At home equally in theater, tv & film, Manu has appeared in a diverse number of projects...from Marvin's Room on the stage, to Pearl Harbor & Orange County in film, to One Tree Hill on television.
It is through a television role that Manu first gained major recognition...that role being of course as Icheb, a young Borg drone who is rescued by the crew of the title ship of Star Trek: Voyager.
Shawn: So what was you first Con experience?
Manu: It was a FedCon in Germany, almost the very first thing that happened was me being put out on stage alone, handed a microphone! I answered fans questions for three hours!
Shawn: How did it go?
Manu: The fans warmth was really touching...everyone was having a good time and laughing. There was a gentleman in the audience what said that a friend had a transplant & one of the ways that he coped with it was by recalling the Voyager episode where Icheb donates his cortical node to Seven of Nine to save her life. It was a very emotional moment.
Shawn: What would you say was you best Con then?
Manu: I would have to say that Con!...I really like the fans in Germany...
Shawn: How about the worst Con?
Manu: Well, any Convention that starts out with high hopes and ends up having to cancel actors, people not showing up...and it's not their fault either...it's just sad when that happens.
Shawn: What has been the most unusual or strange fan encounter you've had at a show?
Manu: There was this one person, who came to my table & said they were suicidal and that Star Trek was the only thing keeping them going. Aside from that, I do want to say 99% of the people are fine...
Shawn: Any actual bad experiences?
Manu: Yep...actually I had a stalker who followed me in my car after a show.
Shawn: What would you do differently if you were running a Con?
Manu: I would have screenings for the fans of the actors more recent material, you know...put the new stuff out there. Maybe a current projects night...and also I would make it a one price deal on tickets where people can buy into the autographs up front. Also I would sponsor excursions with the celebrities & fans.
Shawn: You ever want an autograph?
Manu: No not really...I'm probably more interested in directors and writers than fellow actors, in the sense that I would like to work with them. But not autographs, not collecting, no.
Shawn: What are you currently working on now?
Manu: Oh lots of stuff! I'm doing a pilot called Table Manners with one of the actors from Teen Wolf & The Bridge. Going to also shoot a film called Promises, which will be a dark romantic dramedy. Also producing a film with Danny Trejo & others called Dark River...also going to be bring Benjamin Troubles to film festivals & just finished Rod Roddenberry's Instant that will premiere on his website.
Shawn: Future Projects?
Manu: Well, I'm currently working on Star Trek: Renegades where I revisit the character of Icheb. I'll aslo being starting work on a Western sci-fi feature with other Star Trek actors called Six Gun Savior...and painting! Painting is a passion of mine & I'll be having some art gallery openings coming up...
Manu Posing with some of his artwork
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