Manny Santos
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| Manuella Santos | |
|---|---|
| Degrassi: The Next Generation character | |
| First appearance | "Mother and Child Reunion" (episode 101) |
| Created by | Linda Schuyler and Yan Moore |
| Portrayed by | Cassie Steele |
| Episode count | 102 |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Manny, Dimples |
| Age | 18 |
| Date of birth | August 15, 1989 |
| Occupation | Student at Degrassi Community School |
| Family | Joseph Santos (father) Julietta Santos (mother) Unnamed Brother[1] |
| Spouse(s) | Jay Hogart (ex-fiancé) |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Nationality | Filipino |
Manuella "Manny" Santos (August 15, 1989) is a fictional character in the Canadian teen drama television series Degrassi: The Next Generation, and she is portrayed by Cassie Steele.[2]
Created by Yan Moore and executive producer Linda Schuyler, Manny was one of the series' original characters, appearing in its first episode, "Mother and Child Reunion" on October 21, 2001. Manny began as a flat character in the first two seasons, more or less playing Emma Nelson's sidekick. In season three, Manny's shocking new look and personality earned less than rave reviews and led to run-ins with other characters in subsequent seasons. It was revealed in Season One's Episode "Coming of Age" that she was born on August 15, 1989 in Manila, Philippines.
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[edit] Season 1
Manny is first seen helping her best friend Emma out of a jam involving a boy that she met over the Internet and wanted to meet in person, but who tried to rape her.
Manny begins her trajectory in popularity by joining Paige's Spirit Squad, despite Emma's complaints that it is sexist. When Manny refused to back down from the team, she gains Paige and Hazel's respect and a place on the squad.
[edit] Season 2
In the second season, Manny and Emma both fell for Craig, a new student in Grade 9. While it was Emma who initially seemed to be winning Craig's affections, Craig surprised both girls by asking Manny to dance at an '80s dance for upperclassmen which Manny and Emma snuck into. A few episodes later, Manny and Craig went on their first date to a carnival. While Manny was head over heels, Craig was put off by how much Manny reminded him of his little sister, Angela. He broke it off with her harshly, leaving Manny crushed.
With Spike and Snake's wedding approaching, Manny notices Sean's lingering affection for Emma. She discusses Sean's affection with Emma, and encourages her to invite him to the wedding. When Emma refuses, Manny takes matters into her own hands and plays matchmaker by secretly giving him an invitation. When things get hectic, Manny reveals she invited him which angers Emma. The two exchange insults, but the argument quickly cools off.
[edit] Season 3
At the beginning of her freshman year, Manny was finally starting to come into her own. A popular, upperclassman, soccer player named Sully caught Manny's eye, but her attempts to get his attention went unnoticed. While bemoaning her "cute" reputation with Paige, the older girl told her that if she didn't like her image, she should simply change it. Manny took the advice and her new appearance took "sexy" to the edge. While she was ogled by the entire male student body for wearing visible thongs and skimpy tops, Emma and Liberty feared she was sacrificing her dignity. Manny saw it as jealousy, and was particularly indignant to Emma's reaction, telling her to support her like Manny had always supported Emma over the years. Also, J.T. developed a crush on Manny and she seemed to have felt the same way until Sully suddenly takes an interest in her and asks her out.
Sully quickly became Manny's "boyfriend", but she grew agitated of his inattentiveness. Although it hasn't been witnessed on screen, it became clear that Manny had broken up with Sully when her focus resumed on Craig, who was dating Ashley at the time. After a misunderstanding with Ashley led to a big fight and subsequent break up, Manny met Craig to console him, seeing it as a huge chance since she was crushing on him and that he was in a fight with Ashley. He took her back to his garage and she flirted with him, leading them to have a sexual intercourse.
Manny seems to take advantage of Craig's bad pass and confusion ( since his abusive father died ). Craig kept up his adulterous relationship with Manny even after making up and getting back together with Ashley. One night, while trying to hook Emma up with a new boy named Chris, the two girls attended a rave. With Ashley out of town, Craig showed up on Manny's invitation. She flirted with him again even after he tells her he has a girlfriend. Manny took Craig back to Emma's room in the private basement of her house. After leaving the rave alone, Emma discovered Manny and Craig making out on her bed. She kicked Craig out and refused to talk to Manny. The next day at school, the girls had a particularly ugly argument in which Manny called Emma "the prude princess" and Emma called Manny "the school slut"... with reason.
