Showtime's The Chi is more than a series; it offers a raw, heartfelt tribute to Chicago. Ahead of today's season finale, actor Cortez Smith told BOSSIP that playing Nuck-a quiet but commanding Windy City figure who transforms from a feared street boss into a conflicted father-feels deeply personal for him as a hometown heavyweight. Source: Erika Goldring / Getty "Being from Chicago and portraying a character that's a Chicago native is a full circle moment for me," said Smith. "I feel like D. Rose when he got drafted to Chicago.