The cast of Netflix's One Piece has come out in support of their co-star Charithra Chandran, who is receiving racist abuse after the release of One Piece season 2's first teaser. The actor, who is set to debut as Nefertari Vivi (aka Miss Wednesday) in the upcoming season, shared some of the hateful comments on social media, prompting the rest of the cast to stand by her.
"Perceived "canon" does not excuse blatant racism or hate of any kind. I am beyond proud of our show, our cast, and the opportunity we have to bring to life a story centered around a diverse found family – by an equally diverse found family," shared Emily Rudd, who plays Nami in the show, on her Instagram stories.
Rudd and many other cast members, including Jacob Romero, Sophia Anne Caruso and Camrus Johnson, reposted on Instagram a lengthy statement wrote by Rob Colletti, who will play Wapol in the Netflix show.
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"It is astonishing to me in all the wrong ways how certain small (but far too vocal) corners of the One Piece fandom can watch a rubber pirate, a reindeer doctor, and giant walking, talking fish and be totally fine... but draw the line at the simple IDEA of a Nefertari Vivi being played by a woman who isn't white", the actor started.
"Charithra was hand-selected by Oda, and he has far more knowledge and understanding of his own characters than anyone else, particularly the hateful, unimaginative creeps who actually have the audacity to get on the internet to throw hate speech towards an actor without even seeing their absolutely amazing performance on the show," Colletti continued, calling the haters "ridiculous".
"Let's talk facts: Nefertari is Egyptian. Where is Egypt? The Middle East. The Kingdom of Alabasta draws heavily from Middle Eastern and Southern Asian culture. And you're complaining because the actor chosen to play the role... isn't white?!," he explained, offering some clarity about the character's origins for those who needed, and arguing that casting Chandran is not "changing the character", but "actually honoring Oda's intended vision."
While some racist fans would still be angry with any other non-white actor taking this role, other fans expressed some disappointment at the missed opportunity to cast an Egyptian actor. Emily Rudd acknowledged this discourse in a recent tweet, saying: "Sharing these sentiments is not intended to negate the valid discourse of MENA representation (and/or lack thereof) in hollywood. it’s important to hold studios and networks accountable and ensure representation for all."
"The intention," Rudd clarified in a following message, "is to flag that hatred directed toward a specific person for simply doing a job (and job well done at that) is unacceptable."
One Piece season 2 is expected to release in early 2026. For more, check out our guide to all the best Netflix shows and best Netflix movies streaming now.
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