Biography

December 18, 1944 · Charleston, South Carolina, USA

John Daniel Billingslea Jr.

Deep baritone voice

"I love Jet Black. I love the character and, as I've said in the past, in some respects Spike and Faye are like my real-life niece and nephew, trying to guide them along. He tries to keep his guard up, you know, like how those rugged rough guys are. [As Jet:] 'Yeah, I don't need you around.' But the subtext is, 'God, I love you being here.' It's obvious he loves the situation with the group on the Bebop, Jet's reactions to the kids' shenanigans. He's in my bones." - On his character Jet Black, from the popular anime series, 'Cowboy Bebop'.

I've always had a life where I more or less had two jobs, and this rigorous work ethic instilled into me from my parents who had that as part of their daily lives. It allowed me to go out and do my own thing away from home, leaving me to say, 'I can do that, I can be a lawyer or a medical doctor,' and in having self-esteem that your parents give you.

"The beautiful music, the great writing. It's timeless; the interweaving of the characters and their relationships... anyone watching can relate to it. The stories were so eclectic; one episode they're in the casino, then the Western theme, there's bound to be an episode you'd like. Sometimes it's sad, it brings you to tears, whatever, but when you have stories based in the human condition and experience that it becomes universal, and that's why it'll eventually become a classic." - On why the anime series "Cowboy Bebop" has maintained its popularity after all this time.