Manny was losing her friends left and right, but she continued to secretly date Craig. Over Christmas break, Manny and Craig met up in secret. She begged him to break up with Ashley for her but Craig said he couldn't. Craig finally tells Manny he would break up with Ashley. However, when Craig went to Ashley's house to break it off, she gave him a vintage guitar that belonged to her grandfather as his Christmas present, so he didn't have the heart to break up with her. Manny was unaware of this as Craig had told her he ended things with Ashley. Thinking they were history, Manny made a comment to Ashley about dating Craig. A bewildered and upset Ashley slapped Craig across the face and broke up with him while they were performing on stage in front of a large audience. Manny soon followed suit.
A nasty flu was spreading across Degrassi once school was back in session, and Manny appeared to be coming down with it. She felt sick and vomited several times. It soon became obvious, however, that Manny wasn't sick, but pregnant. Not knowing who else to tell, she confided in Emma's mother, who gave birth to Emma when she was a teen. Spike comforted her, and even Emma and Craig were supportive. Craig, who never really had a family, wanted her to have the child so he could start his own. His fantasies of raising a family drove Manny to the breaking point when she realized she wasn't ready to have a child. Her conservative Filipino family had led her previously to see her cousin sent to a convent in the Philippines when she had gotten pregnant. She decided to tell her mother that she was pregnant, and also that she wanted an abortion. Her mother was surprisingly supportive. However, Craig flew off the hinges, his dream of a family shattered. Manny's decision also further harmed her fragile relationship with Emma, who likened Manny's abortion to Spike getting an abortion.
Things only got worse when an angry Ashley found out about the pregnancy and announced the scandalous news to the entire student body in the cafeteria. This heightened Manny's new reputation as the school slut.
Manny begins to develop feelings for J.T., which were matched when he took her to the end of the year dance. The two become an item soon afterwards.
[edit] Season 4
To celebrate the beginning of a new school year, Liberty invites Manny, J.T., and Toby over to her house for a party in her jacuzzi. J.T. jokes around and is ready to jump into the jacuzzi when Liberty's precocious little brother, Danny, pulls down his pants. It is revealed that J.T.'s penis doesn't quite measure up to Manny's old boyfriend's, Craig. She begins chatting with him more which upsets J.T., who sees Craig as a threat. Manny grows annoyed of J.T.'s constant childish antics, and Liberty suggests she breaks it off with him.
J.T., however, has plans of his own. Danny orders him a penis pump to help him measure up to Craig. The night he invites her over to finally have sex is consequently the night she wants to break it off. Manny gets nervous and decides to leave the room to get the courage to break up with him. He expects her to be in the bathroom, and when she opens the door seconds later, the penis pump sits on his lap below his shocked face. Manny leaves quickly, and the next morning, breaks it off with J.T., saying that he's too immature for her.
Her friendship with Emma continued to be strained, especially as Emma became more of a social climber. She scolded Emma for stealing Chris away from Liberty just because she didn't want to be succeeded by "unpopular" Liberty. When Emma contracted gonorrhea after performing oral sex on Jay, Manny informed a boy who was meant to share a kiss with Emma in a school production of Emma's situation.
Of her original group of friends, only her relationship with Toby remained steady, with her comforting him following the shooting and the death of Toby's friend Rick, as well as patching up the friendship between him and J.T. She even danced with him at a Degrassi function.
In the meantime, Manny focused on cheer squad, but tensions continued to rise between her and Paige. Paige's boyfriend, Spinner, grew attracted to Manny, and eventually Paige and Spinner broke up over it. Soon afterwards, Manny began dating Spinner, which Paige had a problem with. While Paige carried on an illicit affair with student teacher Mr. Oleander, Manny essentially ran the squad while Paige took all the credit. Paige and Manny had an infamous physical fight in the hall, where Matt pulled Manny away and Ms. Hatzilakos pulled Paige away. During this fight, Manny made a loud comment about Paige's affair with her teacher, which subsequently got him fired. Manny and her friends Darcy and Chante also broke Paige's leg by dropping her in a cheer routine in front of the entire school: Paige, far from finished, retaliated by stripping Manny of her prom dress (the same one Paige wore) in front of the school at a dance.
Manny also became best friends with Emma again during the end of the school year.
By the end of her sophomore year, Manny, still battling insecurity, broke it off with Spinner, even though he wanted desperately to stay with her. She had a flirtation with a new kid named Chester that essentially went nowhere but led her to realize that even after everything that happened with Craig, she had to stay true to her feelings for Spinner, though she did make him promise never to hurt her. This relationship quickly ended after Manny learned of Spinner's involvement in the school shooting.
During summer, Manny played a major part in Kevin Smith's movie being shot at the school.
