Tough Luck
An actor plucked from the mayor’s office flexes some muscle in a gritty new drama.
When producers cast Dorchester native Kevin Chapman as a mob kingpin in Showtime’s new series Brotherhood, they landed not just an actor on the rise but also an on-set political consultant—not a bad bonus for the Bulger brothers–themed drama dealing with crime and politics in Rhode Island.
Chapman, 39, spent eight years working as an aide in Mayor Tom Menino’s office before director Ted Demme, in town filming 1998’s Monument Ave., convinced him to put politics on hold. Supporting roles in Mystic River and 2004’s Ladder 49 helped him land “Brotherhood,” which debuts 7/9. “[Producers] ask me how an elected official might respond to this situation or that,” says Chapman, who doesn't think he could actually cut it as a politician. That gig, says the budding movie star, takes more ego than he’s got. —Geoffrey Gagnon
Chapman, 39, spent eight years working as an aide in Mayor Tom Menino’s office before director Ted Demme, in town filming 1998’s Monument Ave., convinced him to put politics on hold. Supporting roles in Mystic River and 2004’s Ladder 49 helped him land “Brotherhood,” which debuts 7/9. “[Producers] ask me how an elected official might respond to this situation or that,” says Chapman, who doesn't think he could actually cut it as a politician. That gig, says the budding movie star, takes more ego than he’s got. —Geoffrey Gagnon
Originally published in Boston magazine, July 2006
