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Manny Jacinto Credits The Good Place With Lifting Him Out of Poverty

In a new PEOPLE interview, the actor says the NBC comedy brought financial stability that unlocked higher-profile roles.

Overview

  • Jacinto says landing Jason Mendoza on The Good Place meant he was finally "able to buy groceries" after years of struggle.
  • Before the show, he recalls living in a five-bedroom house with several nurses and describes that period as a fight to survive.
  • The Good Place ran from 2016 to 2020 on NBC and introduced him to wider audiences alongside Kristen Bell, Ted Danson and the ensemble cast.
  • He cites a clear career pivot since the series, with roles in Top Gun: Maverick, Nine Perfect Strangers, Star Wars: The Acolyte and Disney’s Freaky Friday sequel.
  • Reflecting on set memories, he highlights first days with castmates and the thrill of working on the Universal lot, adding he once expected he might have been an engineer instead.