Bridgerton star on dealing with One Piece casting backlash

Landing a role in one of the biggest TV shows on the planet is a reason for any actor to celebrate.

That moment came for Charithra Chandran in 2024, when she was revealed as the latest addition to the cast of One Piece.

The Netflix show is a live-action adaptation of the incredibly popular manga (comic) created by Japanese artist Eiichiro Oda, which has reportedly sold 600 million volumes worldwide since it launched in 1997.

Chandran, who also starred in season two of Bridgerton, tells BBC Newsbeat she wasn't too familiar with the source material before she was cast.

"I couldn't believe how I had not interacted with One Piece prior to this, because it is huge," she says.

"And now I am in the universe, I see it absolutely everywhere."

The decision to cast Chadran prompted backlash from a vocal set of fans, but it wasn't her lack of familiarity with the source material that upset them.

It was the colour of her skin.

The epic, high seas adventure follows hero Monkey D Luffy, leader of the Straw Hat pirates, on a worldwide hunt for a treasure known as the One Piece.

Chandran's character Nefertari Vivi, a blue-haired bounty hunter with a secret in her past, is introduced to viewers in season two.

Vivi, who operates under the alias Miss Wednesday, is portrayed in the manga as a white woman.

Chandran faced a wave of comments complaining she wasn't right for the role, with some going so far as to criticise her for agreeing to take it at all.

She pushed back against the abuse, sharing a selection of negative messages to Instagram alongside the sarcastic caption: "Thank you so much for all your support."

Co-stars also spoke out in support, including Wapol actor Rob Colletti, who said it was "astonishing" that a "vocal minority" took issue with Vivi being played by a woman who wasn't white.

"I think as a woman of colour in this industry, it is unfortunately something that is somewhat the status quo," Chandran tells Newsbeat.

"It is absolutely not acceptable but I'm not the first person this position, I will not be the last."

Chandran says One Piece's universal appeal comes from its ragtag group of characters from different backgrounds.

"What I love about One Piece, I presume that people pick up on similar things, is that the messages of the story are so universal," she says.

"In a time where the world feels incredibly divided, people are so polarised, the message of following your dreams and being good to your friends and this chosen family, how can anyone disagree with that?"

Chandran says she experienced a little bit of that energy when her co-stars rushed to defend her from the online abuse.

"Even if you didn't see it publicly, all of them are here for me and hyping me up," she says.

There were also complaints about producers choosing an actor of Indian heritage to portray Vivi, when the character originates from Alabasta, a region said to be inspired by Ancient Egypt.

One Piece's first season also faced accusations of "white-washing" its central cast.

Whether the criticisms came from passionate fans who wanted to see a faithful adaptation or people with other motivations, Chandran says she is aware of the expectation on the series and the cast wanted to "do right" by the One Piece fandom.

"I try to remember that it's not necessarily about me as a person and I've got to do my best to prove to people that I'm the right fit for this, and I hope they enjoy," she says.

"I hope I can expand their minds and make them view people and the world a little differently. But, beyond that, I've just got to live my truth, be true to myself."

Chandran does already have the support of one important person - One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, lovingly known by the fandom as "Oda Sensei".

In a letter to fans Oda, who is thought to be heavily involved with the Netflix production, explained that actors were cast via photos and videos initially.

After meeting the season two cast, he said, he became convinced they were "absolutely the perfect choice".

For Chandran, Oda's approval carries a huge amount of weight.

"If Oda Sensei, the person whose brilliant mind this has all come out of says, 'you are the right person to portray this character', that to me is the only validation that matters," she says.

- One Piece: Into the Grand Line launches on Netflix on 10 March

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