Chapman Way is an American documentary filmmaker. He is best known for co-creating the Netflix series Untold and for producing and directing the series Wild Wild Country, The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga, and America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys. In 2018, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series for Wild Wild Country.
Early life Chapman was born in Ventura County, California. He is a grandson of actor Bing Russell and nephew of actor Kurt Russell.
Career The Battered Bastards of Baseball Chapman began his filmmaking career with The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014), co-directed with his brother Maclain Way. The documentary explores the history of the independent Portland Mavericks baseball team and premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. It was later acquired by Netflix.
Wild Wild Country In 2018, Chapman co-directed Wild Wild Country, a six-part Netflix series about the Rajneeshpuram community in Oregon, led by the spiritual leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho). The series received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga In 2024, Chapman directed and produced The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga, which examines the criminal underworld of Tupelo, Mississippi, centered around a notorious local figure. America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys Chapman directed and produced America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, an eight-episode Netflix series chronicling Jerry Jones’ acquisition of the Dallas Cowboys and their 1990s dynasty.
Other Work Chapman co-created and worked on the Netflix series Untold, directing episodes such as Untold: Crimes and Penalties (2021), Untold: Breaking Point (2021), and Untold: The Race of the Century (2022). He also served as an executive producer for other episodes, including Untold: Caitlyn Jenner, Untold: Malice at the Palace, Untold: Deal with the Devil, Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist, Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1, and Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul.
In 2016, Chapman directed a segment for Amazon’s docuseries The New Yorker Presents. In 2023, he produced the HBO documentary The Lionheart, a documentary about the life and legacy of IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon, focusing on his career and tragic death in 2011. In 2024, he served as an executive producer for American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders and Untold: The Murder of Air McNair.
Filmography YearTitle Contribution Note 2014 The Battered Bastards of Baseball Director, editor, cinematographer and producer Documentary 2016 The New Yorker Presents Director and producer 1 episode 2018 Wild Wild Country Director, sound mixer and producer Documentary series 2021 Untold: Crimes & Penalties Director and producer Documentary 2021 Untold: Breaking Point Director and producer Documentary2021Untold: Caitlyn JennerExecutive ProducerDocumentary2021Untold: Malice at the PalaceExecutive ProducerDocumentary2021Untold: Deal with the DevilExecutive ProducerDocumentary2022Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't ExistExecutive ProducerDocumentary2022Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1Executive ProducerDocumentary2022Untold: Operation Flagrant FoulExecutive ProducerDocumentary2022Untold: The Race of the CenturyDirector and producerDocumentary2023Untold: Jake Paul the Problem ChildExecutive ProducerDocumentary2024The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime SagaDirector and Executive producerDocumentary series2025America's Team: The Gambler and His CowboysDirector and Executive producerDocumentary series
Awards and nominations YearResultAwardCategoryWorkRef.2018 WonInternational Documentary AssociationBest Limited SeriesWild Wild Country WonPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series NominatedOutstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program NominatedOutstanding Sound Mixing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program2019 NominatedCinema Eye HonorsOutstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Series for Broadcast2022 NominatedInternational Documentary AssociationBest Episodic SeriesUntold NominatedPromaxBDA AwardsDocumentary: Program Campaign2024 NominatedCinema Eye HonorsOutstanding Achievement in Anthology Series2025 NominatedSports Emmy AwardsOutstanding Long Sports DocumentaryThe Lionheart NominatedOutstanding Documentary
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