Bridgeport teen actor finds success in Marvel and Nickelodeon series

A Bridgeport neighborhood is home to a rising star who starred in a Marvel TV series and voiced a famous Nickelodeon cartoon.

“Ever since I was younger, I always wanted to dance, I always wanted to sing, I always wanted to be there, I always wanted to be famous,” said 17-year-old Kevin Chacon.

Chacon said he made that dream come true.

The teen has a starring role in the hit Marvel Netflix series “Jessica Jones,” as well as a starring role as the voice of Santiago in the hit Nickelodeon cartoon “Santiago of the Seas.”

“I got several callbacks, and then I finally got the job,” Chacon said.

The graduate of Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk said it was thanks to his family, who moved to the United States from Costa Rica 26 years ago.

“As soon as you say immigrants, I think of my parents, I think of my family, because my sister came here as an immigrant and my brother came here as an immigrant,” Chacón said. “I am the only American Citizen in my family.”

Chacon said both of his parents emigrated to the United States with nothing but a dream.

“It was hard growing up, especially for those who had difficulty with English, seeing them get judged, seeing them get bullied by other people,” he said.

But Chacon and his family say it was all worth it.

“Now my father has a very successful landscaping business and my mother has her own janitorial business,” Chacon said. “I am very grateful to them.”

At age 9, while in fifth grade at Black Rock Elementary School, Chacon spent hours traveling to and from New York with packets of homework prepared by his teachers.

It was also at this time that he landed his first acting role on the set of “Jessica Jones”.

When the pandemic hit, Nickelodeon set up a recording studio for him in his bedroom so he could voice the main character in “Santiago of the Seas” remotely.

Chacon's mother said her son was her miracle, and his father said he couldn't be more proud.

He said he has a new film coming out soon directed by a very well-known director, and while he can't talk about it, he says it promises to be his biggest role yet.

“I say to those who want to achieve their dreams, to keep going and become a rising star, I say to never give up on your dreams,” Chacon said.

Chacon graduates from Brien McMahon High School on Friday and heads off to study theater at Pace University in New York.