Netflix’s Live-Action Nami Went to Wild Lengths to Win One Piece Role

Netflix’s live-action One Piece series is only a few weeks away, landing on the streaming service on August 31st. Set to adapt the story of the East Blue Saga, which saw Monkey D. Luffy assembling the first members of the Straw Hat Pirates on the Going Merry, there are some big moments for season one to cover. Even before being chosen to play Nami, Emily Rudd wore her love of One Piece on her sleeve and revealed that she went to some serious lengths in attaining the role.

Nami, the map maker and navigator for the Straw Hat crew, plays a major role in the early tales of Luffy and company. While she was one of the first swashbucklers to join Monkey with Roronoa Zoro, Nami was harboring a dark secret when it came to her true allegiances and what she was willing to do to save her home. Tied to the nefarious Arlong and his fish men, it was revealed that the Straw Hat had been working for the antagonist in an effort to protect her family and her village. Luckily, Luffy and their allies were able to take down Arlong and One Piece marched forward to become one of the biggest shonen series as a result. 

How Emily Rudd Got The Part As Nami

Recently discussing how she got the role, Emily Rudd revealed that she had been lobbying for the role for over three years, showing her dedication in becoming a part of the live-action Grand Line. Here’s what Rudd had to say, “One Piece is one of my favorite manga and I’ve always felt drawn to Nami in particular. When I heard they were making a live-action series, I started not-so-secretly playing the long game in lobbying for this role for three years. I colored my hair red and got it cut just like Nami’s. I posted a video of myself when I was younger tumbling and doing backflips, things like that. I was just trying my hardest to get anyone who might notice to really see me as Nami. So, to audition finally, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I did it! I can’t believe I did it. What timeline am I in? How did I get so lucky?’ It was crazy. I got to work my dream job.”

Each of the young actors might not have been die-hard fans of the Grand Line before they got their respective roles, but it’s clear that each has fallen in love with One Piece as a result of being cast. Set to arrive with eight episodes later this month, shonen fans are waiting to see if this new outing will manage to defeat the live-action anime curse. 

Via Philazora