One Piece Season 2 Trailer: Fans Still Divided Over One Casting Choice

On February 10, Netflix’s One Piece season 2 dropped its first full trailer, showcasing several new elements and characters that will be introduced in the live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s best-selling manga. 

In August last year, the series faced severe backlash after actress Charithra Chandran was cast as Miss Wednesday, and the creator himself had to step in to stop it. 

The trailer gave fans a better look at the new additions, including Chandran’s character, but many confessed they were unconvinced about one casting choice. 

“Katey Sagal as Kureha? I can’t even picture her in that role, feels off honestly,” a fan said. 

One Piece fans are divided over Katey Sagal’s casting as Dr. Kureha

Woman with long silver hair and purple outfit standing in a dimly lit room, related to One Piece season 2 casting choice debate.

Image credits: Netflix

Dr. Kureha is a beloved character from the manga who hails from Dum Island, a major location in the second season. Sagal was cast in the role in August 2024, and the new trailer finally gave fans a clear look at her take on the character. 

However, some viewers were unhappy with the casting decision and took to X to voice their displeasure.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love Katey Sagal, but we all know who should have played Dr. Kureha,” one fan wrote. 

Many felt Jamie Lee Curtis, best known for her work in the Halloween franchise, should have played the role. 

A second person said, “I mean, I can see it, but I thought Jamie Lee Curtis would’ve been a better resemblance to the Dr. But oh well, it is what it is.”

Character with white hair and sunglasses aiming a rifle in a dark snowy village scene from One Piece season 2 trailer.

Image credits: Netflix

Others argued that Sagal had rightly embodied the character and described her as the “perfect” casting choice. 

“It’s not just a costume; it’s the exact energy of a woman who owns the entire mountain,” a user commented. 

Another wrote, “Katey Sagal as Dr. Kureha fits perfectly. That edge she brings will make the role shine.”

Jamie Lee Curtis expresses support for Katey Sagal’s Dr. Kureha

Older woman with white hair and black glasses wearing a black lace top, appearing thoughtful in a studio setting for One Piece Season 2 trailer discussion.

Image credits: ABC

Despite mixed reactions from fans, Curtis stepped forward to support Sagal, sharing a picture of the actress as Dr. Kureha on her Instagram account.

“OH YEA!” she captioned it. 

Curtis was a popular fan pick long before the live-action adaptation materialized and had expressed interest in playing the role in 2023. The then-showrunner, Matt Owens, intended to cast the actress as Kureha, but it ultimately did not materialize.

In a July 2024 interview with Deadline, Becky Clements, the president of Tomorrow Studios, which co-produces the live-action series, explained why Curtis could not join the cast for season 2. 

Clements revealed that although Curtis was interested in the role, scheduling conflicts prevented her from joining the Netflix adaptation.

“She definitely wanted to do it, but she’s got deals in first position, and it just became complicated,” Clements stated.

Who else is joining the live-action One Piece cast in season 2? 

Three actors in distinctive costumes from One Piece Season 2 trailer, highlighting fan reactions to casting choices.

Image credits: Netflix

Sagal’s Dr. Kureha serves as a mentor figure to Tony Tony Chopper, a reindeer with human attributes, voiced by Mikaela Hoover. The actress most recently appeared as Cat Grant in 2025’s Superman.

Aside from the previously mentioned addition of Charithra Chandran as Miss Wednesday, the sophomore installment will introduce Lera Abova as Miss All Sunday. Both are members of the clandestine organization Baroque Works and play a larger role later in the story. 

Chandran played Edwina Sharma in Netflix’s Bridgerton, while Abova appeared as DJ Das Boot / Thea in Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin. 

Former True Blood star Joe Manganiello has joined the cast as Mr. 0, the head of Baroque Works.

Young woman with blue hair and green robe tied with rope on a couch, related to One Piece season 2 casting choice debate.

Image credits: Netflix

The rest of the new additions for season 2 include: 

• Callum Kerr as Smoker
• Julia Rehwald as Tashigi
• Rigo Sanchez as Dragon
• Clive Russell as Crocus
• Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9, 
• Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5
• Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine
• Brendan Murray as Brogy
• Werner Coetser as Dorry
• David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3
• Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek
• Rob Colletti as Wapol
• Ty Keogh as Dalton
• Mark Harelik as Dr. Hiruluk
• Sendhil Ramamurthy as Nefertari Cobra

The eight-episode second season of One Piece is slated to premiere on March 10, 2026, and season 1 is already streaming on Netflix.

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