Bonnie Chapman Talks Stepping out of ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’ Shadow With Social Justice Show: ‘I’m a Very Political Person’ (Exclusive)

Bonnie Chapman is ready to step out of the Dog the Bounty Hunter shadow she grew up in and pursue justice in her own way. The 22-year-old daughter of Duane “Dog” Chapman and the late Beth Chapman is fighting for social justice as the newest member of Unleashed’s The System, and she’s finally ready to speak up and out about her own beliefs publicly.

Bonnie spoke to PopCulture amid production for Season 2 of the show focused on criminal justice reform, saying that while she’s not the “bravest,” the last year has pushed her to come forward with her personal and political convictions. “I don’t care if I become a moving target,” she said. “I want to do something where I can sleep at night knowing I am doing what’s right.”

Bonnie comes to the social justice reform show after her own father’s show, Dog Unleashed, was canceled by Unleashed Entertainment after the bounty hunter allegedly made racist and homophobic comments about cast members of The System. Stepping out on her own, Bonnie explained, “I’m not a very political person online, but I’m a very political person in person. I want people to understand I’m not this little girl you saw growing up on television. I’m my own person.”

It’s “empowering” for Bonnie to join the social movement of The System, and she hopes the show will help others stand up and speak out. “We have to apply pressure to people who are doing wrong things. …If you put people in power, elected officials or people who are there to protect you, they should do that.”

Bonnie’s biggest focus at the moment is the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, which is facing allegations of theft of evidence, corrupt payoffs by the sheriff, violence against people in custody and acts of violence against minorities. Helping to promote a protest against the sheriff’s office demanding transparency, Bonnie told PopCulture, “I hope that this trickles down to everyone [in] that they know if you are committing acts of injustice, no matter how small your county, we will absolutely hold you accountable.”

“If you feel like you are being silenced or you feel like you’re alone, you’re not,” she continued. “We’re here to come together as a country.” Bonnie hopes that people who tune in to The System “see how much passion” each cast member has for the cause. “We have people here who are willing to do whatever it takes for there to be justice,” she said. “And I hope [viewers] have hope for humanity.” Watch Season 1 of The System on Unleashed here. Season 2 is currently in production.