Netflix’s ‘Bad Boy’ Is Based on a Shocking True Story

Israel has become a part of the internationally recognized TV and film industry, as increasingly more projects are receiving a platform on major streaming providers and well-deserved recognition. On May 2, Netflix added another touching project to its repertoire. The eight-episode Israeli TV drama Bad Boy is finally available on Netflix after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival at the end of 2023. Ron Leshem, who is best known as the creator of the beloved drama Euphoria (which was remade for HBO with Zendaya), is the co-creator and co-writer of Bad Boy, and the American-Israeli multi-talent has paired up with filmmaker Hagar Ben Asher to bring this gripping story to life.

At the center of this new drama series on Netflix is Dean Sheyman, a 13-year-old juvenile delinquent trying to navigate life in and outside of prison. Bad Boy jumps between the main character’s past and the present, as Dean later goes on to become a successful comedian who is haunted by his difficult past and life-changing experiences in prison. Guy Manster and Daniel Chen are starring as the teenage and grown-up versions of the main character, respectively, but Chen also plays a significant role off-screen, because his real-life experiences inspire the TV drama. Let’s take a closer look at the gripping true story behind Netflix’s Israeli drama Bad Boy.

The True Story Behind Netflix’s ‘Bad Boy’

The story in Bad Boy is already captivating enough, but the fact that it is a series based on a true story makes it even more special. Daniel Chen, an actor and comic in real life, also portrays his current self in the captivating TV drama. Bad Boy fundamentally explores Chen’s troubled youth and his time in prison, where he endured immense violence and struggled to trust anyone. The touching Netflix series shows how Dean used his humor to survive the hardest time in his life, but it also looks at how he lives his life now.

After moving on from prison, Dean Sheyman changed his name to Daniel Chen and worked his way up to becoming a respected and successful stand-up comedian. While Chen felt he wanted to share his experiences at some point, Ron Leshem reached out to him and came up with the idea. The two of them first met long ago, when Leshem came in for an experiment in a juvenile prison, where he met Dean/Daniel. To Chen, working with Leshem on this TV drama and opening up about his past for the first time meant an opportunity to be honest and potentially take his career to the next level.

Israel21c shared that in an interview on “Good Evening with Guy Pines”, Daniel Chen revealed more about his past and opened up about the reasons behind his troubled youth. He explained that he grew up in a difficult household, as his father wasn’t in the picture, and he often lacked the support of his mother. Chen also states that he struggled with feeling hyperactive as a teenager and didn’t know how to deal with it. Instead of receiving help and understanding, or even the necessary boundaries, his state quickly deteriorated. It reached a point where he was sent to various institutions with rigorous rules until he eventually found himself in prison.

It wasn’t only a one-time thing, though, because the story set in a juvenile detention facility reveals that Chen was in prison multiple times. In the “Good Evening with Guy Pines” interview, the co-creator of Bad Boys even said that he argued with someone only a few days after he was released for the first time, and, unable to cope with his anger, he injured that person with a knife.

‘Bad Boy’s Perfect Timing to Stream on Netflix

Netflix certainly chose the perfect time to release Bad Boy, as it came shortly after the immense success of one of the best shows on the platform, Adolescence. A glance at the covers of the two series is enough to notice clear similarities between them. Even though Bad Boy and Adolescence share a similar depiction of Dean and Jamie’s arrest, including the shock and utter confusion, the blaming, and the missing acceptance, the two shows are still fundamentally different from each other. While Netflix’s historical record-breaking crime drama Adolescence uses a teen murderer to explore misogyny inside a social media-obsessed generation, the Israeli drama series particularly highlights humanity’s lack of empathy.

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Bad Boy shows the lack of empathy towards oneself and other criminals, as many often ignore difficult background stories, ongoing struggles, and an existing will to change. Ultimately, the intention behind creating this captivating drama series was to spread empathy and what it means to be empathetic. In a time that often forgets about such an approach, series like Bad Boy are essentially a reminder of what humanity entails.

Chen finally opened up about his tumultuous past, and by being honest about what he has been through, he can use his experience to express himself more profoundly and even teach others. The comedian’s story touched many, which is why it doesn’t come as a surprise that Bad Boy will get an American remake. Bad Boy is available to stream on Netflix.