Mike Manning (actor)
Encyclopedia
Michael C. Manning is an American reality television personality, model and LGBT rights activist who first gained fame as a cast member on the MTV
series The Real World: D.C.. During his time on the show, episodes in which he was featured focused on his struggle between his being a devout Christian
and openly bisexual, and his work for the Human Rights Campaign
and the Energy Action Coalition
. He has since appeared in numerous TV and film roles.
, and grew up in Thornton, Colorado
. He was born to Michael Sr. and Susan Manning, and has a brother named Jonathan and a sister named Alyssa. He was described in his MTV
biography as "the typical jock...a star athlete, prom king, popular with all the girls...an all around golden child from a Christian family."
's reality television
series The Real World
, for which Manning auditioned on a random lark with a friend. At the time of his joining the cast, then-22-year-old Manning described himself as "a pile of contradictions", for reasons that included his bisexuality
. Having recently came out
after several years of questioning his orientation, the revelation caused conflict with some of his loved ones. MTV's bio for him indicated that his time in D.C. would be a turning point for him and the question of whether his family would accept his sexuality. Manning explained in the season premiere that he attended church every Sunday, providing common ground through which he hoped to bond with his castmate and fellow churchgoer, Ashley Lindley. Although he also saw local men during his time in DC, he also pined for Tanner, his ex-boyfriend back home, though he expressed concerned that being gay would preclude his ability to one day get married "under God". Although he is bisexual, he explained that he predominantly saw men during his time in the house because bringing men back home was not something he was previously able to do.
Manning joined the cast with the intention of working as an environmentalist
, but unexpectedly became an activist for LGBT rights as well, working for the Human Rights Campaign
and the Energy Action Coalition
. During the course of his work for the Human Rights Campaign, Manning met with openly gay Congressman Jared Polis
of Colorado and Congressman James P. Moran of Virginia, and attended the October 10, 2009 HRC dinner at which President Barrack Obama spoke.
During The Real World: Washington D.C. Reunion, which premiered on March 31, 2010 following the season finale, Manning indicated that he was studying part time to be a personal trainer, attended Bible study, and had recently acquired a job as a host on a TV show.
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
series The Real World: D.C.. During his time on the show, episodes in which he was featured focused on his struggle between his being a devout Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
and openly bisexual, and his work for the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
and the Energy Action Coalition
Energy Action Coalition
The Energy Action Coalition is a North American non-profit organization made up of 50 partner organizations in the U.S. and Canada that runs campaigns to build the youth and student clean energy movement and advocate for tangible changes on local, state, national and international levels in North...
. He has since appeared in numerous TV and film roles.
Early life
Michael Manning was born in Fort Lauderdale, FloridaFort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, and grew up in Thornton, Colorado
Thornton, Colorado
The city of Thornton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado and a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Thornton is northeast of the state's capital, Denver. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
. He was born to Michael Sr. and Susan Manning, and has a brother named Jonathan and a sister named Alyssa. He was described in his MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
biography as "the typical jock...a star athlete, prom king, popular with all the girls...an all around golden child from a Christian family."
The Real World: DC
Manning's career started in 2009 on The Real World: DC, the twenty-third season of MTVMTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
, for which Manning auditioned on a random lark with a friend. At the time of his joining the cast, then-22-year-old Manning described himself as "a pile of contradictions", for reasons that included his bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
. Having recently came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
after several years of questioning his orientation, the revelation caused conflict with some of his loved ones. MTV's bio for him indicated that his time in D.C. would be a turning point for him and the question of whether his family would accept his sexuality. Manning explained in the season premiere that he attended church every Sunday, providing common ground through which he hoped to bond with his castmate and fellow churchgoer, Ashley Lindley. Although he also saw local men during his time in DC, he also pined for Tanner, his ex-boyfriend back home, though he expressed concerned that being gay would preclude his ability to one day get married "under God". Although he is bisexual, he explained that he predominantly saw men during his time in the house because bringing men back home was not something he was previously able to do.
Manning joined the cast with the intention of working as an environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
, but unexpectedly became an activist for LGBT rights as well, working for the Human Rights Campaign
Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...
and the Energy Action Coalition
Energy Action Coalition
The Energy Action Coalition is a North American non-profit organization made up of 50 partner organizations in the U.S. and Canada that runs campaigns to build the youth and student clean energy movement and advocate for tangible changes on local, state, national and international levels in North...
. During the course of his work for the Human Rights Campaign, Manning met with openly gay Congressman Jared Polis
Jared Polis
Jared Schutz Polis is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
of Colorado and Congressman James P. Moran of Virginia, and attended the October 10, 2009 HRC dinner at which President Barrack Obama spoke.
During The Real World: Washington D.C. Reunion, which premiered on March 31, 2010 following the season finale, Manning indicated that he was studying part time to be a personal trainer, attended Bible study, and had recently acquired a job as a host on a TV show.
Acting career
Manning appeared as Greg, "a metro partier focused on taking shots and meeting girls", in Black Hearts, a web series that he co-produced. He also appeared in eCupid, which premiered at the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival.Awards
On June 11, 2010 Manning was awarded the Courage Award at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center's Annual Pride Cocktail Party at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles for his work on behalf of LGBT youth.Television
- The Real World: Washington D.C. (16 episodes, 2009-2010)
- 2010 American Music AwardsAmerican Music Awards-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
(2010) as Red Carpet Host - This WeekThis WeekThis Week is the name of a number of television and radio programmes:* This Week , a Sunday morning political talk show broadcast on ABC in the United States...
in Reality TV (1 episode, 2011) - The A-ListThe a-listThe A-List is a series of young adult novels by Zoey Dean. The series, about a group of rich friends who live in Beverly Hills, has ten books, with the first eponymous novel being released under the Little, Brown imprint Poppy...
: New York (1 episode, 2011)
Film
- eCupid (2011) as Myles
- Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night CleaverGingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night CleaverGingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver is a 2011 American horror film by Full Moon Features and is the third installment in The Gingerdead Man series. It is set to be released on September 13, 2011 after many filming delays by director Charles Band...
(2011) as Adonis, Bugsby