Sumith Prasad
Kevin Dillon’s Johnny “Drama” Chase is an iconic character in HBO’s comedy-drama series ‘Entourage’ and Doug Ellin’s 2015 film of the same name. He is the half-brother of the protagonist and Hollywood A-lister, Vincent “Vinnie”/“Vince” Chase. While his brother cherishes his celebrity status and life, Johnny tries his best to make it in Hollywood by being part of various sorts of films and TV shows. In the sequel film, his efforts bear fruit as he wins a Golden Globe for his performance in Chase’s directorial debut, ‘Hyde.’ Ellin created the series inspired by Mark Wahlberg and his entourage, and Johnny’s roots are in reality and fiction alike!
Johnny “Drama” Chase is a Fictional Character Unrelated to Any of Mark Wahlberg’s Brothers
Even though Vincent Chase is loosely based on Mark Wahlberg, the real-life actor’s brothers didn’t inspire Doug Ellin to create Johnny “Drama” Chase. Although it was speculated that Johnny was modeled after Donnie Wahlberg, Mark’s older brother, who is a founding member of the boy band New Kids on the Block, there isn’t any truth in the rumors. Instead, the celebrated character is very minimally inspired by Johnny “Drama” Alves, an unrelated, honorary “cousin” of Wahlberg. “Mark has a Johnny Drama, who I’d say is probably closest to the guys in our group,” Ellin told WKYC.
In ‘Entourage,’ Johnny and Chase were born to the same mother: Rita Chase. In reality, however, there is no blood relation between Wahlberg and Alves. Even though the latter is known as the actor’s cousin, the description is a respectful title rather than an indication of their familial relation. The real-life figure is actually the cousin of a bodyguard who worked for Donnie’s New Kids on the Block. While Wahlberg was young, he was imprisoned after pleading guilty to felony assault. After his time in prison, the older brother wanted someone with his sibling to look after the former, which led the musician to Alves. “Wherever I went, Johnny went,” the two-time Academy Award nominee told Vanity Fair.
Johnny Chase and Johnny Alves Do Not Have Many Similarities
The differences between Johnny “Drama” Chase and Johnny “Drama” Alves are not limited to their parenthood. In the HBO series and the sequel film, Johnny is an actor who tries to become an acclaimed performer in Tinseltown, following in the footsteps of his brother, Vincent Chase. In reality, Alves never became a celebrated actor or headliner. He auditioned to play Johnny in the comedy-drama show, but Kevin Dillon eventually secured the role. He was impressed by the actor’s performance, calling it a “great job.” Therefore, Johnny winning a Golden Globe is a fictional development without any roots in reality.
Alves’ acting career is nearly limited to appearances in several films headlined by Wahlberg as an extra, including ‘Spenser Confidential,’ ‘Ted 2,’ and the sports biopic ‘Invincible.’ He also served as a consultant for the HBO series and an associate producer of the 2015 sequel film. Alves was involved in A&E’s reality series ‘Wahlburgers,’ which revolves around the Wahlberg siblings’ hamburger restaurant business. He is currently the frontman of the funk band Johnny Drama and His Funky Entourage, based in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Johnny Chase and Kevin Dillon Have Similar Careers
More than Johnny Alves, Johnny Chase resembles Kevin Dillon, the actor who plays the emerging actor. Dillon and his character are shadowed by the success of their brothers, Matt Dillon and Vincent Chase, respectively. “I’ve been called ‘Matt’s brother’ my whole life,” the actor told The Guardian. Like Johnny, Dillon earned the role in ‘Entourage’ after playing several characters in movies and TV shows that have fallen into oblivion. “There’s a lot of parallels there; I guess you could see them, you know. Yeah, we’re both actors, and Johnny Drama’s had a big career, and he’s kind of on his way down. I’ve had kind of a mediocre, up-and-down career, maybe on the way up, who knows,” Dillon told The New York Times in 2004.
Furthermore, during these tough phases in their careers, Dillon and Johnny relied on their respective successful brothers. “[…] I’ve definitely crashed on Matt’s couch a number of times, and he’s picked up a lot of checks,” the actor said in another interview given to The New York Times. Eventually, like Johnny, Dillon’s career turned around after a self-critical start. With his performance in the HBO series, he became a three-time Primetime Emmy nominee and one-time Golden Globe nominee, reminding us of his character’s Golden Globe win to become a familiar name in Hollywood.
The similarities between Dillon and Johnny can only be described as strange. Even though it may seem that the part was written for the actor, he had to audition for the role to secure it. The performer achieved success and fame like his iconic character, making them almost inseparable.
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