Today we’d like to introduce you to Damien Chinappi.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I will always say my first acting gig was that of an insurance salesman, so a quick shout out to Northwestern Mutual for the gig, haha. They paid me $4000 dollars to pass a few state exams, conduct a few interviews and learn some “Red Letter” language. For the record, they all thought I would make a great sales rep because I excelled in learning the language and improving situations when we role played in class. But after collecting my training check, I decided it wasn’t for me, and I went to my first day of work and quit. It was quite the performance.
From there, I went into stand up comedy, but I went to these open mics and performed as an Australian. I had no idea how to write comedy and I didn’t know anybody in the industry, but I could do one hell of an Aussie accent. So, for about six months, I introduced myself and performed as an Aussie, Anytime I went to Boston, I was in character. Going to the coffee shop: Australian. Open mic: Australian. I even got pulled over once and didn’t break character and didn’t get a ticket! Full honesty here; stand up comedy is hard. I was not funny, sober or drunk, but it was definitely a learning experience and a great introduction to acting and improvisation.
Through stand up comedy, I met a lot of people and one in particular, Dave Sullivan, recommended that I pursue acting. The idea had to marinate in my head for a few months but shortly after that, I found an agency in Boston and began my journey in the world of acting.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Definitely not, but that’s not to say it hasn’t been great. The journey isn’t linear; you get on hot streaks and feel unstoppable and then you go cold and feel like you you’ll never work again. That’s life though, but the biggest obstacle, I feel, is getting your mindset right. When you take care of your attitude and create the discipline to develop yourself as a person and artist, everything else falls into place. I am a big believer in Law of Attraction and your work ethic is a reflection of your beliefs. When you feel good about yourself and the work you are doing, then the right people find you. Hard work and luck go hand in hand.
Getting material for a reel is another big challenge. It’s a constant battle, especially when you first start out, you take every gig you book to build your resume and reel but not everyone you work with is trustworthy. A lot of the time, you work for free with the expectation that your payment is the footage. When you don’t get that footage, it’s disheartening and frustrating, and without it, you can’t build your reel that will open the door to higher quality productions.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I’ve been acting for four years and in that time I’ve been lucky enough to travel around the country and work with a lot of great people. I just finished up a feature film that shot out in Michigan with my friend and award-winning filmmaker Harley Wallen and his production company Painted Creek Productions. The film stars Richard Tyson (Kindergarten Cop, Black Hawk Down), Scout Taylor-Compton (Rob Zombie’s Halloween I and II) and Billy Wirth (The Lost Boys).
I play a troubled suicidal veteran named Corey who stumbles across a kidnapping with world-altering scientific implications. This film, for me, was about exploring the different layers of abandonment (of identity, family, and home) and the masks we put on in order to deal with trauma. These walls or masks we create to protect us from pain are the same boundaries that prevent us from healing. Throughout the story, we see pieces of Corey’s mask come off in order to help others in need while dealing with his issues as well. It was by far the most challenging and rewarding film I’ve worked on.
Another film I worked on with Harley, called Betrayed, premiered at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood September 26th 2018. That film was also shot in Michigan and explores the issue of human trafficking. It turns out Michigan has the 2nd highest rate of kidnapping in America. I play a Russian gangster that is on the wrong side of this issue. Betrayed is now available in stores and through Netflix.
I also had the honor of playing Batman in the fan film Knightmare: World’s Greatest Detective written and directed by Jordon Foss. That can be found on YouTube and has received a good deal of praise. We just finished up production on the follow up to that film where we had a few weeks worth of shooting out in LA.
Above all, I am crazy about accents! I have a really good ear and pick up on them extremely fast. But I also work very hard to perfect an accent and will spend hours and hours, day after day in order to master it. I am currently eight months into work on my Irish accent for an upcoming film; I’ve been working on the South Dublin accent as well as a thin, posh version of the accent as well.
I am crazy about accents! I’ve always had an ear for them and pick them up quite easily, but I also work extremely hard at perfecting them. I
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have been very fortunate to have had many great people to help and guide me on this wonderful journey. Arthur Wood is a former boss of mine and friend has been a mentor of mine since I started acting. He worked in Hollywood as a set dresser for films such as Meet Joe Black and Amistad. He is extremely wise and someone that I am eternally grateful to have in my life.
Erica Derrickson was one of the first people in Boston that really developed a sense of community and brought people together in the New England acting world. She played a big hand in helping not only myself but countless others find their way. Not only is she a good soul she has takes on a heck of a headshot!
Jordon Foss is also another person I am super grateful for. He gave me the opportunity to play Batman in his film and we had an absolute blast. Through that film, I met so many other great people like Harley Wallen and my manager, Bennie Tayler of Jon Tomus Talent.
I was coached by Alessio Cappelletti for two years and I really developed my craft through his class. He was instrumental in my progression as an actor and an artist.
Contact Info:
- Email: damienchinappi@gmail.com
- Instagram: vitamin_d_444
Image Credit:
Erica Derrickson, Jim House, Zel MacWilliams
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
