Warning: Contains spoilers for Netflix's Cowboy Bebop.
Netflix's Cowboy Bebop adapts the surreal and endearing cast of the original anime to the big screen - but who are the live-action Cowboy Bebop cast? Shinichiro Watanabe's anime is held to a high regard, and with good reason, as the series blends the often wacky world that animation affords a show, with a gritty sci-fi world and a delightful jazz soundtrack to match. However, the show would have never been as well-received as it was without the cast of characters within it.
Indeed, Cowboy Bebop hinges around its characters - especially Spike's personal journey, and the bond that develops between him and the rest of the crew of the Bebop. Though they are the focal point of the series, it's the minor characters of the franchise that truly make it, as they're all so eccentric and interesting that it makes the show truly feel as though it has its own established universe.
Netflix's Cowboy Bebop cast isn't as complete as its anime forefather quite yet, as the first season has only adapted a portion of the main anime storyline so far. But many of the most beloved (and most feared) faces have made their arrival within the live-action adaptation of the show, and some new characters have even been introduced. Here's the cast and character guide for Netflix's Cowboy Bebop.
John Cho as Spike Spiegel
John Cho plays the lead role of Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop, a bounty hunter on the run from his past working as part of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate. Cho has a substantial acting career behind him, including playing Sulu in the 2009 Star Trek and 2013 Star Trek Intro Darkness, Harold Lee in Harold & Kumar Get The Munchies, and a collection of TV roles including voice work in American Dad and BoJack Horseman.
Mustafa Shakir as Jet Black
The role of Jet Black - Spike's long-suffering bounty hunter partner and well-intentioned father - is played by Mustafa Shakir. Shakir is an actor and writer who has been in Luke Cage, Brawl in Cell Block 99, and American Gods.
Danielle Pineda as Faye Valentine
Danielle Pineda completes the main trio of Cowboy Bebop as the quick-talking but kind-hearted Faye Valentine. Pineda has had roles in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom as Zia Rodriguez, and a reoccurring role as Sophie Deveraux in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals.
Alex Hassel as Vicious
Alex Hassel plays the role of Cowboy Bebop season 1 antagonist Vicious, who is a current member of the Red Dragon Syndicate. Hassel is known for his role as Translucent in The Boys, and is also known for his work in Two Down and Suburbicon.
Elena Satine as Julia
Julia is both Vicious' wife, a member of the Red Dragon Syndicate, and Spike's love interest in Netflix's Cowboy Bebop. Satine is known for her work in the 2017 Twin Peaks, Agents of SHIELD, and Strange Angel. Promisingly, the Cowboy Bebop season 1 ending suggests her role could be evolving into a much larger role than she had in the anime, meaning fans of her performance can anticipate even more from the next season.
Eden Perkins as Ed
Prior to the show's release, there had been much speculation about whether Ed (full name Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV) would appear in the live-action adaptation, as the only member of the core Cowboy Bebop cast to remain absent from trailers. However, the final episode provided a first appearance of the beloved ginger hacker, played by Eden Perkins.
Charlie and Harry as Ein
The cast of Cowboy Bebop would be incomplete without reference to Charlie and Harry, Welsh corgis who together play the role of the Bebop's genetically modified dog. As filming with animals is a notoriously tricky thing to do, it's reassuring to know the role is cast with two dogs, meaning filming is likely split between them - and this decision provides them some canine company on set, too.
Cowboy Bebop's Supporting Cast
Blessing Mokgohloa as Santiago: Mokgohloa plays Santiago, one of the three major Capos of the Syndicate. Santiago also earned himself the nickname "The Eunuch" for supposedly castrating "the first man who wronged him." Mokgohloa played the role of Castus in Spartacus and has also had several TV roles.
Rachel House as Mao: The final Syndicate Capo is Mao, leader of the White Tiger vein of the crime organization, who is played by Rachel House. House was the voice of Gramma Tala in Moana, Terry in Soul, and played the role of Topaz in Thor: Raganrok, also voicing her in the first episode of the MCU's What If...?.
John Noble as Caliban: John Noble plays Caliban, one of the Red Dragon Syndicate Elders, who has hidden ties with another member of the cast. Noble was Denethor in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and has also appeared in The Conjuring 3, The Boys, and is the voice of The Diviner in Star Trek: Prodigy.
