His father is a New Zealander and his mother is Australian. He is of Maori (Te Arawa and Ngati Kahungunu), as well as English, Scottish, and Irish, ancestry.
Offered ballet scholarship in New York after finishing high school, but
chose to travel Europe and the US instead.
Quit playing professional rugby in order to attend Univeristy where he studied drama and dance.
Has an uncle who played piano for Elvis Presley.
Manu has three children with socialite Karin Horen.