Pluribus star reveals overlooked detail explains why Manousos refuses to Join

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Before the final round of Pluribus, TopMob spoke with Carlos-Manuel Vesga, the actor who plays Manousos. He shared a subtle detail about his character that sheds light on why he strongly resists becoming part of the hive mind.

For the first seven episodes of the Apple TV show, Manousos was a pretty enigmatic character. We only knew a few things: he lives in Paraguay, he can’t get the alien virus, and he really dislikes the Others – he even ate dog food to avoid being around them.

We discovered he’s been monitoring radio waves and documenting his observations, hinting he might be making more progress towards a cure than Carol. In the seventh episode, he risked his life traveling through the dangerous Darién Gap to locate her.

Honestly, it was wild watching this character. He straight-up refused any help from his team, even if it meant putting himself in danger! While we were filming, TopMob asked Vesga how much he knew about the character beforehand, and Vesga’s answer really helped me understand what Manousos was thinking – his motivations and everything.

Manousos’ past shapes his resistance in Pluribus

Vesga shared that he only received basic information about his character’s past – specifically, that Manousos is a Colombian immigrant to Paraguay. He believes this limited backstory might explain why the character is hesitant to get involved.

He acknowledged that while it might not seem like much, migration is a deeply complex process. It involves loss, fear, the need to adjust, and often, trauma. He believes this reveals a great deal about the individual’s position on the Joining.

That past hardship makes Manousos naturally wary of losing himself in a group. He’s already dealt with loss, being uprooted, and difficult experiences, so the thought of starting over as part of a collective doesn’t appeal to him. For Manousos, joining would mean sacrificing the sense of self he’s struggled to maintain.

Karolina Wydra, who plays Zosia, wasn’t told her character’s history either, but for a different reason. “We talked through a lot of things while filming and had many conversations about this new world the show creates,” she explained.

You know, when it came to Zosia, I really didn’t want to know much about her backstory before she joined the group. I didn’t even ask Vince [Gilligan]! I figured anything I learned beforehand would influence how I played her now, and honestly, her past doesn’t matter to me – it’s like that person doesn’t even exist anymore. I wanted to build her entirely from who she is in the present.

Wydra continued, explaining that this person is incredibly calm, happy, and satisfied. She worried that if this person had a difficult past, it might make Wydra appear controlling or like she’s hiding something.

I wasn’t interested in her past. I only cared about who she is now, and that’s the real her. She’s completely reinvented herself – this is the new Zosia.

You can now watch the first eight episodes of Pluribus on Apple TV. To learn more about the show, check out articles explaining why creator Vince Gilligan isn’t dismissing fan theories, details about the planet Kepler-22b, and the disturbing practice of the hive mind’s consumption of humanoids.

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2025-12-19 17:19