Manny Delgado

Grew Up… in Colombia. His parents, Gloria and Javier Delgado, ended up getting divorced. Now he’s growing up in suburban Los Angeles with his mom and Jay Pritchett, the wealthy older man she married.

Living… in a beautiful mansion, which he got accustomed to quickly. A coffee connoisseur and aficionado of the finer things, Manny seems to have been cut out for the good life. He occasionally acts as a buffer for his parents, sometimes giving Jay advice about his mom: “Jay, I’ve learned a few things in my 12 years. Don’t skimp on linens.”

Profession… middle school student. He’s conscientious and well-behaved at school, unlike his nephew Luke (Jay’s grandson), who is in some of the same classes as Manny. Though Manny causes very little mayhem on his own, Luke can sometimes embroil him in trouble. Manny’s precocious temperament isn’t always a hit with his classmates, however, leaving him somewhat of a loner.

Interests… drinking coffee, writing poetry, wearing his favorite burgundy dinner jacket, and baking cakes, fencing, and playing chess. Manny would probably prefer to hang out with grown-ups than kids. Sometimes that trait worries Jay, who feels Manny should be “one of the guys” and try to fit in more with his peers. But Manny is a unique kid.

Relationship Status… in progress. He’s still young, but clearly ahead of the curve when it comes to knowing how to treat a lady. He’s respectful, courteous, and romantic beyond his years. He hasn’t had a girlfriend yet, but it can’t be long now. Then again some of Manny’s very old-fashioned romance techniques are lost on the average 12-year-old girl in suburbia.

Challenge… growing into himself. Manny’s cultured sensibilities and precociousness run the risk of being trampled by the less sensitive family and peers surrounding him. Mature though he is, Manny is not finished growing into the adult he will be. Let’s hope he can keep most of the traits that make him so distinctive.

Personality… outgoing, intuitive, and not at all self-conscious. Manny is a hopeless romantic and seems to have inherited his mother’s sensitivity as well as some of her passion, though Gloria claims he gets his “fire” from his father, Javier. Manny often seems like a 40-year-old urban sophisticate trapped in a 12-year-old’s body. And we mean that in the best way possible.