When news dropped that Netflix was doing a live adaptation of the beloved anime Cowboy Bebop, the excitement and skepticism was high. But regardless of where you stood on that spectrum, there was one burning question on every fan’s mind: How do you bring a character like Radical Edward, whose wild personality — not to mention physicality — to life in live-action when they seemingly only make sense in animated form?
After much speculation and no shortage of theorizing, Netflix finally gave audiences their answer when they cast non-binary newcomer Eden Perkins in the iconic role. While Ed only shows up in one scene in the final episode (seemingly teasing that season two is on the way), Perkins makes a major first impression. Somehow, the actor manages to nail Ed’s unique brand of quirkiness and delivers it with plenty of personality — and Ed’s signature wild physical performance.
For those unfamiliar with Ed (aka Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV), she (the character uses she/her pronouns) is an androgynous free-spirited teenager who hops a ride aboard the starship Bebop after essentially hijacking the ship and leaving the crew with no choice but to let her tag along. Despite a bit of a rocky start, Ed quickly becomes an essential part of the crew thanks to their hacking skills and lovability.
In an interview with Cowboy Bebop: Unlocked, Perkins shared their excitement over bringing Ed to life.“Ed is such an amazing character. She’s just so incredibly lively and she just brings energy wherever she goes,” said Perkins. “She’s just so cool. She’s an amazing character and I really relate to her.”
Watch the full interview below (Perkins’ segment begins at 24:30):
