Who is Manousos on ‘Pluribus’? Meet Carlos-Manuel Vesga
Four episodes in, the world of Pluribus still feels particularly isolating for Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), a miserable woman forced to live amongst a happy hive mind. But fans of the new Apple TV series are about to learn that Carol isn’t the only one who feels alone…
At long last, Pluribus Episode 4 introduces a new character named Manousos, the mysterious 13th “other” who’s also immune to the contagious joy that infected the world.
Played by Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Manousos was first mentioned in Episode 2 when Zosia (Karolina Wydra) explained to Carol that there were 11 others like her, adding, “Now 12. A man in Paraguay we became aware of this morning.” Because Manousos wasn’t one of the five English speakers in the group, Carol didn’t initially pay him much mind. But after her meeting with those five went amiss and she learned Manousos was reluctant to communicate with anyone after the world-changing event, her curiosity piqued and she attempted to reach out.
So who is Manousos on Pluribus? And what do we know about Carlos-Manuel Vesga, the actor who plays Manousos? Here’s what to know about Vesga’s crucial Pluribus character, his career outside of the Apple TV series, and more.
Who Is Manousos on Pluribus? Meet The 13th Other
As Zosia explained in Episode 3, Manousos is from Paraguay, owns a self-storage facility, and has “been a bit reluctant to get in contact” with anyone affected by the extraterrestrial interference. Though Manousos only speaks Spanish, Carol asks Zosia to call him in hopes that the two skeptics can chat about their new terrifying reality. Zosia dials, Carol attempts to introduce herself, Manousos hangs up. On her second try, Manousos says, “¡No me jodan más! Déjenme en paz, putas!” (Aka, “Leave me alone, you sons of bitches!”) So when a fuming Carol gets Zosia to dial for the final time, she tells him, “¡Chinga tu madre, cabrón!” (Aka, “Fuck your mother, asshole!”)
While Carol and Pluribus largely forget about Manousos after the phone call, Episode 4, “Please, Carol” finally introduces him on-screen and gives us an intriguing look into his world. Though we can’t spoil his compelling extended intro, we can say that he’s seen scanning a radio, setting a timer to wait for signs of life, and meticulously recording his findings in a notebook. His crossed arms and slow neck stretch signals that he’s been conducting his research for quite some time. We also get a glimpse of his small office, which includes several lamps, a small television, and intentionally covered windows.
A printed sign in the office reads, “Warning! Payments 30 days late will result in the lock being cut and your belongings being removed. No exceptions,” suggesting that he’s at his self-storage facility. And eventually, Manousos’ gaze wanders over to a small trash can with a fly hovering over it. He makes his way over, pulls out an empty food can, removes the lid, and licks it as if he’s in survival mode and hasn’t eaten in days.
In Pluribus production notes, Vesga said of his character, “I get the feeling that he has lost a lot in his life and is not willing to lose anything else.” As Zosia said, they were unaware of Manousos’ existence for the first 33 hours, so it will be interesting to learn more about the crucial character, see how his personal experience has differed from Carol’s, and hopefully watch the two cross paths again down the line. Until then, let’s learn more about Carlos-Manuel Vesga, the actor who plays Manousos.
Who Plays Manousos on Pluribus? Meet Carlos-Manuel Vesga
Manousos on Pluribus is played by Carlos-Manuel Vesga, a. 49-year-old Colombian theater, film, and television actor. Per IMDb, Vesga has nearly 50 film and TV credits, including Amor Sincero, The Hijacking of Flight 601, Pura Sangre, A Grito Herido, and more. In Pluribus production notes, creator Vince Gilligan made sure to shout out Vesga’s talents, raving, “Carlos-Manuel is a real find, a wonderful actor and person. He is also a superstar in South America, so when we were shooting in the Canary Islands, Spain, he was constantly stopped on the street to sign autographs and pose for pictures.”
If you’re looking to stay up-to-date with Vesga outside of Pluribus, you can follow him on Instagram at @carlosmanuelactor, where he had 119,000 followers ahead of Pluribus Episode 4. While he’s built a solid fanbase over the years, we have a feeling Pluribus is going to make a whole new audience fall in love with Vesga, and we can’t wait to see more of his talented acting — and more Manousos! — on our TVs.
New episodes of Pluribus premiere Fridays on Apple TV.
