Gary Busey’s Son Jake Lived In His Car & Survived ‘Paycheck To Paycheck’ Before Finding Lasting Fame

Mar 23, 2022

Gary Busey is easily one of the most recognizable actors in the industry. Due to his exaggerated facial expressions, crazy antics and all around high energy demeanor, it’s no surprise that Busey has been a big name in Hollywood for several decades. Busey has worn many hats in his lifetime, from musician to actor to husband to father.

Busey was born as William Gary Busey on June 29, 1944, in Goose Creek, Texas. He later moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma. After graduating from high school, Busey set out to achieve a higher education and attended Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. Even though he was there on a football scholarship, Busey developed a love for acting and later transferred to another university. However, he dropped out just before he was set to graduate.

Leaving his studies and embarking on a career in show business was a risky move, but it paid off well for Busey. He first started out as a drummer in The Rubber Band and began acting in various skits. He later went on to make a real name for himself in the entertainment industry, first finding success in the remake of “A Star is Born” in 1976 alongside Barbra Streisand. Busey’s portrayal of Buddy Holly in the 1978 film “The Buddy Holly Story” won him critical acclaim.

In his personal life, Busey has been married and divorced twice, and is also the father of three children. Nowadays, his son Jake is following in his footsteps, enjoying a successful career as an actor and looking strikingly similar to Busey.

Busey found success early on in his career thanks to parts in “A Star is Born” and “The Buddy Holly Story.” Since then, he has become a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, appearing in several films and TV shows, and even lending his voice to video games. He is also famously recognized as the spokesperson for Amazon Fire TV.

The actor has used his name to continue to get ahead in the business, starring as himself in episodes of shows such as “The Simpsons” and “Entourage,” as well as several reality TV shows. In 2019, he joined the cast of the off-Broadway musical “Only Human,” which began premiering in October that same year.

In 2022, Busey had a bit of revival online thanks in part to his similar appearance to a cast member on the Netflix dating series “Love Is Blind.” According to Distractify, fans couldn’t help but compare contestant Shayne Jansen to Busey, as they both have very exaggerated facial expressions and somewhat erratic movements.

This will hopefully serve Busey well as he moves forward with his career, as he has a few projects in the works. According to IMDB, he is set to appear in “Reggie: A Millennial Depression Comedy” and the documentary “The Gettysburg Address,” both of which are in the post-production stages. He is also credited to be working in the upcoming project “Rabere.”

While many fans were reminded of Busey thanks to his lookalike Shayne from “Love Is Blind,” they might be surprised to see just how similar Busey’s own son, Jake, looks to him. In fact, Jake has even followed in his famous father’s footsteps.

Jake was born on June 15, 1971. Some of his most notable work as an actor includes roles in “The Frighteners” and “Starship Troopers” from the late 1990s, as well as “Tomcats” and “From Dusk till Dawn: The Series” in the 2000s and 2010s. Jake is also famous for his portrayal of Sean Keyes in the “Predator” franchise.

However, life wasn’t all glitz and glam for Jake. According to an interview with Access Online, he had a hard time landing substantial or life-changing roles, leaving him living paycheck to paycheck. On top of that, his home burned down, and he was left living in his car during times he couldn’t stay with friends.

Thankfully, Busey was there to help and got Jake back on track. Jake even went on to play the role of the son of Busey’s character in “The Predator.” This opened plenty of doors for Jake, and he successfully made his return to Hollywood.

Jake is now 50 years old and is back on television. He joined the cast of “Stranger Things” during its third season, portraying a journalist by the name of Bruce. He also welcomed his daughter, Autumn, with his girlfriend April Hutchinson back in 2012.

On top of having similar acting skills, Busey and Jake also look extremely alike. Over the years, Busey has spoken highly of his lookalike son, commending him for working so hard in such a tough industry. Busey said, “Even the hard parts I’ve had in my life, he’s learned from that. It’s a part of him from growing up. It’s a union of heaven between the two of us.”

What do you think about Gary Busey’s relationship with his son Jake Busey? Do you think they look alike? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your loved ones.