Emily Rudd (Nami) and fellow One Piece cast member Rob Colletti have publicly defended Charithra Chandran following racist backlash to her casting as Nefertari Vivi in Netflix’s live-action adaptation. The casting was originally announced in August 2024, while the first look at the character was shown in the first Season 2 trailer during ONE PIECE DAY ’25, when a vocal minority of fans objected, prompting the two actors to speak out.
Rudd shared Colletti’s full statement on her own Instagram story, amplifying his call for the fandom to reject hate. Colletti began by noting the inconsistency of fans who can accept “a rubber pirate, a reindeer doctor, and giant walking, talking fish” yet “draw the line at the simple idea of Nefertari Vivi being played by a woman who isn’t white.”
He emphasized that Charithra Chandran was personally chosen by the ONE PIECE creator Eiichiro Oda, who “has far more knowledge and understanding of his own characters than anyone else.” Back in November 2024, Oda stated that, even though his own casting selections were made over photos and videos, meeting them in person convinced him that they were “absolutely the perfect choice.” He also said that Season 2 would surpass the first season.
Colletti also pointed out the cultural roots of Vivi’s homeland, Alabasta: “The kingdom of Alabasta draws heavily from Middle Eastern and Southern Asian culture… Representation matters. Casting Charithra isn’t ‘changing the character.’ It’s honoring Oda’s intended vision.”
Praising Chandran’s performance as “astonishing” and “exceptional,” Colletti said her portrayal will “reverberate in the One Piece fandom forever.” Besides her acting, he further described Chandran as “one of the kindest, most generous human beings I’ve ever had the honor of knowing and befriending.”
Colletti ended with a direct message to the fandom:
“This incredible story has always—AND WILL ALWAYS—celebrate and champion diversity. That’s not up for debate. And to be fair, most of you have been incredibly welcoming and appreciative of Charithra. We see that, we are grateful to you for that, and we encourage you to continue to stand up to racism and bigotry from the small, hateful faction of the fan base that are ruining this experience for everyone else.
But to those of you whose suspension of disbelief survives devil fruits, giant sea monsters, snails that become telephones, and all of the other marvelous, wondrous, IMAGINATIVE, magical world-building that Oda created for EVERYONE on this big, beautiful planet, yet somehow crumbles at the sight of an accurate representation of a PRETEND CHARACTER in a live action remake of A CARTOON… the problem isn’t with casting, it’s with you. That kind of behavior is ignorant, embarrassing, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
Be better. Do better.”
You can read the full message below.
Emily Rudd followed up with a short statement of her own, writing:
“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.”
Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece is set to release in 2026, with Chandran set to make her debut as Vivi. Season 3 production was also confirmed.
Source: Rob Colletti Instagram, Emily Rudd Instagram
©Eiichiro Oda/SHUEISHA ©Netflix/Tomorrow
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