Key Takeaways
- Cortez Smith, who plays the street‑savvy character Nuck on Showtime’s “The Chi,” is also the founder of the fashion label Eros Christian, launched in May.
- Eros Christian blends denim and leather into a distinctive street‑wear aesthetic, drawing inspiration from family members’ style and personal favorites like a custom crocodile‑skin jacket.
- Smith often wears his own designs on set, allowing his personal fashion sense to inform his portrayal of Nuck.
- “The Chi,” now in its eighth and final season (premiered May 22, concluding July 24 on Paramount+), is praised for its authentic depiction of Black life on Chicago’s South and West sides, with many cast and crew members hailing from the city.
- Smith, a West Side native, joined the series in season 3 (2019) and faced career uncertainty during the 2020 Writers Guild of America strike before returning to the show.
- He views the series’ ending as a cultural loss, saying it will leave “a hole in the universe of television” due to its unique storytelling and representation.
Cortez Smith is best known to television audiences as Nuck, the sharp‑talking, morally complex lieutenant of the 63rd Street Mob on Showtime’s long‑running drama “The Chi.” While the character navigates the treacherous streets of Chicago’s South and West sides, Smith brings a parallel off‑screen passion to the role: fashion. In a recent visit to The TRiiBE Studio, Smith arrived with a garment bag stuffed full of pieces from his own label, Eros Christian, which he launched in May. He describes the brand as “half fashion mixed with streetwear,” a synthesis of his love for denim and leather that he collages into each collection. The result is a line that feels both rooted in urban grit and elevated by high‑end detailing.
Family heritage plays a significant role in shaping Smith’s aesthetic. He cites the style sensibilities of his uncle, mother, and grandmother as early influences, noting how their personal approaches to dress taught him the power of clothing as storytelling. One standout item he showcased was a crocodile‑skin jacket he considers a favorite. Smith explained that achieving the jacket’s distinctive look required extensive work: the raw hide is naturally dried out, demanding careful processing to shape it correctly. The jacket’s black exterior is offset by a vivid red lining, a deliberate contrast that gives the piece an “electrifying feel” when he wears it. This jacket, like many of his designs, exemplifies the marriage of tough, street‑ready materials with refined, eye‑catching details.
Smith’s commitment to his own brand often blurs the line between actor and designer on set. He frequently chooses to wear Eros Christian pieces while filming “The Chi,” allowing his personal style to seep into Nuck’s wardrobe. This practice not only reinforces his authenticity as a performer but also serves as a living advertisement for his line, showing viewers how the garments move and feel in real‑world scenarios. By integrating his creations into the character’s look, Smith offers audiences a tangible connection between the fiction they watch and the tangible fashion he produces.
“The Chi” itself has been lauded for its genuine portrayal of Black life in Chicago, a credibility bolstered by the fact that a substantial portion of its cast and crew are natives of the city. Smith, a West Side resident, embodies this local connection. He first appeared as Nuck in season 3, which aired in 2019, just before the industry‑wide disruption caused by the 2020 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. The strike left many creatives, including Smith, temporarily out of work and uncertain about future opportunities. Despite that setback, he returned to the series, contributing to its continued success and helping it maintain its reputation for raw, honest storytelling.
Now, “The Chi” is entering its final chapter. The eighth season premiered on May 22 and is slated to conclude with its final episode airing on Paramount+ on July 24. Reflecting on the show’s impending end, Smith expressed a sense of loss, noting that the series will leave “a hole in the universe of television.” He believes the program’s unique blend of gritty narrative, cultural specificity, and character depth is rare, and its absence will be felt by fans who have come to see the series as a mirror of their own experiences and aspirations.
In sum, Cortez Smith’s journey on “The Chi” is intertwined with his entrepreneurial spirit in fashion. Through Eros Christian, he translates the same authenticity and attention to detail that defines his acting into wearable art, drawing from familial inspirations, personal favorites like the crocodile‑skin jacket, and a deep respect for the streets that shape both his character and his clothing. As the series draws to a close, Smith’s dual impact—as an actor who helped bring a vital Chicago story to life and as a designer who translates that story into style—continues to resonate with audiences seeking genuine representation both on screen and in their wardrobes.