Producer and social activist Mike C Manning talks about choosing the right stories and his role in Amazon's new miniseries
Mike C Manning has built quite a reputation for himself both as an actor and as a producer. The 31-year-old, best known for his role as Nick on the Disney Channel Original Movie ‘Cloud 9’, was most recently seen in ‘God’s Not Dead: A Light In Darkness’ and ‘Ice the Movie’. Manning also produced and acted in the critically acclaimed movie ‘Jinn’ which tells the story of a Muslim African-American teenager.
Manning has quite the fan following especially from his time with the highly popular young adult fantasy show ‘Teen Wolf’, the CBS series ‘Hawaii Five-0’ and MTV’s ‘The Real World D.C.’ He has also managed to make his mark as a social activist through his work on projects like ‘Lost in America’, a documentary movie that showcases the tragic circumstances of America’s homeless youth.
In a freewheeling chat with Meaww, Manning talks about activism, his future projects and a trip to the 1980s.
You have quite a reputation both as an actor and an activist, especially considering you've produced movies like ‘Lost in America’, which deals with a socially relevant issue. What do you feel are the stories that Hollywood needs to tell?
No two individuals have the same life experiences, so everyone approaches storytelling with their own unique perspectives. I see a trend right now in Hollywood of creating projects with more people of color, projects with strong female characters projects that break stereotypes with sexuality and gender roles – which I think is all very positive.
Are there any specific stories or issues you would personally like to bring to the big screen?
For ‘Lost in America’, we travel to 15 cities, interviewing over 30 homeless youth and over 50 local and national organizations to really wrap our heads around WHY so many youths are living on the streets, WHAT life is like for these youth, and WHO is trying to help them. 5,000 homeless youth die every single year in America, and I feel that because this is largely unknown, this issue is the most important to me right now.
What is your philosophy when it comes to picking movies? What drives you to a project - co-stars, director or script?
Every project is different, but the first thing I care about is the script, is it a good story? Then I look at who is directing and whom I’ll be acting with. Initially, it’s always about the script.
It was reported that you would be appearing in an Amazon miniseries called 'Six Degrees of Separation'. Can you tell us a bit about the project?
Yes! The project is executive produced by Emmy Award-winner Jared Safier and should be out later this year. I play a college student who has to deal with some really personal issues after his life is threatened. I don’t think I can say much more than that right now, but it was definitely a challenging role. I think people that have followed my work are going to see a different side of me than I’ve shown before on screen.
You recently finished production on an adaptation of Henning Morales' ‘The Dirt Merchant’. How did it feel to go back to the 80s for the period film?
I had a blast. For this film, the producers wanted the visuals to be as authentic to the 80s as possible, so that meant I had to wear a wig for most of the shoot. I’ve worn wigs in theater, but never on film, so it took some getting used to. The cast and I nicknamed my wig “Fred,” and when it was bothering me, I would say, “Guys, Fred is getting on my nerves. Can we fire him?” I also got to drive a handful of classic cars, like a ’67 Chevelle and a ’77 Corvette, so that was great.
‘God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness’ has been out for a while now. What did you enjoy most while working on the movie?
In ‘God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness’, I play a character named Adam, who I describe as a “good guy in a bad situation.” He makes some terrible mistakes at the beginning of the film that set into motion a huge chain of events. There were some really emotional scenes, and the character himself truly transforms throughout the course of the story, which was a challenge for me. I was ultimately really happy with the film and with my work in it, and I have the director and the rest of the cast to thank for that.
You've done quite a few movies that deal with religious themes. What would you say is the hardest part of trying to bring a spiritually inclined movie to theaters?
I think that any movie that deals with politics or religion has the potential to divide audiences that may or may not want to see it. I think at the end of the day, I just try to focus on doing the story justice and making each character I play relatable on a human level, regardless of religion or other affiliations.
‘Jinn’ challenges the perception of Muslims and Islam in mainstream society. Do you feel that movies have the power to end conflicts by helping us see the other side of the story?
Absolutely. I fell in love with this story when I met writer/director Nijla Mu’min and producer Avril Z. Speaks at a Film Independent event in Los Angeles. ‘Jinn’ is based partly on Nijla’s upbringing, and I think she brings a perspective that is full of humanity and compassion to the character. The protagonist is a 17-year-old carefree young woman – she just happens to be black and just happens to be exploring being a Muslim. In my opinion, it is a great example of how at the end of the day, we are all just people doing the best we can in the situations of our lives, and we have much more in common than different.
Through your work on ‘Lost in America’, you got to have some big names like Halle Berry, Rosario Dawson and Jon Bon Jovi involved. Was there a moment when you felt starstruck?
The thing that first drew me to ‘Lost in America’ was the fact that the director was formerly a homeless youth himself! Because of that, he (Rotimi Rainwater) is so passionate about helping these kids, and once others hear about his story, they want to get involved. Not going to lie, I did feel a little starstruck a few times while filming. These are actors and public figures I’ve looked up to since I was a little kid, and they’re letting us interview them for our film. Ahh!! I’m really grateful for that.
You've made your name both as an actor and a producer. Do you have a preference?
I love telling stories that I think should be out in the world. Sometimes I have a place in those stories as an actor. Sometimes my place is behind the camera supporting other actors. I love doing both.