[edit] Season 5
Manny decided that she wanted pursue a career as an actress, and she believes that to do so, she'll have to consider plastic surgery. When she makes a visit to a cosmetic surgeon and he suggests performing liposuction and breast augmentation on her, she quickly hands over her credit card to place a deposit. However, when her parents find out about her plans, they were furious, calling her a "slut". Later that night, Manny attends a party that Peter had invited her to. After an upset Manny becomes drunk, she takes Peter into the bathroom, where he videotapes her taking her top off and showing her breasts. Manny later asks Peter to delete the footage, however he tells her that he'll only do so if she agrees to date him. Unconvinced of his proposition, she turns him down. Peter later sends the video to the entire student body, which leads to Manny's expulsion from the Spirit Squad. Manny eventually returns home, only to be notified by her father that she has been kicked out. She then proceeds to live with Emma until "If You Leave" in season 6.
Craig was willing for another girlfriend after Ashley broke up with him and decided to stay in England. Through all of her trouble, Manny and Craig seemed to be getting close after he protected her from Peter and sympathized for her current situation. Craig later invited her to a wedding gig his band had, leading Ellie to become jealous of the two. The next day, after some confusion over feelings for Ellie, it seems that Craig thinks their friendship is too precious. He then got back with Manny.
As Craig leaves Toronto for his musical career, he becomes more attached to Ellie. Manny senses some chemistry between Craig and Ellie, but soon drops her suspicions.
After being contacted by an agent, Manny feels pressured to lose weight for possible upcoming roles. Along with Emma, she begins a crash diet of little food and extra exercise, even resorting to purging on occasion. Once she loses her desired weight, Manny stops the diet, but realizes that Emma has developed a problem after she shows maniac behaviour pertaining to Manny's halt of dieting. As Emma becomes worse and develops Anorexia, Manny becomes concerned and along with Emma's boyfriend, Peter, and Emma's parents, she stages an intervention. Emma eventually overcomes her illness and receives a lot of support from Manny.
[edit] Season 6
After Darcy's jealousy of Manny and Spinner's past relationship led to a nasty fight between the two girls in the season 5 finale, they become friends again. Darcy, the new Spirit Squad captain, invites Manny back on the squad as the team's choreographer. When a 16-year old new student named Mia auditions for the squad, both Darcy and Manny are impressed with her. She is soon revealed to be a single mother, and while Manny doesn't mind, Darcy becomes very judgmental towards her, despite her impressive skill. Darcy then proceeds to disallow her to be on the Squad due to her conservative religious beliefs. Manny won't let that decision stand, so she and Mia confront Darcy about her unfair decision. After the confrontation indirectly causes a brawl between nearly everyone in the gym at a sporting event, Mia gives up to avoid any further problems.
Captain Darcy and new squad member Peter get some dangerous ideas on how to raise money for the new uniforms. Darcy and Peter decide to sell revealing photos of Darcy online. But their ideas make Manny doubtful. Manny tells them to stop the pictures as it is creepy however Darcy doesn't listen.
When Craig returns to Toronto in "What it Feels Like to Be a Ghost", Manny soon realizes that Craig is addicted to cocaine. However, instead of leaving him, she decides to partake in his habit. Eventually, Manny realizes that Craig chose cocaine over her and breaks up with him, not understanding his need to do coke. Ellie then got Craig help.
After a wild party at the Nelson's house, J.T. is found dying by Liberty after a fatal stabbing. Manny feels extremely guilty over his death, blaming herself because the party was her idea. After J.T.'s death, Manny keeps Toby from telling Liberty that J.T. still had feelings for Liberty.
After the murder of J.T., Manny's parents decide to reconcile with her after realizing that life was too precious and short to hold a grudge against their own child, and they want her to move back home.
[edit] Season 7
Manny learns that Peter and Darcy have become an item, and she lets Darcy know that she is fine with the fact that her friend is dating one of her past enemies. When Manny convinces Darcy to go on a snowboarding trip with her, Darcy invites Peter. While at the resort, Jane notifies Darcy and Manny about a party that is to be held, and Manny and Darcy decide to go. After Darcy insults Manny by telling her that she has no morals or self-respect, Manny leaves Darcy.
Manny later learns that Darcy had been raped at the party, and shows her comfort. However, after noticing Darcy's absence during a Spirit Squad meet, Manny finds Darcy in the bathroom showers after an attempted suicide. Manny proceeds to stay by Darcy's side while Darcy heals and accepts the fact that she was raped.
When Degrassi and Lakehurst merged schools, Manny and Damien were reunited after the party that J.T. had been stabbed at. The two hadn't spoken much since the falling out at the cheer competitions and Manny decides to give their relationship another shot. That is until her personal beliefs begin to conflict with Damien's. She believed that it was best to combine the school clubs, while he thought it was better to keep the schools separate. Their relationship doesn't hold up, and they agree to just be friends. Damien jokes that it's just because he's black, which Holly J. happens to overhear. Rumors begin to spread that Manny is a racist, but she has Damien clear up the confusion.
