake. I don’t know about you, but I’d love to see a good on-screen love triangle.
Whatever role he ends up playing, I’m confident that Manny Jacinto will crush it. After all, he’s certainly proven that he has great acting chops. Here’s to his new role in the “Lohanaissance,” and here’s hoping that the part he plays in the film is juicy.
A formal release date for Freaky Friday 2 has yet to be announced, though it’s set to open in theaters as part of the 2025 movie schedule. In the meantime, you can also stream the first movie with the use of an active Disney+ subscription.