Netflix’s One Piece Star Emily Rudd Addresses Viral Fan-Critique

It’s happening, guys. Netflix and creator Eiichiro Oda have been hard at work on One Piece for years now, and we got our first taste of the adaptation this month. After a long wait, the first visuals for Netflix’s One Piece went live, and the impressive posters left fans buzzing. Of course, that doesn’t mean fans took the promos at face value, and one question that sprung from the first look is now being addressed by show star Emily Rudd.

The update comes from Instagram as the actress was inspired to answer questions from fans once Netflix’s promos were shared. It was there a fan asked about the shoes Luffy is seen wearing in the show’s poster. While the character wears loose sandals in the anime, Luffy is rocking different shoes in this poster. And as it turns out, the style swap all came down to safety concerns.

“All of us did as much of our stunt work as we were allowed (and if we didn’t, it was usually due to safety which is where our incredible and beyond talented stunt tea came in). Sandals unfortunately are not the safest footwear to do stunt work in, and we didn’t want y’all to miss out on the amazing work [Iñaki Godoy] can do and did,” Rudd shared.

Of course, you can see why the swap was made if safety was on the line. One Piece is a physically demanding story as we’ve seen its characters defy all laws of gravity in the anime. There is no telling how the live-action adaptation will handle One Piece’s action, but it must be intense enough to warrant a costume modification. Of course, Oda had to sign off on the change as the series creator, so fans can rest easy about the swap. After all, Oda’s editorial team has stressed his heavy-handed involvement with the Netflix series, and that will separate One Piece from Hollywood’s previous anime attempts.

Currently, there is no firm release window for One Piece, but Netflix has said the live-action series will drop in 2023.Godoy will bring Luffy to the camera while Rudd steps into Nami’s shoes. Other stars like Mackenyu, Jacob Romero, and Taz Skylar will round out the Straw Hat team under co-showrunners Steven Maeda and Matt Owens. 

What do you think of this One Piece complaint? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.