In "We Got the Beat", Manny is turning 18 and her parents are throwing her a debut to celebrate her entry into adulthood. After she learns that her parents won't allow her to make her own decisions, in particular pertaining to her choice of career, she invites Jay to dinner with the attempt of infuriating her parents with such a bad date choice. However, her plan backfires when Jay charms Manny's parents, despite the fact that he was expelled from school and two years older than her. Manny invites Jay to her party in a further attempt to make her parents mad, but is disappointed once again to learn that her parents like him. After a final attempt to make her parents see her own point of view, her parents allow her to pursue a career in acting, and Manny begins a relationship with Jay.
After Emma joins the Purple Dragons because people think she is too predictable, Emma realizes she needs to take a stand against Purple Dragon and takes her dress off in front of the whole school. Manny, who has been where Emma is, runs up and covers her with a poster then tells her it wasn't a smart idea. Manny will most likely help Emma through the rest of the year.
After beginning a relationship with Manny, Jay kisses Manny in front of her door after a date and her father catches them. As an excuse, Manny tells her father they were celebrating their engagement. The next day, Jay gives her a fake diamond ring, as if it were her engagement ring.
Jay helps Manny for an upcoming audition at Smithdale, but after a fight, he gives her a DVD of them making out instead. When Manny realizes Jay switched the tapes, she tries to audition without it, but she stumbles when she sees Jay sitting in the back row of the auditorium, causing her to not get accepted into the university. She then tells Jay the ring and the fake engagement means nothing to her and throws the ring on the floor. Soon after she is given another chance and is accepted into the university. She then suggests to Jay that they give the engagement another shot "for real" when she is told of everything Jay did in order to help her get another chance. They meet up at a Purple Dragon concert, where Craig played. Manny seemed to have realized her relationship with Craig had been a 'puppy love', since Craig only took her as a 'substitute' everytime Ashley left. She confirms it to Jay and they seem to be happy with their new relationship.
While Jay is upset with Manny for selling his mother's ring, Manny attends an auction to try to sell the Malta tickets, but with Jay wanting 2,020 dollars, only ends up getting 550. After Jay and Manny have a fight, Jay breaks into the pawn shop and steals back the ring. He then gives it to Manny the following day. While Manny is happy about this, she later learns that Jay stole the ring from the pawn shop. Manny later confronts Jay about this, and after an argument and the exchange of harsh words, the couple separates.
[edit] Season 8
Manny will not be in season 8 because she will star in a television series, but will make at least one appearance in the season.
[edit] Relationships
- Craig Manning
- First Relationship
- Start Up: "Take My Breath Away" (209)
- Broke Up: "Take My Breath Away" (209)
- Reason: Craig believed Manny was too immature.
- Second Relationship
- Start Up: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" (307)
- Broke Up: "Holiday, Part 2" (312)
- Reason: Manny finds out Craig didn't break up with Ashley as he said he had.
- Third Relationship
- Start Up: "Accidents Will Happen, Part 1" (314)
- Broke Up: "Accidents Will Happen, Part 2" (315)
- Reason: Manny decides to have the abortion against Craig's wishes.
- Fourth Relationship
- Start Up: "Weddings, Parties, Anything" (505)
- Broke Up: "What's It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?, Part 2" (610)
- Reason: Craig chooses cocaine over her.
- First Relationship
- Sully
- Start Up: "U Got the Look" (303)
- Broke Up: "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" (307)
- Reason: Their relationship wasn't even respectable as he used her for her looks.
- J.T. Yorke
- Start Up: "It's Raining Men" (319)
- Broke Up: "Mercy Street"(404)
- Reason: Manny felt J.T. was too immature.
- Gavin 'Spinner' Mason
- Start Up: "Bark at the Moon" (413)
- Broke Up: "Eye of the Tiger" (416)
- Reason: Manny finds out Spinner was involved in the shooting.
- Damien Hayes
- First Relationship
- Start Up: "Rock This Town" (611)
- Broke Up: "If You Leave" (613)
- Reason: Manny believed the relationship 'fizzled out'.
- First Relationship
- Jay Hogart
- First Relationship
- Start Up: "We Got The Beat" (707)
- Broke Up: "Bust A Move Part 1" (713)
- Reason: Jay was too clingy
- Second Relationship
- Start Up: "Bust A Move Part 2" (714)
- Broke Up: "Ladies Night"(720)
- Reason: Jay went back to "the old him" and Manny did not agree.
- First Relationship
[edit] References
- ^ Manny: "Always works on my brother". Degrassi: The Next Generation Episode, "Family Politics", Episode Three, Season One. (aired 2001)
- ^ Manny: Played by Cassie Steel Linda Schuyler honoured for Degrassi
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