'The Chi' Is Over, But Cortez Smith Is Just Beginning

A smiling man with a beard wearing a white shirt and jewelry, the text "Cortez Smith The Interview" and "The Morning Hustle" visible in the background. — Source: reach media / other

Cortez Smith Gets Real on The Morning Hustle: Trauma, Triumph, and Turning Pain Into Purpose

The Chi star Cortez Smith stopped by The Morning Hustle and gave listeners something rare—a completely unfiltered look at the man behind the character Nuck.

Cortez opened up about how acting saved his life. After losing his uncle Mario in Chicago in 2010, his grandmother and mother enrolled him in a talent program at 16 to keep him off the streets. “I got saved by acting,” he said, crediting the stage for giving him a way out.

He also spoke on family. Cortez lost his biological father, but his stepfather stepped up when he was a pre-teen helping shape his journey as young man.

Then came the plot twist that changed everything. Cortez discovered he had a 6-year-old son in California. The news pushed him toward a nine-month spiritual detox—giving up sex, alcohol, and devices to get closer to God.

He got candid about filming Nuck’s death scene under legendary director Robert Townsend, admitting the moment triggered real PTSD tied to his uncle’s murder.

Looking ahead, Cortez teased his new film 90 Day Lease, where he plays a lover boy tangled up with a gold digger. He also announced his fashion line, Eros Christian, launching this October with a bold “leather meets denim” aesthetic.

The takeaway? Cortez Smith is proof that resilience, faith, and purpose can turn pain into power.

'The Chi' Is Over, But Cortez Smith Is Just Beginning