One Piece star Emily Rudd has spoken out about the recent race swap controversy involving one of the series' new Season 2 characters. Rudd brings to life the affable Straw Hat navigator Nami in Netflix's live-action One Piece series. Much of the Netflix series' cast has been celebrated for their true-to-the-source-material performances, including Rudd, who has repeatedly demonstrated Nami's spunk, resourcefulness, and charisma.
One Piece's upcoming second season will introduce several new characters, most of whom fans have welcomed with open arms. However, one actor/character pairing has drawn criticism from a particular subsect of audiences online, so much so that fellow members of the show's cast, like Rudd, have had to make statements about the drama.
Charithra Chandran's debut as series mainstay Nefertari Vivi in a recent One Piece Season 2 trailer furrowed some brows among fans, as the character has been race swapped for the live-action series.
Nami actress Emily Rudd was one of many One Piece stars to come to Chandran's following the controversy, posting a now-deleted Instagram Story (as preserved by X user PewPiece) calling out the Vivi star's haters.
"Perceived 'canon' does not excuse blatant racism, or hate of any kind," she wrote on her social feeds, decrying anyone for throwing hate Chandran's way:
"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"
In the original One Piece manga and anime, Vivi is depicted as a pale white sea-faring bounty hunter, while Chandran is of Tamil-Indian descent. Her appearance as the beloved One Piece character caused a barrage of primarily racially motivated attacks to be flung her way, prompting stars like Rudd to step in.
Fellow One Piece star Rob Colletti (who plays Wapol in the hit series) chimed in on the drama as well, reminding fans that every cast member "was hand-selected" by series creator Eichiro Oda (via Anime Corner):
"Charithra was hand-selected by Oda, and he has far more knowledge and understanding of his own characters than anyone else."
In a November 2024 interview, Oda himself wrote in a post on Instagram that every member of the Season 2 cast was "the perfect choice" for the roles they are playing, including Chandran:
"My own casting selections were made from Japan over photos and videos, but seeing them all in person convinced me: They were absolutely the perfect choice!!! The vibe on set was just the best, too! Trust me, this is going to surpass Season 1!"
Chandran will make her One Piece debut in Season 2, which is due out on Netflix sometime in 2026. The swash-buckling streaming series is based on Eichiro Oda's beloved manga and anime of the same name. It follows a team of lovable pirates, led by Iñaki Godoy's Monkey D. Luffy, in search of the ultimate treasure. Other returning faces for Season 2 include Rudd's Nami, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Jacob Gibson's Usopp, and Taz Skylar's Sanji.
Was the Vivi Actor the Right Choice for One Piece Season 2?
Even months before One Piece Season 2 comes to Netflix, Charithra Chandran and her take on the show's beloved Vivi character have become something of a flashpoint for the show.
Sadly, though, this has little to do with the actress's take on the character or her resume coming into the series. Instead, most of these criticisms boil down to bad-faith arguments made by people who are simply upset that she looks different from the character in the source material.
Simply put, fans have not seen enough of Chandran's version of Vivi to render a verdict on her performance as the character.
The only thing audiences have to go on is the word of her One Piece cast members and the show's overall creator himself. Both parties seem thrilled with the actress's performance, calling everyone in the cast "perfect" for the role they are playing.
Just because she looks different from the version of the character fans are used to, does not mean she is not meant to play the role.
If she was good enough for Oda, she should be good enough for the rest of the One Piece fandom.
