Netflix's Cowboy Bebop Star John Cho Addresses Concerns About His Age

Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop is coming this November, and fans are excited to see how John Cho will portray the protagonist, Spike Spiegel. Recently, the 49-year-old actor was asked how he felt about fans writing off his portrayal prematurely given his age since his character was about 27-years-old in the original anime series, and now, Cho has a smart answer for them.

Speaking to the Vulture, Cho explained why he couldn't have done it better at a younger age. "First of all, I couldn't have done it when I was 27," Cho said. "I mean, maybe I would've been better suited athletically, but in terms of my discipline, I am strangely better suited at this age."

"I don't think I would've done justice to the emotional depth we tried to give Spike. There's always a trade-off. What young men are typically best at as actors is rage. And that might've been a more pronounced element in the character. What I'm better at, being older, is showing weakness and vulnerability and love. Those things are more accessible to me. Personally, I'd prefer the version I'm able to do now. That's my taste."

Cho went on to say that he gets why some Cowboy Bebop fans might be upset by his age despite his youthful appearance. When Cho signed up for the live-action adaptation, he was afraid that fans would criticize him for making Spike look too old, but he had "to get over" the anxiety.

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"I'm not a person who says age is just a number or whatever. It was gonna be harder — physically. And I was gonna look different than a 25-year-old guy," Cho said. "At some point, the opportunity is ‘Yes or no — do you wanna do it?' And I did wanna do it. So I wasn't gonna stop myself from doing it."

Netflix's Cowboy Bebop is set to premiere on November 19, 2021. You can read more details about the series in our hub here, and don't forget to follow our Netlflix Rocks My World page on Facebook for the latest updates, memes, and news.