This November, Netflix will be bringing fans a new take on the world of Cowboy Bebop with a live-action adaptation that will star the likes of John Cho as Spike Spiegel, Daniella Pineda as Faye Valentine, and Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black. In a recent interview with Polygon, showrunner Andre Nemec went into detail regarding the “perfect casting” of the characters that have become some of the most beloved bounty hunters in the world of anime and will be hitting the world of live-action for the first time thanks in part to the streaming service Netflix.
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Nemec begins by describing John Cho’s Spike as a “cowboy with a broken heart,” and dives into how the character is the heart and soul of the upcoming series:
“I think that the telling of that story was exciting to me because there were things in the anime that were alluded to and hinted at, and … I think that there’s a deep soul to Spike Spiegel, despite his laconic and sort of laissez-faire, brush-it-off presentation. To be able to tell a story about who you are, what made you who you are, and where you go from there was very dynamic to sit around and figure out.”
With Mustafa Shakir playing the oldest member of the Bebop, Jet Black, Nemec went into detail regarding how Shakir’s power and beautiful spirit made him the perfect choice for the ex-cop who is normally reprimanding Spike during their missions to keep the Bebop spinning through outer space:
“Jet Black at his core, despite all of the hardships that are always presented to him in the anime, is an optimist at heart and I think in meeting Mustafa, and in talking with him and going through the casting process, he presented such power and such a beautiful spirit. Mustafa is fond of saying something in the sweetest, most beautiful way, ‘Hey man, I love love.’ He again is such a powerful presence, but with this beauty and the softness inside him, it was unquestionable that he had the essence of Jet Black.”
Finally, the showrunner for the upcoming live-action series described how Danielle Pineda as an actress aligns perfectly with the personality of the Bebop’s firebrand, Faye Valentine:
“It became undeniable that she has this incredible effervescence, a quick wit, a wonderful charm, but she also has a kind of take-no-prisoners kick-him-in-the-teeth underbelly to her. She has a strength and power, even though she doesn’t lead with that power. To me, that was what it meant to capture Faye Valentine.”
