Who Plays Manny on 'Abbott Elementary'? Fans May Recognize the Hunky Latino Actor
Published Feb. 8 2024, 4:32 p.m. ET
Class is back in session! The third season of the Emmy-winning Abbott Elementary is in full swing and there’s one fresh face who’s receiving straight A’s across the board: Josh Segarra.
The Puerto Rican actor plays Manny, one of the three Philadelphia school district representatives who are looking to make some changes. The other two are Simon (Benjamin Norris) and Emily (Kimia Behpoornia).
If the name Josh Segarra rings a bell — or if those dreamy looks seem familiar — it’s because the actor is no stranger to Hollywood. He’s appeared in several hit series, such as Orange is the New Black, The Other Two, and Chicago P.D. He’s even done a stint on Broadway!
Keep reading to learn all about everyone’s favorite newcomer.
Who plays Manny in ‘Abbott Elementary’?
Josh got his start in acting at a young age. Before he was acting in hit shows or belting out tunes in the Broadway musical, On Your Feet! Josh was an 11-year-old kid, acting in Christmas plays and singing Spanish spiritual songs at his Pentecostal church.
“I didn’t grow up listening to musicals,” he told Parade. “I sang coritos or Spanish spiritual songs and was raised on gospel singer Kirk Franklin.”
This love of the arts inspired Josh to move to New York City.
In 2004, the Florida native moved to New York City to attend the acting program at NYU. After graduating, it took him a few years to find his footing. But once he did, there was no stopping his uphill career trajectory.
Per his booking agent, Josh first found fame on The Electric Company before moving on to bigger shows, such as Arrow and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.
Outside of acting, Josh is a devoted husband and a father.
He’s married to his wife, Brace Rice, whom he met at a birthday party. The pair wed in 2014 and welcomed their first son, Gus Maine in 2016, their second son, Hank Race, in 2020, and their third son, Bo, in 2023.
Josh was the perfect person to play a potential villain on 'Abbott Elementary.'
In an interview with Decider, Abbott Elementary showrunners, Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker, alluded to Manny causing some conflict down the line.
“I think for us, we wanted someone who felt very warm, but also a little suspect,” Halpern said about casting Josh to play the charming newcomer.
“In that opening we needed Janine to be a little bit weary of the school district. The district has been our big boogeyman for the first two seasons of the show.”
Fans will have to keep watching to see if Manny's charm is too good to be true.
Manny could potentially play Janine’s love interest.
Gregory, who?
When the third season aired, Twitter was abuzz about the noticeable chemistry between Janine and Manny. This led fans to wonder if there could be a potential romance to report to HR.
The pair already have so much in common — both have a shared interest in pedagogy and are genuinely interested in making positive changes for the teachers and students.
