Mike Manning – The Bay

By starrymag | May 8, 2023

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) Was there anything you have added over the years to your character that was not initially for them on the page?

 

A) The thing I love about Caleb is that he wears his heart on his sleeve. In a show like “The Bay” that is chalk full of drama, secrets, deception, power dynamics, etc., Caleb is a character that is someone that is a “what you see is what you get” type of person. He joined the show in Season 5 and since then, as he becomes more comfortable with who he is as a person and how he fits into the “Garrett family,” he is more and more vocal when standing up for those he cares about (mainly Daniel and the rest of his new family).

 

Q) What continues to challenge you about the character you portray?

 

A) Unlike a movie, with a TV show like “The Bay,” I’ve had multiple seasons to develop Caleb as a three-dimensional character, which is nice. Because of that I want each season to feel different, like the character has evolved a bit in his relationships and how he interacts with the other characters. Each season it’s the same process but with new material, which keeps it exciting.

 

Q) What episodes were the most memorable for you to film or maybe challenged you the most?

 

A) Hands down the wedding scene in the final two episodes of Season 6 were my most memorable so far with the show. Fun fact, in the scene I wore the suit that I wore in my ACTUAL wedding. Filming that scene was a mix of nervousness and excitement for me because I was channeling the experience I had with my own wedding a bit, and I think that helped my performance. That was the scene that won me an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor, so I guess that channeling worked. J

 

Q) What would you like to see for your character in future seasons?

 

A) In Season 7, we see Caleb thrown into the drama of finding out who kidnapped his husband after his wedding at the end of Season 6. He travels to Puerto Rico looking for answers, tagging along with Pete Garrett (Kristos Andrews) and R.J. Garrett (Najee De-Tiege). Caleb isn’t really the adventurous type. He’s a teacher by day and likes to stay home at night, so to have him go to the jungles of Puerto Rico to face kidnappers and men with guns was an adrenaline-pumping situation to put him in.

 

Q) Who would you love to share more scenes with in the future on the show?

 

A) In Season 7 I was able to act more with Kristos and Najee, which was fun. I also had more scenes with Alicia Leigh Willis and Taylor Stanley, who I love. And I worked with Jackie Zeman for the first time in Season 7. She’s probably the nicest person you’ll ever meet. And then, of course, there’s my main scene partner Eric Nelsen. In Season 7 Daniel (Eric Nelsen) and Tamara (Celeste Fianna) have been kidnapped and we see them locked away, so it was the first season that my character was interacting with others more than he was with Daniel. In Season 8 I’d like to have more scenes with all of them. They’re all amazing actors.

 

Q) What do you think it is about “The Bay” that continues to make it such a fan favorite show?

 

A) I think “The Bay” continues to take the characters that audiences grow to know and like, and it not only puts them in different situations, gives them different challenges and shows different sides of their personalities each and every season – but it sets up those challenges in a way that really allows the actors to immerse themselves in the world that IS “Bay City.” I think audiences respond to that. The show also uses real life to inform its narrative. For example, in Season 6 “The Bay” had a storyline that dealt with Covid-19, a storyline that included the #BLM Protests and other storylines that reflected what was happening in society at the time of production. I think that allows audiences to see themselves in the characters a little more than they would otherwise. Kudos for this goes to creator Gregori J. Martin, writer/producer Wendy Riche and the entire creative team in front of and behind the camera. They’re all great.

 

Q) What are the other upcoming projects that you have been busy working on?

 

A) This year I have a film called The Engagement Dress that should be releasing in the Spring. It’s a sweet Romantic Comedy directed by Rachel Annette Helson and I play the lead. And then I have an action thriller with Randy Couture releasing later in the year called The Bell Keeper. My buddy Colton Tran directed that one. Colton and I met a decade ago on a Disney movie called Cloud Nine, so it was nice to have everything come full-circle and work with him again.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the work you’ve done on this special series?

 

A) To everyone that has supported me with this series and/or anything else I’ve done, THANK YOU. This industry can be a challenging place sometimes, but when I hear about people being affected in a positive way by a project I was in or a character I played, it warms my heart and keeps me going. Thank you times one hundred! And let’s stay connected. My IG is @mike_manning_