# Evan Jones (actor)
**Evan Jones** (born 1976) is an American actor best known for playing Cheddar Bob, the dim but loyal friend of Eminem's character, in the 2002 hip-hop drama *8 Mile*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428055/) His other screen work includes *[Jarhead](https://www.edgepedia.org/jarhead-film)* (2005), *The Book of Eli* (2010), *[Gangster Squad](https://www.edgepedia.org/gangster-squad-film)* (2013), *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014), *Shot Caller* (2017), and *Den of Thieves* (2018).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428055/) • [2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones) He should not be confused with the Jamaican-born screenwriter Evan Jones (1927–2023), whose credits include *Wake in Fright*.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428056/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976, College Station, Texas, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428055/) |
| Signature role | Cheddar Bob in *8 Mile* (2002), who accidentally shoots himself in the leg[2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones) |
| Screen debut | The 1998 television film *On the Line*[4](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Evan_Jones) |
| Notable film roles | Dave Fowler in *Jarhead* (2005), Moe Iba in *Glory Road* (2006), Martz in *The Book of Eli* (2010), Lewis in *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014), Chopper in *Shot Caller* (2017), Bo "Bosco" Ostroman in *Den of Thieves* (2018)[5](https://www.fandango.com/people/evan-jones-326897/film-credits) |
| Television | Ikey on *October Road* (2007–2008); guest roles on *ER*, *House*, *CSI: NY*, *Hawaii Five-0*, *Criminal Minds*, and *DC's Legends of Tomorrow*[6](https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/649348-highlighting-the-careers-of-the-8-mile-cast) |
| Recent work | Billy Mahoney in the J.J. Abrams crime series *Duster* (2025)[7](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1392271/duster-billy-mahoney) |
## Early life and start in acting
Jones was born in [College Station, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-station-texas), and grew up primarily there, though he also lived for a time in [South Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-carolina).[8](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/evan-jones.html) In a 2014 Interview Magazine conversation he described a peripatetic childhood: his family lived in Texas, Massachusetts, England for a while, and Pennsylvania, and moved to [Laguna Beach, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/laguna-beach-california), during his high school years.[2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones)
He came to acting late and by accident. He had expected to become a writer but lacked the discipline to sit down and write; sometime before his senior year of college, after seeing the actor [Stephen Dorff](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-dorff) on the cover of *Details* magazine, he told a friend he would do that too, took an acting class, and, in his words, fell head-over-heels in love with it.[2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones) He launched his screen career after moving to Los Angeles.[8](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/evan-jones.html)
His first screen appearance came in the 1998 television film *On the Line*, followed by early television work on series including *Pacific Blue*, *Felicity*, and *Walker, Texas Ranger*, and voiceover work for the animated series *Dragon Ball Z*.[4](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Evan_Jones) • [8](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/evan-jones.html)
## 8 Mile and Cheddar Bob
In 2002 Jones was cast as Cheddar Bob in *8 Mile*, Curtis Hanson's drama starring Eminem as the aspiring Detroit rapper Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith Jr.[9](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/8-mile-2002) Cheddar Bob is a member of Jimmy's crew, and the character's most memorable moment comes when he pulls a handgun during a confrontation with a rival crew and, while putting it away, shoots himself in the leg.[2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones) • [10](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Cheddar_Bob) The character also delivers the film's last line of dialogue.[10](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Cheddar_Bob)
The role followed Jones. In a 2012 VIBE reunion marking the film's tenth anniversary, his co-star [Mekhi Phifer](https://www.edgepedia.org/mekhi-phifer) noted that people sometimes asked whether Cheddar Bob was really like the actor, and Eminem's manager's circle joked that the football player [Plaxico Burress](https://www.edgepedia.org/plaxico-burress) was called "Cheddar Bob" for years after the film; Jones himself said he loved that.[11](https://eminem.news/eminem-8-miles-and-runnin.html) The character has since been referenced in rap lyrics by artists including [Beanie Sigel](https://www.edgepedia.org/beanie-sigel) and Busta Rhymes.[11](https://eminem.news/eminem-8-miles-and-runnin.html)
