Professor Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill (COM ’70) discuss Black Mass

A taste of Boston University recently hit the big screen thanks to a COM professor and alumni.

Journalism Professor Dick Lehr and Pulitzer Prize-winner Gerard O’Neill (COM ’70) are the authors behind the successful book Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil's Deal. The book, which inspired the movie Black Mass, depicts the true story of James “Whitey” Bulger, a notorious Irish-American mobster in South Boston.

During O’Neill and Professor Lehr’s time reporting for The Boston Globe, they covered the “Whitey” case from the very beginning. Their bold investigative reporting has since led to their book becoming a New York Times, Boston Globe, and ABA Indie Bestseller.

When asked about his time working with a Hollywood team during the Black Mass filming, Professor Lehr said, “Sure, this is fun. But it’s not my world. It’s been interesting to see this come together, to see how a movie gets made, but I like what I do. I like writing books.”

The movie was released on September 18, 2015, and features a star-studded cast, including Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, and Kevin Bacon.

To purchase your own copy of Black Mass, visit Amazon.com.