By: Jenny Castro
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 09-11-2026
Released on September 4, “By Any Means” is a new crime thriller inspired by some of the darkest chapters of the Civil Rights Movement, referencing the killings of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and primarily focusing on the killing of Mississippi civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer during the mid 1960s. Of mixed-race heritage, Dahmer was the president of the Forrest County chapter of the NAACP in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and a prominent advocate for the Black community. In addition, Dahmer was a passionate supporter of equal voting rights, and his work included supporting the voting registration process for African Americans. Tragically, Dahmer was killed in January 1966 after Ku Klux Klan members attacked his home. At the time, racial segregation and violence plagued the American South, and Dahmer’s death became a stark reminder of the dangers faced by Black Americans who challenged the racial status quo.
Set against the backdrop of the Jim Crow era, “By Any Means” explores Dahmer’s murder, and is portrayed by Giancarlo Esposito in the film. Directed by Elegance Bratton, the film revisits the events and investigation surrounding the murder. Featuring Mark Wahlberg as Italian mobster Gregory “Greg” Scarpa Sr., the film also examines the unlikely intersection of organized crime, federal law enforcement, and the pursuit of justice. Scarpa, nicknamed “The Grim Reaper” in later years, was a caporegime in the Colombo Crime Family and developed a reputation as a feared and intimidating enforcer and hitman for the mob. His complicated legacy has evolved over the years, and now, a fragment of his life has been brought to the big screen with the release of the film. Pertaining to the FBI, Scarpa’s role included assisting investigators with their efforts in finding the bodies of the missing civil rights workers.
For Linda Scarpa, Greg Scarpa Sr.’s daughter, the film brings her father’s legacy to the big screen. Her firsthand knowledge offers a unique and personal insight into her father’s life, career, and history. Reflecting upon the film, Scarpa shares her thoughts and her experience at the recent premiere which took place in Los Angeles, “The premiere was absolutely amazing, and I also had the opportunity to spend three days on set, which was really cool. Just seeing all of the nostalgic things like the old cars, old buses, and all of these things that were around back in the 60s was all pretty fascinating to see,” Scarpa said.
Reflecting on Mark Wahlberg’s portrayal of her father, Linda Scarpa says it was both emotional and surreal. “When I saw Mark play my father, it was like he brought him back to life for a little while. Obviously, nobody could actually bring my father back to life, but Mark brought his spirit back to life,” she said. Adding, “ It was definitely an incredible experience. I think it’s an action packed and really compelling movie, but also an extremely violent and powerful story. There are also moments of humor in the film as well.”
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For the premiere of the film which took place at the Paramount Theatre on the Paramount Pictures Studios lot, Scarpa brought an old friend she’s known since her youth, Greg Vacca, who had a frightening encounter with her dad at one point. Elaborating more, Scarpa offers insight, “He’s in my book, too, and he actually tells his story there,” Scarpa said referring to her memoir “The Mafia Hit Man’s Daughter.” Adding, “Greg was a friend I grew up with. We got into trouble together when we were kids, and we smoked pot together. Eventually, I got caught, and some things happened afterward between him and my mother. His story appears in my book in Chapter Four, ‘Turn Your Wounds Into Wisdom.’ Eventually, Greg ended up getting beaten really badly, and was lucky to survive. What happened to him was incredibly serious, and it became an experience that stayed with both of us.” Ironically, Vacca accompanied Scarpa to the premiere of the film, and credits Scarpa Sr. with steering him away from drugs after the beating according to Linda. “When we were together at the premiere, I was laughing because I said to him, ‘How did we go from walking around the streets of Brooklyn to walking the streets of Hollywood 40 years later?’ I mean, that’s kind of a mind trip when you really think about it,” Scarpa added. In regards to Scarpa’s children, they did not attend the premiere, “I just don’t want them to be intertwined with this part of the family history any more than they have to be,” she said.
Regarding the storyline of the film, Scarpa recalls her father telling her about his time in Mississippi,“I only knew what was told to me by my parents, and from what my father told me was that he went to Mississippi after J. Edgar Hoover sent him there to help find the bodies of the young men who had gone missing who were civil rights workers. My mother went with him, and she told me when they arrived, the FBI met them at the hotel and handed my father a gun right in front of her. She was shocked. It was one of those moments that really stayed with her and, ultimately, with me. I mean, he literally did what he had to do. I used to joke with him because growing up, I always thought he was the boss. I didn’t realize he had bosses above him when I was young. He would sometimes say, ‘Oh, that’s my boss,’ and I’d be like, ‘What do you mean? I thought you were the boss!’ He would laugh and say, ‘Well, I kind of am,’ because he really didn’t listen to anybody and never asked for permission. He did what he wanted and, in a lot of ways, he really operated on his own. That’s the scary part, because I know that in that life, if you do something without getting the right permission, you could potentially get yourself killed,” Scarpa explained.
Since Scarpa operated as a member of the mob and at times leveraged with the FBI, specifically due to his dealings with FBI agent Lindley DeVecchio, his legacy has often been met with criticism and skepticism from people. For some, they question his authenticity while others view him as a product of his environment in that specific time period. “People call him a ‘rat,’ and that’s something people love to say to me. I’ve actually had grown men say this to me on my social media with things like, ‘You should be embarrassed. Your father was a rat,” Scarpa explained. Despite the criticism and negative grumblings from people through the years, Scarpa loves and misses her dad and emphasizes their special bond,”You know, my father lived life on his own terms and ultimately did his own thing,” she said. Adding, “Where other girls might go to their mothers when they had problems or needed advice, I would go to my father. You know what I mean? He was the person I turned to, and he also talked very openly about his life in front of me. There were even times when he would have meetings at the house, and the guys would come over. So, I was also very familiar with all of my father’s friends including his FBI handler.”
Pertaining to the film, Scarpa admits she got extremely emotional, “You know, it did make me upset. I’m not going to lie. I was emotional watching the movie. But it really hit home when they showed him at the end, and that’s when I had to walk out. I literally walked out of the movie theater, and hid somewhere by myself because I didn’t want everyone to see me crying. Seeing the film was one thing, but then seeing actual footage of him at the end showing his face was very emotional for me. At the end of the day, regardless of what he did or who he was, at home he was a very caring and loving father. Don’t get me wrong, he had his moments, but he was my dad, and I love him.”
“By Any Means” is currently showing nationwide in theaters.
Learn more about Linda Scarpa here. Stay tuned for our upcoming in depth interview with Linda regarding her life story.
For management and contact inquiries for Linda please contact:
Mike Quinn: Silverstone Entertainment USA
Mikeq@silverstoneusa.com
Linda Scarpa Official Instagram.
