Inside Gary Busey's Bond With His Lookalike Son Jake

Gary Busey has been acting for more than 50 years, and his lengthy career includes starring in "The Buddy Holly Story" and an appearance in "Lethal Weapon." Gary's son, Jake Busey, shares a close bond with him. As a kid in the late 1970s, Jake followed in Gary's footsteps and got his acting start when he and Gary played a father and son onscreen in "Straight Time." As an adult, Jake has starred in shows like "From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series" and had a recurring role on "Stranger Things." He is frequently said to look a lot like his dad, even though he sometimes disagrees with this claim. "Now that I'm older, I do finally see it though," Jake wrote on Instagram when he shared a side-by-side comparison with Gary, highlighting their matching pale blond hair and penetrating blue eyes.

Jake and Gary spent a lot of time together, and he started to figure out his dad was famous when he was four. Jake accompanied his dad on location for film projects, and he got to travel with legendary acts like Willie Nelson during his childhood. These musicians hung out at his family's home and even recruited Jake to play drums with them. While Jake wasn't always a fan of these unconventional experiences as a kid, he changed his mind later. "As much as I was a grumpy little kid because we never went camping, I didn't appreciate how insanely cool my life was," Jake explained to Esquire. "It was magic."

In 1988, Gary Busey had a serious motorcycle accident. He wasn't wearing a helmet and sustained significant brain trauma. He was in a coma for months, and his son, Jake Busey, helped him regain skills like walking, talking, and eating. "For a year or two, it was like I had a kid, and that kid was dad. It was a weird dynamic," Jake informed Esquire. He was a high school senior, and Jake spent so much time with Gary in therapy that he nearly jeopardized getting his diploma.

While Gary was able to recover and resume acting, Jake has continued to deal with the residual effects of his dad's injury. Gary's personality was impacted, and he sometimes behaves unpredictably. "The fact that there's an entire generation of people who don't know the man he was before the accident — this incredibly talented actor, this force of nature — it's just hard," Jake told The Hollywood Reporter.

In the early 90s, Jake went on three different auditions where he inadvertently gave the casting directors the idea to offer Gary a role. Although Jake didn't get cast in these films, like other celebrities, he happily chose family over fame. "I knew I was just starting out, and I was glad that he got it," Jake informed the "What a Character!" podcast. "He's amazing." Gary returned the favor in 2018's "The Predator." Gary had played Peter Keyes in an earlier film in the franchise, and Jake was cast to play Keyes' son.