Since Never Have I Ever debuted on Netflix, presenting Devi and Co., me, and many other defendants of teen dramas — because they are just so damn relatable despite erring on the side of cheesy — have been intrigued by its protagonist’s tumultuous love life. I know, there is a lot more going on in Devi’s life than just matters of the heart (and raging teenage hormones) — but as season 4 introduces yet another hard-to-ignore love interest in Devi’s already complicated love triangle, it’s time to devote our collective brain cells to getting to know Ethan Morales, played by rising actor Michael Cimino.
For those who lost themselves in Cimino’s dashing smile, you may have missed the fact that the exceptionally fine Ethan has been here since the first season — not in essence, but at least in theory. The backstory for the character details that Sherman Oaks High’s latest heartthrob — who is a skater, mind you — has been a student since freshman year. He is catching all the raised eyebrows now because puberty finally caught up to him over the summer break.
Though Devi’s best friend Eleanor expresses her obvious interest in snagging this newest addition to my list of why I need to binge-watch season 4 for the second time, the fickle heart leading the story eventually finds Ethan interesting even as her past messy romances continue to make their presence known.
Of course, I won’t be divulging further details about Devi and Ethan’s story, but if you like Michael Cimino you might be pleased to find out he has been around on the Hollywood scene for a while now, and here’s where you’ve seen him before.
Hello! Love, Victor, anyone?
Now, Hulu isn’t exactly a front-runner in the streaming game, but it does have its winning titles and one such charmer is Love, Victor, a spin-off of the acclaimed film, Love, Simon. The LGBTQ+ teen series, headlined by Cimino as the title character, focuses on the story of Victor Salazar, a teenager having a hard time as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery in high school, stumbles through adjusting in a new city, and above all, struggles with his sexual identity.
An absolute winner in terms of both critic and audience reviews, Cimino is highlighted as the MVP of the Hulu series that ran for three seasons.
The 23-year-old actor, who has been acting since the age of eight, has starred in a variety of projects throughout the years. Unless you were busy scoffing at Annabelle Comes Home while jumping at the smallest noises, you will remember Cimino as Bob Palmeri in the horror film. He has also starred in the 2022 film Senior Year and TV series like How I Met Your Father.
You may have also heard the actor before as he has lent his voice to the character Eduardo in the Marvel series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur and voices Kevin in the ongoing Disney show Hamster & Gretel. And if his already-lauded acting skills, charming personality, and superb voice roles weren’t enough, Cimino can also sing, people!
He has released a couple of songs including “Love Addict,” “Everything I Own,” “Little Blue Car,” and a debut EP, I’m Somewhere Out There.
While Cimino’s Ethan is a prominent fixture in Never Have I Ever season 4, it is the final chapter of the Netflix show. So, time to watch (or re-binge) the season if you haven’t already as it will be quite some time before you get to soak again in the brilliance that is Michael Cimino.