## Film career after 8 Mile
Jones settled into a steady run of supporting roles across studio and independent film. [Sam Mendes](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-mendes) cast him as Pfc. Dave Fowler in the war drama *Jarhead* (2005), and he played basketball coach Moe Iba in *Glory Road* (2006).[4](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Evan_Jones) His credits through the 2010s include *The Book of Eli* (2010) with [Denzel Washington](https://www.edgepedia.org/denzel-washington), *Gangster Squad* (2013) as Neddy Herbert, Tommy Lee Jones's *The Homesman* (2014) as Bob Giffen, the Western comedy *A Million Ways to Die in the West* (2014) as Louis, *Shot Caller* (2017) as Chopper, *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2* (2017) as the Ravager Retch, and *Den of Thieves* (2018) as Bo "Bosco" Ostroman.[5](https://www.fandango.com/people/evan-jones-326897/film-credits) • [12](https://thetvdb.com/people/275603-evan-jones) • [6](https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/649348-highlighting-the-careers-of-the-8-mile-cast) On television he played David "Ikey" Eichorn on the ABC drama *October Road* from 2007 to 2008 and made guest appearances on series such as *ER*, *[House](https://www.edgepedia.org/house-tv-series)*, *CSI: NY*, *Hawaii Five-0*, *Criminal Minds*, and *DC's Legends of Tomorrow*.[6](https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/649348-highlighting-the-careers-of-the-8-mile-cast) • [12](https://thetvdb.com/people/275603-evan-jones)
**The Western comedy.** For Seth MacFarlane's *A Million Ways to Die in the West*, in which he played the outlaw Clinch's informant and right-hand man Louis, Jones had to learn to ride a horse, a skill he assumed would be like driving a car and found far harder. He and another actor attended what he called cowboy camp, learning to shoot six-shooters, and he befriended the film's horse wranglers, whose world he began writing about with the hope of making a film about them.[2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones) The same year he appeared in *The Homesman*, which was selected to compete for the [Palme d'Or](https://www.edgepedia.org/palme-dor) at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and in the miniseries *[Houdini](https://www.edgepedia.org/houdini-miniseries)* alongside [Adrien Brody](https://www.edgepedia.org/adrien-brody).[2](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones)
## Recent work
After 2018, when he appeared in *Den of Thieves*, *Hotel Artemis* (as Trojan Nash), and the television movie *Cagney and Lacey*, Jones returned to television with a recurring guest role as Billy Mahoney in *Duster*, the eight-episode Max crime drama created by J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan that debuted on May 15, 2025, appearing across the first season.[6](https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/649348-highlighting-the-careers-of-the-8-mile-cast) • [7](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1392271/duster-billy-mahoney) • [13](https://press.wbd.com/us/property/duster)
## References
1. [Evan Jones (I), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428055/)
2. [Evan Jones, Itinerant Cowboy, Interview Magazine (May 28, 2014)](https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/evan-jones)
3. [Evan Jones (1927–2023), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0428056/)
4. [Evan Jones, 8 Mile Wiki](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Evan_Jones)
5. [Evan Jones Filmography and Movies, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/evan-jones-326897/film-credits)
6. ["8 Mile" Cast: Where Are They Now?, HotNewHipHop (April 14, 2023)](https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/649348-highlighting-the-careers-of-the-8-mile-cast)
7. [Billy Mahoney, Duster, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1392271/duster-billy-mahoney)
8. [Evan Jones, Famous Birthdays](https://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/evan-jones.html)
9. [8 Mile (2002) movie review, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/8-mile-2002)
10. [Cheddar Bob, 8 Mile Wiki](https://8mile.fandom.com/wiki/Cheddar_Bob)
11. [Eminem '8 Miles and Runnin', VIBE interview (November 3, 2012)](https://eminem.news/eminem-8-miles-and-runnin.html)
12. [Evan Jones, TheTVDB.com](https://thetvdb.com/people/275603-evan-jones)
13. [Duster, Warner Bros. Discovery Pressroom](https://press.wbd.com/us/property/duster)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Jo to Kl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license