New cast members have been announced by Netflix for the upcoming Cowboy Bebop live action series.
The announcements were made across multiple tweets from accounts @NXonNetflix and @Most. The former focuses on the sci-fi and fantasy releases of Netflix, while the latter account emphasizes the contributions of LGBTQ individuals in their programming.
The new cast announcements include:
- Geoff Stults as Chalmers, Jet’s ex-partner
- Tamara Tunie as Ana, Martian club owner
- Mason Alexander Park as Gren, Ana’s right hand person
- Rachel House as Mao, White Tigers Capo
- Ann Truong and Hoa Xuande as Shin & Lin, Vicious’s twin henchmen
Geoff Stults will portray Chalmers; a character new to the series. Chalmers is Jet’s former partner from when he worked for the Inter-Solar System Police. His prior work includes being a recurring star or main cast on multiple sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother, Grace and Frankie, and The Odd Couple.
Tamara Tunie takes the role of Ana, a Marian club owner who’s another new character. Her prior work includes the role of Dr. Melinda Warner in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for nineteen years.
Mason Alexander Park takes the role of Gren, a character who appeared in the anime during the Jupiter Jazz episodes. Gren is being “reimagined” as a nonbinary character after appearing as intersex in the original anime. After being arrested on suspicion of being a spy, they were treated with drugs during imprisonment resulting in gynecomastia, the development of breast tissue. Park is known for their prior appearances on iCarly, Acting for a Cause, and playing Hedwig in the first national Broadway tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Rachel House portrays Mao, a Capo of the Red Dragon Crime Syndicate. In the anime, Mao had the appearance of a wealthy businessman in his 50s. Rachel House is known for her roles in films like Penguin Bloom, Soul, and Thor: Ragnarok.
Ann Truong takes on the role of Shin, one of Vicious’s henchman along with twin brother Lin portrayed by Hoa Xuande. Both twins were male in the original anime. Truong is known for her roles in TV series such as Hungry Ghosts and Strike Back. Xuande has also appeared in the series Hungry Ghosts alongside Truong.
Executive producer for the live-action adaptation Javier Grillo-Marxuach has said in the past that the Netflix adaptation is not meant to be a “replacement” for the original. However while saying these, other changes such as Faye’s outfit being “toned down” and diminishing the glamorization of smoking.
Despite these changes, it’s worth mentioning that Shinichiro Watanabe remains a creative consultant on the live-action series. Watanabe is the director behind the original Cowboy Bebop anime, Samurai Champloo, Space Dandy, and Carole & Tuesday.
