Picture: Joe Manganiello (left) and Xolo Maridueña (right)
With Geeked Week in full swing for Netflix, we know One Piece will be featured prominently throughout the week. Fans think that Netflix has begun teasing fans for an exciting cast announcement that could come on Thursday, with True Blood’s Joe Manganiello as Crocodile and Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña as Ace.
Xolo Maridueña, the actor, has been a fan favorite for a long time for playing the role of Fire-Fist Ace, the brother of Luffy. Not only does Xolo look the part, but his experience on Cobra Kai would greatly lend to any action scenes for a brawler like Ace in One Piece.
Netflix stepped up its teasing of Xolo, who could be cast as Ace, thanks to Day 1 of Geeked Week, when Iñaki Godoy, the live-action Luffy, visited the set of Cobra Kai.
During his visit to the Cobra Kai set, Iñaki was given a tour by Xolo. Not to mention, Iñaki was given a lesson in the fighting choreography of Cobra Kai, which saw him team up with Xolo, giving us our biggest tease yet as fans made comparisons to Luffy and Ace fighting back to back during the Marineford Arc of the One Piece anime.
Xolo Maridueña has been confirmed as a ‘special correspondent’ alongside fellow co-star Jacob Bertrand to add even more fuel to the rumor fire.
Picture: A comparison between Xolo and Iñaki and Ace and Luffy
As for Joe Manganiello, Daniel Richtman first reported in June 2024 that Manganiello had joined the cast of One Piece; however, Netflix never came forward to declare whether the report was true or false. Fan speculation was fueled further when it was announced that Joe Manganiello would host this year’s Geeked Week live event.
If there were ever a time to announce that Joe and Xolo have been cast in the rumored roles of Crocodile and Ace, then the Geeked Week live event would be the perfect place.
Complete Cast List for One Piece Season 2 so far
Starting in June 2024, Netflix has made several announcements, revealing eighteen new cast members for the second season;
- Jazzara Jaslyn (Warrior) as Miss Valentine.
- David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad) as Mr. 3.
- Camrus Johnson (Batwoman) as Mr. 5.
- Daniel Lasker (Raised by Wolves) as Mr. 9.
- Brendan Murray (Dark Matter) as Brogy.
- Clive Russel (Game of Thrones) as Crocus.
- Werner Coetser (Diepe Waters) as Dorry.
- Ty Keogh (Blood Diamond) as Dalton.
- Callum Kerr (Monarch) as Smoker.
- Julia Rehwald (Fear Street) as Tashigi.
- Rob Colletti (The Many Saints of Newark) as Wapol.
Later, we saw the cast announcements for characters like Dr. Kureha, Dr. Hiriluk, Nefertari Cobra, and Miss Wednesday.
- Katey Sagal (Married… With Children) as Dr. Kureha.
- Mark Harelik (Trumbo) as Dr. Hiriluk.
- Sendhil Ramamurthy (Heroes) as Nefertari Cobra.
- Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton) as Miss Wednesday.
On September 2nd, 2024, a One Piece Netflix fan account had deduced the casting of three more actors for the second season.
- Alan Foulis (Warrior) as Mr. 11
- Gavin Gomes (Black Sails) as Heavy Point Chopper
- Nahum Hughes (Black Beauty) as Bartolomeo
Would you like to see Joe Manganiello and Xolo Maridueña cast in the second season of One Piece? Let us know in the comments below!
