Manny Jacinto Wants To Talk Dirty To You

Don’t you love a good crush? Chalk it up to his lovable energy or that jawline — Manny Jacinto entered the ranks of Internet boyfriends when he played Jason Mendoza in The Good Place. He cemented his status with his role in Nine Perfect Strangers, and now, he’s back with a swoonworthy project unlike anything he’s done before.

Jacinto is starring in Hyperdrive, a three-episode thriller-romance on Quinn, an audio erotica app designed with female pleasure in mind. The series is the latest addition to the lineup of Quinn Originals, a collection of sensual stories performed by talent including Jesse Williams from Grey’s Anatomy, You’s Victoria Pedretti, and Stranger Things actor Jamie Campbell Bower.

Hyperdrive tells the story of Kai, a memory technician who lives in a futuristic metropolis called Neon City, where memories are traded like currency. Jacinto’s character realizes he has gaps in his own memory, as well as brief recollections of a hidden love he can’t fully remember or explain. In an effort to uncover the truth, he runs away to the lawless Dusk Zones, where he meets Rei, a mysterious hacker who’s responsible for erasing his past.

Their relationship is fraught with ups and downs — as well as plenty of passion — as Kai attempts to figure out what’s real and what isn’t. Told in the app’s signature second-person voice, the story is narrated directly to the listener as they step into the role of Rei.

The first two episodes drop on Oct. 17, and the third will arrive on Oct. 24. Nothing like a cliff-hanger to build the tension, right?

Jacinto’s acting talents are on full display, but you can also lay back and appreciate his raspy voice. “Manny brings intensity and incredible charisma to Hyperdrive,” said Caroline Spiegel, Quinn founder and CEO. “With this project, we’re really trying something new. The genre, the story, the sound design, even the ending. We can’t give away too much, but it’s unlike anything we’ve produced to date.”

Jacinto also shared his thoughts on Hyperdive, saying the story focuses on how common it is to romanticize the past. “We all do it — remember the good parts, forget the bad,” he said. “Hyperdrive takes that human tendency and amplifies it to the extreme.”

When Quinn first reached out to him, he remembers his whole body tensing up as he wondered if he could handle such an erotic role. “But I’m always up for a good challenge,” he said.

The actor was particularly drawn to the script. “It is an incredibly well-told story,” he said. “The writer is Asian as well, and to be able to collaborate with someone within the community was a great opportunity.”

He had only one more thing to add about working on something so spicy: “I honestly just hope my parents never listen to this!” On that note, pop in your headphones and enjoy.