Local actor Emmanuel “Manny” McCord is expanding his Hollywood career with a growing role in the Homestead television series while developing a feature film inspired by brain injuries, cancer and faith.
We initially featured Manny in our 2024 article about his role in Homestead, which began as a feature film before expanding into a television series on Angel Studios. The original movie is available on Paramount.
Since the first season, Manny’s character, Bing, has grown into one of the series’ main characters. In Season 1, Bing is hired to protect the Homestead but eventually leaves and returns with an army to attack the community and attempt to take control. The upcoming second season, scheduled to premiere Nov. 3, gives Bing more screen time as he operates as a lone wolf and develops throughout the story.
Since we last spoke, Manny has also appeared in several other television productions, including Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, ABC’s 9-1-1 and Brilliant Minds.
In Ransom Canyon, he played Jessy, a ranch hand hired by Stanton Kirkland, portrayed by Josh Duhamel. On 9-1-1, Manny plays Officer Marsh in a storyline involving a volcanic eruption in Los Angeles and efforts to evacuate the city. His character also encounters what he believes is a jewelry store robbery.
Playing characters who are not always likable has become a recurring theme in his career.
“In doing my job right, I’m not going to be well liked by the audience,” said Manny with a laugh.
He said recent auditions have increasingly involved morally complicated characters with the potential for redemption.
“I’m a big believer in getting in where you fit in and being great at that and then branching out from there,” he said.
Manny hopes to continue playing the tough, rugged characters for which he has become known while expanding into different roles.
Developing a film close to home
Beyond acting, Manny is pitching a feature film he wrote titled Til the End, that he hopes to film in the Rock Hill area. He is working to raise funding for the project, which has a completed script and proof of concept.
The story follows a boxer who learns his daughter has cancer. To pay for her treatment, he takes on more fights than he should, worsening the effects of repeated head injuries as his daughter receives care.
Manny described the film as a John 3:16 story that combines difficult realities with a message of faith and hope.
The project incorporates bare-knuckle boxing, a growing combat sport that Manny believes gives the film a distinctive element.
His interest in brain injuries stems partly from playing football while growing up and hearing stories about concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE. The CTE tragedy in Rock Hill also helped inspire the project. Cancer has affected Manny and his family, giving him another personal connection to the story.
“Stories that are relatable but they also take you through harsh realities to know you’re not alone,” he said.
Manny hopes to play the lead role but is also pursuing other talent as he works to move the production forward. He said filming in the area provided an opportunity to involve his family and envision a production featuring local actors and crew.
“To be able to include local talent, crew and to show off our little town would be nice,” he said.
Manny previously worked on Blue Ridge, which was filmed in Gastonia.
Being closer to home
After spending seven years in Los Angeles, Manny and his wife are spending more time closer to home. The couple, who have been together since middle school, are also preparing to welcome a son.
Manny said changes in the entertainment industry since the COVID-19 pandemic have made it possible for him to pursue acting opportunities without necessarily living in Los Angeles. He also sees potential for future projects with the creators of Homestead.
Throughout his career, Manny has drawn inspiration from his acting coach, John Kirby, who recently died from ALS. Manny credits Kirby with teaching him to find the truth in his characters and encouraging him to believe in himself.
Kirby’s motto was simple: “We’re gonna do the work.”
Manny said that philosophy continues to guide his approach to acting, writing and developing Til the End as he pursues opportunities to grow his career while remaining connected to the local community.
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