Mike Manning. Photo Credit: Troy Hallahan.
Emmy winner Mike Manning chatted about his latest 2024 Emmy nod for “The Bay,” the family film “Powder Pup,” his new projects, and “The Actor’s Agenda” podcast.
2024 Daytime Emmy nomination for ‘The Bay’
On his 2024 Daytime Emmy nomination for his acting work in “The Bay,” Manning said, “I was surprised because the show is up against all the major daytime dramas (for ‘Outstanding Daytime Drama Series’), and I am up against some amazing actors. It was unexpected, but I am very happy and I am very grateful.”
Manning plays the role of Caleb McKinnon of “The Bay,” which airs on Popstar! TV.
Manning on Tamara Braun being nominated for ‘Days of Our Lives’ for playing Ava Vitali
Manning expressed how happy he was for Tamara Braun on her Daytime Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series” for “Days of Our Lives” for playing his on-screen mother Ava Vitali.
“I loved seeing Tamara nominated this year,” he exclaimed. “Tamara is so fantastic, and I am so proud that she is being recognized. I love that she plays my TV mom; Tamara is very sweet.”
‘Powder Pup’ film
Manning also starred alongside Rib Hillis and Ashton Arbab in “Powder Pup,” which was released on March 26 via Lionsgate. It was directed by Ari Novak, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mike Manning (who stars as the villainous Blake Jennings) and Miriam Rodgers.
“That movie was great,” he admitted. “I loved working with Ashton and Rib. He shot it in Montana with Ari Novak as the director, who was great to work with.”
“This film was great and it felt like snowboarding camp. It is out right now, it is getting a good response, and that’s all you can hope for,” he said.
“I co-wrote it too, which was nice,” he admitted. “They always say: ‘write about what you know.’ Having really gotten my start in the Disney Channel’s ‘Cloud 9,’ which was a snowboarding movie, was a fun way for me to put on my writer and producer hat.
New alien movie in the works
On his latest projects, he shared, “I just wrapped a new alien movie. We filmed it in Joshua Tree. It was great… I don’t really get to play characters that are comedic, quirky, and weird as often as I would like to.”
Manning continued, “Director and writer John Paul Ungaretti and Christina Heller (writer and producer) really gave me a clear vision of what they wanted and the space to make it my own. It is nice to know that I created that character myself and they gave me the permission to do that.”
‘The Actor’s Agenda’ podcast
Manning also opened up about his new podcast “The Actor’s Agenda,” where he has special guests each week, covering a wide range of entertainment industry topics. “The podcast is off to a great start,” he admitted.
“I am really having fun with it. I basically get to interview the people that I love and respect in Hollywood, and I try to share the information on how they are making it with other people,” he elaborated.
“I wanted to create a podcast that I would send out to the world, where I can help newer and intermediate actors. I can answer questions on how they can grow their own careers,” he added.
So far, Manning has interviewed Leah McKendrick, Colton Tran, David Archuleta, Rahul Rai, and Vinny Chhibber. “I have a bunch of other interviews that I will release in the next couple of months,” he foreshadowed.
Manning praises the late Paul Walker
While he never had the chance to work with the late Paul Walker, Manning praised Walker for being “a great guy and a great soul.”
“Paul was gone way too soon, “Manning said. “I never got to work with him but everybody that ever did, always raved about how wonderful he was. The Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa song ‘See You Again’ from the movie always gets me every time.”
“Every time I hear that song, my heart just dies a little bit. It is beautiful that Paul Walker had that many people around him that cared about him so much to immortalize his memory with that song,” he said.
‘Samantha’s Friends’ event in Lakewood Ranch this weekend
This weekend, he is looking forward to being a part of “Samantha’s Friends” in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, which raises money for multiple nonprofit organizations.
“Each time, I do the ‘Samantha’s Friends‘ events, it feels like a reunion from ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘The Bay’,” he said. “I also get to see a lot of the fans that I normally get to see at the ‘Samantha’s Friends’ events.”
Spectrum fan event in National Harbor, Maryland
This past March, Manning was happy to have been a part of the Spectrum fan event in National Harbor, Maryland, where the proceeds go towards True Colors United.
True Colors United implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people.
“That was fun,” he admitted. “That event was about the fans and for the fans. Everybody felt like they were appreciated. For me, it was nice to be back in Maryland. When I was in Maryland, I got to visit my old ‘Real World’ house in D.C. so it was like a walk down memory lane.”
To learn more about Emmy award-winning actor and producer Mike Manning, follow him on Instagram, and check out his IMDb page.