Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Manifest’s Jack Messina

At only ten-years-old, Jack Messina has already nabbed roles on hit TV shows, including the Emmy award-winning The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and NBC’s acclaimed sci-fi drama, Manifest. The latter is a breakout performance and his first role as a series regular. Jack’s character, Cal Stone, is a young boy struggling with a terminal illness. His life is upended even more when he returns from a flight that’s been missing for over five years. Pop Culturalist spoke with this next-gen leading man about the series and what’s ahead.


Manifest Questions

PC: For readers who may not be familiar with the series, tell us about Manifest, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Jack: Manifest is a show about a family who split up on their flights home from a vacation in Jamaica. My character, Cal, his dad, and his aunt take a different flight that ends up disappearing for five and a half years. No time has passed for the passengers on the plane, though, so when they land they don’t know what happened, but their lives are totally different. My character, Cal, is ten-years-old and has leukemia, so he’s been through a lot and now he has a new life to figure out. He has a twin sister, Olive, who is now sixteen when he returns. I didn’t know too much about him when I auditioned, but I knew it was going to be an amazing role to play.

PC: What was the audition process like?
Jack: Auditioning for Manifest was great. I had to read a scene that took place with my twin sister, Olive, but I did it alone. I didn’t know who my sister would be yet, so I had to just act like I knew her. One of my callbacks to meet the producers was during a huge snowstorm in NY, but I love snow, so it didn’t bother me.


PC: How similar or different are you to Cal?
Jack: I’m similar to Cal. We both like video games. I can relate to him a little as he deals with suddenly having an older sister since I have two older brothers.


PC: How did you prepare to play a character who’s struggling with a terminal illness?
Jack: I learned what leukemia is and tried to understand what it would be like to be sick. The show focuses on Cal getting better and dealing with a bunch of new things, like callings.

Photo Credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC/Warner Brothers

PC: It’s your first role as a series regular. What’s been the most surprising part about the experience? What’s been the most challenging?
Jack: The most surprising part of this experience is being recognized everywhere I go now. People come up to me in stores, restaurants, and other places. I was always told not talk to strangers, but fans are usually very nice when they recognize me, and as long as I’m with my parents, it’s okay. The challenging part is trying to keep up with school. Even though I’m tutored on set, I have to go to school on days I’m not filming. It’s hard to keep up sometimes, but I love it.

PC: You’re the only young child on this show. How challenging is that?
Jack: Being the only kid on the show is honestly great. It makes everyone else have a little more fun on set. Sometimes people forget I’m around and they have to watch what they say around me, but mostly everyone is really nice to me.

PC: If you could write a storyline for Cal, what would it be and why?
Jack: If I could write a storyline for Cal, it would be that he has a calling that takes him on a jungle adventure.

PC: What can you tease about Cal’s storyline for the remainder of the season?
Jack: The rest of this season is full of so much mystery, adventure, and things no one expects. It’s really good.

Career Questions

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Jack: I started acting for fun. I took acting classes with a friend after school and I realized I like doing it. That led me to get a manager and I started auditioning. I’m very lucky to have such a great role on Manifest at my age. I love the show.

PC: What is your dream role?
Jack: My dream role would be in a movie with Tom Hanks or Will Ferrell.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Jack: The Loud House

PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Jack: Napoleon Dynamite

PC: Favorite book?
Jack: Right now, I’m reading Loser by Jerry Spinelli.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Jack: School of Rock

PC: Last show you binge-watched?
Jack: SpongeBob SquarePants

PC: Hidden talent?
Jack: I can play the drums.

Keep up with Jack by following him on Instagram and catch Manifest every Monday at 10/9c.

Photo Credit: Photographer: Erica MacLean // Groomer: Toni Martinez