By Denny Patterson

Emmy-winning actor, producer, and activist Mike Manning is no stranger to pushing boundaries – both on and off screen.

Born in Fort Lauderdale and raised between Florida and Colorado, Manning first came onto the scene in MTV’s The Real World: D.C., where his coming out journey played out in real time and sparked a passion for activism that continues to shape his career today. Now, 15 years later, he’s breaking barriers again in the new critically acclaimed soap opera Beyond the Gates as Bradley “Smitty” Smith, one half of a biracial gay couple raising two adopted children.

The show is making history as the first hour-long soap centered on a Black family, and Manning’s portrayal of Smitty brings heart, complexity, and overdue representation.

OutClique recently caught up with the actor to talk more about his role on the show and its significance, as well as his Florida roots, additional upcoming projects, and how he is using his platform to drive meaningful change. 

Denny Patterson: Mike, you have been making strides in the groundbreaking series, Beyond the Gates, playing Bradley “Smitty” Smith. Let me begin by asking, what drew you to this role, and what does it personally mean to you to play one-half of a biracial gay couple raising two kids?

Mike Manning: You kind of just said it. This is the first time I’ve ever played one half of a biracial gay couple with two adopted kids, and this has been an exciting role for me. Representation matters, and the power of television is that people invite you to be a part of their lives. When you’re able to play characters that allow a wider range of people to see themselves in those characters, it’s powerful. Then for others, you’re opening them up to new ideas and new ways of thinking, and that’s also powerful. For me, I’ve been having such a blast playing Smitty. The show itself is groundbreaking – it’s the first new soap opera in 25 years, and the first hour-long soap ever that has centered around a Black family from its inception. To be a part of the show and playing this character, it’s been a wonderful experience.

Denny Patterson: Smitty is such a complex, multidimensional gay character. Was there a certain approach you wanted to go with?

Mike Manning: With Smitty, I love how he breaks expectations of gender roles. One minute he’s playing basketball or hitting the gym with his husband, more traditionally masculine activities, and then the next episode, he’s wearing an apron, having just made dinner. I love that. For a long time, especially in America, men have been assigned certain gender roles, and this show is breaking that. Smitty is also an ex-investigative journalist, so he has that layer as well. He loves being a good father and a figure at home, but he’s itching to get back to work in politics and journalism, so that’s also a fun aspect to play. I see him as a younger Anderson Cooper.

Denny Patterson: What do you ultimately hope queer audiences take away from Beyond the Gates?

Mike Manning: I hope queer audiences feel seen in the characters of Smitty and Martin. I hope they realize they are just as deserving as loving, committed, and somewhat dramatic relationships we’ve seen with straight couples on television for years. Now we’re seeing that with queer couples, and I’m just happy to be part of that.

Denny Patterson: You initially gained fame as a cast member on MTV’s The Real World: D.C. in 2009 at 22 years old. How do you reflect on that journey – from coming out on reality TV to now leading such a powerful narrative?

Mike Manning: I was cast on Real World by following a friend to a random audition. I’d never seen the show before, but I remember not being comfortable with myself and barely knowing anything about politics when I moved to D.C. Then over the course of the season, I became involved with the Human Rights Campaign, learned about politics, put myself out there, and found my voice as an activist. It was a very special time in my life, and I’m grateful for the experience I had on MTV because I don’t think I’d be where I am today – both as an entertainer and as someone who’s comfortable in his own skin.

Denny Patterson: Why did you decide to come out while on the show, and did you have any concern about the repercussions?

Mike Manning: I absolutely had concerns about the repercussions. I told my parents before going on the show, and I came out to them by writing a letter. Then I went back to them and said, hey, I’m going to be on this MTV show and there’s a chance I might come out on it. Of course, they were against it and told me not to. They said it would affect my ability to get jobs, my potential safety, and pointed out that my grandparents would see it, so they pressured me not to say anything. So, when I went into the house, I remember not being sure If I was going to be honest about who I was, because that’s a lot of pressure to put on a 22-year-old. Then a week into filming, I realized very quickly I couldn’t escape the cameras. They follow you everywhere, even if you leave the house. There were microphones in the walls, if you take your shirt off, you’re wearing a microphone in your necklace, you can’t watch TV or listen to music. I realized, if I try to live a lie for three and a half months on this show, I’d go crazy. We then had a cast dinner at Buca di Bepp, and this is in one of the episodes, and everybody’s playing the “numbers game” – how many people you’ve fooled around with. It comes to me and I’m white-knuckling it under the table. I say something like, ‘24 girls,’ and then I add, ‘and four guys.’ And you could’ve heard a pin drop. They were like, Mike, this the number game as in how many people you’ve hooked up with. I said, yeah, and that was my way of coming out on the show, and I’m not sure if I would have changed it to any other way. At that time in my life and who I was at that point, that kind of coming out experience was kind of perfect for where I was at the time.