Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Crew Rallies Round Charithra Chandran After Racist Backlash

With One Piece season two crusing onto Netflix subsequent yr, the most recent teaser stunned followers with thrilling seems to be at what’s to come back for the Straw Hats. Of their journey to the Grand Line, they’re set to encounter more friends and foes.

One of many new faces within the solid is Charithra Chandran as Nefertari Vivi, additionally identified within the long-running manga and anime as Miss Wednesday. The character within the comics is depicted as a light-skinned Egyptian girl, and a loud minority of racist One Piece nerds are criticizing Chandran’s casting as a result of the actor has darker pores and skin. Due to course, they’re mad at that being a believable factor in a universe the place a person can stretch his pores and skin or a speaking reindeer could be a medical skilled.

In response actress Emily Rudd, who performs Nami, shared on her Instagram tales, “Perceived ‘canon’ doesn’t excuse blatant racism or hate of any type. I’m past pleased with our present, our solid, and the chance we’ve to carry to life a narrative centered round a various discovered household—by an equally various discovered household.”

Rudd additionally shared a prolonged submit from co-star Rob Colletti (who will debut as Wapol in season two):

As Colletti factors out, “Charithra was hand-selected by [One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda], and he has way more data and understanding of his personal characters than anybody else, notably the hateful, unimaginative creeps who even have the audacity to get on the web to throw hate speech in direction of an actor with out even seeing their completely superb efficiency on the present.”

Need extra io9 information? Try when to anticipate the most recent Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on film and TV, and every part you want to learn about the way forward for Doctor Who.