Geoff Stults as Chalmers: Stults plays the role of Detective Chalmers, Jet's former partner on the Solar System Police Force. Stults played Ben Kinkirk on 7th Heaven and is also known for his roles in Grace and Frankie, Happy Town, and October Road.
Molly Moriarty as Kimmie Black: Kimmie Black is Jet's daughter, played by Molly Moriarty. Kimmie appears to be Moriarty's first role, which makes it all the more impressive as to how endearing her and Jet's familial dynamic is.
Tamara Tunie as Ana: Tunie plays the role of the owner of an underground jazz club, and long term ally of Spike, Ana. Tamara Tunie is best known for the roles of Jessica Griffin in As The World Turns, and Melinda Warner in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Mason Alexander Park as Gren: Gren is Ana's second in command, and also a jazz musician. Gren was made officially non-binary for the Netflix Cowboy Bebop adaptation, reflected by their actor, Mason Alexander Park, who is also non-binary. Park is known for playing Hedwig in the first Broadway national tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and has also been cast as Desire in the upcoming live-action Netflix comic adaptation, The Sandman.
Josh Randall as Pierrot Le Fou: Josh Randall plays the enviable role of an assassin-slash-clown made unstable by years of experiments being done on him - who also makes for Cowboy Bebop's most unsettling episodic villain. Randall had a reappearing role in Scrubs as Jake, but is also known for his role as Dr. Mike Burton in NBC sitcom Ed.
Cali Nelle and Jay Paulson as Hakim: Hakim is initially played by Cali Nelle, and is involved in the story of Cowboy Bebop after stealing the hyper-smart dog Ein from the illegal research facility that was experimenting on him, and undergoes futuristic surgery in order to evade Spike and Jet. Jay Paulson plays Hakim after said surgery. Cali Nelle has been a stuntman in Kingsmen, Guardians of the Galaxy, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Matrix Resurrections, to name but a few of his roles. Paulson is best known for playing Adam Whitman in Mad Men and Chaplain Tappman in the 2019 film adaptation of Catch-22.
Adrienne Barbeau as Maria Murdock: Maria is an eco-terrorist who uses a chemical that can turn people into shrubbery. Barbeau is the original Broadway Rizzo from the musical Grease, and also voiced Catwoman in Batman: The Animated Series, as well as being known for her roles in the sitcom Maude and John Carpenter's horror movies.
Jade Harlow as Mel: Mel is an engineer and has a brief romantic tryst with Faye Valentine in episode 6. Jade Harlow is an actor and producer, known for roles in The Bay and Agents of SHIELD.
Fungai Mhlanga as Carlos/Lutz Halhubner as Jobim/Arthur Ranford as Antonio: Carlos, Jobim, and Antonia make up the group affectionally referred to in the original Cowboy Bebop as the Three Old Men, who the anime repeatedly show to the viewer on different planets that the main crew are visiting.
Ann Truong as Shin/Hoa Xuande as Lin: Shin and Lin are members of the Syndicate who work directly under Vicious. Truong has had roles in Strike Back and Hard Target, and Xuande is known for roles in Hungry Ghosts and Top of The Lake.
Jan Uddin as Asimov: Uddin plays the role of Asmiov, the villain of the first episode of Cowboy Bebop. Uddin appeared as the lead role in the independent films Cliffs of Freedom and Lies We Tell.
Lydia Peckham as Katerina: Katerina is Asmiov's partner, both romantically and in crime. She is known best for her roles in Only Cloud Knows, Mr. Corman, and True Love.
Rodney Cook as Teddy Bomber: Rodney Cook voices the Teddy Bomber; a terrorist who utilizes the unique method of explosive teddies to carry out his goals.
Lucy Currey and Ira Munn as Punch and Judy: Currey and Munn play the roles of Cowboy Bebop's in-universe TV show hosts for a bounty hunter informational show called Big Shot.
James Hiroyuki Liao as Tanaka: Liao plays the role of the space bandit who introduces viewers to the world of Netflix's Cowboy Bebop. He is also known for his roles as Roland Glenn in Prison Break, and Detective Jay Lee in Unforgettable.