Live Action Casting: Cowboy Bebop (Part 2)

We now continue with our imaginary casting for a live action Cowboy Bebop movie.

We left off with the final members of the Bebop crew. Edward and Ein, the eccentric, energetic young girl and her highly intelligent dog who end up joining as a sort of 'tech support' for the others. Honestly, I have no idea who to cast. I could name some kid on Disney or Nickelodeon but she would be too old for the part before a movie would be made. I would just say cast an unknown for Edward. As for Ein, either use a highly trained Pembroke Welsh Corgi or go CGI or a combination of both or just put Ben Affleck in a dog suit… it worked for Wilfred.

 

So onto Spike’s former mob partner and hated nemesis… the cunning and conniving Vicious. We need someone who can play a cold and calculating killer, a ruthless and deadly man who wants power almost as much as he wants Spike dead.

 

I pick Jonathan Rhys Meyer. He has shown a great deal of range over the course of his career including playing manipulative characters (The Tudors) and ones with very a twisted, if not evil, set of morals (Titus). He has even done action (From Paris, With Love). I also think he looks how I would picture a live action Vicious. I say put a wig on the guy, hand him a creepy bird and a katana and you’re all set.

But yet again Jonny Prophet disagrees. (What a pain in the ass, right?) Jonny’s pick is Charlie Hunnam, who you may know as Jax from Sons of Anarchy. Hunnam has clearly shown an ability to play violent characters and pull off action when necessary. He has played psychotic and demented characters in films like Cold Mountain, Green Street Hooligans and Children of Men (the only one of the three I have seen), so playing Vicious really shouldn’t be that difficult for him. My biggest complaint with casting Hunnam is that he just doesn’t look right for the part in my opinion. For one thing has has a round face… Vicious has a slender one. Once again, this is a matter for auditions to settle. Plus, with Perlman already cast I really don’t want to see a Sons of Anarchy reunion in space. Jonny, however, totally does.

Thankfully Jonny Prophet and I both agree on what actress should play the lingering reminder of Spike’s past… Julia. While she didn’t appear much in the series, she was one of its most important characters. Julia appeared in numerous flashbacks and her story was intricately bound to that of both Spike and Vicious. We need a beautiful blonde actress who, as Jonny Prophet put it; you could see deserting the mob for.

Our choice is Michelle Williams. She is a great actress who has appeared in a wide range of films such as Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine and My Week with Marilyn. She also has a mystique to her. She can just as easily play an elegant woman and an ordinary housewife. She is absolutely perfect for the part and I honestly can’t think of anyone better. 

The last bit of casting is that of Punch and Judy, the hosts of Big Shot. These characters aren’t very important, but they were a recurring part of the show and should appear in a live action adaptation. Jonny and I both agree that these characters should be played by fairly big names thrown in like cameos (think David Bowie in Zoolander).

Punch needs to be an African American who can play a goofy cowboy with a horrid fake accent. Jonny and I both agree on Wayne Brady for the role. He’s a funny guy who does improve, can be goofy and is responsible for one of the funniest skits on The Chappelle Show ever!

With casting Judy, however, we disagree once again. Jonny wants Malin Ackerman, whom you may remember as the hot wife of the ugly tow truck driver in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle and more recently as Silk Specter in the Watchmen.  I honestly don’t like her for the role. She may be able to play a stereotypical idiot blonde, but I want someone instantly recognizable and I think she largely is still unknown. 

I would rather go with either Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Hit & Run) or

Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cruel Intentions).  Both can play a ditsy blonde, both can do humor and both are pretty well known to audiences.

So there you have it. Join us for the next Live Action Casting when we do something a little different… a little less animated. Until then, stay strange.