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Netflix Introduces Cowboy Bebop Fans to Nonbinary Actor Playing Ed
Fans of the classic anime were worried the iconic character wouldn't show up in the new live-action version.
Cowboy Bebop fans have finally gotten to see what one of the show's classic characters looks like in live-action.
After audience reaction to Netflix's live-action Cowboy Bebop adaptation has been mixed (to say the least), the streamer revealed one last trick it's got up its sleeve -- fan favorite character Radical Ed.
"To everyone who's been asking 'Where's Ed?' -- you don't have to wait any longer. Introducing newcomer Eden Perkins (they/them), who plays the role of Radical Ed in Netflix's COWBOY BEBOP, now streaming," Netflix Geeked tweeted, giving fans a first look at the character's live-action portrayal.
\u201cto everyone who\u2019s been asking \u201cWhere\u2019s Ed?\u201d \u2014 you don\u2019t have to wait any longer\n\nintroducing newcomer Eden Perkins (they/them), who plays the role of Radical Ed in Netflix\u2019s COWBOY BEBOP, now streaming\u201d— Netflix Geeked (@Netflix Geeked) 1637308860
The tweet doesn't show much, just a GIF of Ed waving her arms around happily and then waving at the camera. You can see that she keeps her iconic anime look though.
"I'm so excited about people getting to know Ed. She's just such a cool character," a quote reads in the follow-up tweet, which urges fans to watch the first interview with Perkins when it debuts as part of Cowboy Bebop: Unlocked, the official YouTube aftershow for Cowboy Bebop, which starts November 20.
\u201c\u201cI\u2019m so excited about people getting to know Ed. She\u2019s just such a cool character.\u201d\n\nbe sure to watch the first interview with Radical Ed actor Eden Perkins when it debuts in COWBOY BEBOP: UNLOCKED, the official after show, debuting 11/20 on YT and FB\n\nhttps://t.co/w4GgD7JSTd\u201d— Netflix Geeked (@Netflix Geeked) 1637308860
While fans were worried Radical Ed wouldn't appear in the live-action update of the show at all, the character has shown up, even if it happens to be in the season one finale. Reportedly, if the show is renewed, Ed will play a much larger role in season 2.
Ed has always been a gender-nonconforming character, and it's a cool move to see Netflix casting a nonbinary actor in the role. The streamer made a similar move when it cast nonbinary actor Mason Alexander Park as the androgynous character Gren in the series.
However, most fans of the original anime aren't happy at all with Ed's portrayal. In a clip that leaked online, Ed is seen gesticulating and shouting, and acting a lot like she does in the cartoon. However, this physicality doesn't always translate to live-action, and the clip left many wondering why the classic animated series needed a live-action update at all.
You can check out the clip of Ed below and judge for yourself. Cowboy Bebop is streaming on Netflix now.
\u201cplease don\u2019t watch netflix\u2019s cowboy bebop \ud83d\udc80 https://t.co/64n4Us1EEV\u201d— kev kringle \ud83c\udf84 (@kev kringle \ud83c\udf84) 1637330939
RELATED | Here's Some Photos From Netflix's LGBTQ-Inclusive Cowboy Bebop Series
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Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
