Summary
Fans of theOne Piecemanga and anime have been hoping for one particular fan-casting for the live-action series, but even though that casting is officially not happening,Netflix’s replacement casting is arguably even more perfect.For two years now, fans have been hoping for actressJamie Lee Curtis to take on the role of Dr. Kureha inOne Pieceseason 2. The adoptive mother of Tony Tony Chopper, Kureha becomes an ally of the Straw Hat Pirates and plays a key role in the Drum Island Arc.
As it turns out, it’s not Jamie Lee Curtis who will be playing Dr. Kureha inOne Pieceseason 2’s storyline, but actress Katey Sagal.Katey Sagal’sOne PieceKureha castingwas recently announcedalongside Mark Harelik’s casting as Dr. Hiriluk.It’s a surprise for fans who thought the Dr. Kureha casting was all but locked up. Still, it’s the right actor for the role, even if it’s not the one everyone expected.
How The Jamie Lee Curtis As Kureha Fancast Began
It Started 2 Years Ago With The Actress Herself
Surprisingly, the fan movement to get Jamie Lee Curtis cast as Dr. Kureha didn’t even begin with the fans, but with Curtis herself. Even before the live-actionOne Pieceseries debuted on Netflix,Curtis was already talking about her love of the franchise and how she’d love to be part of it.At the 94th Academy Awards in March 2022, Curtis was on the red carpet and revealed her ties to the show, as well as her desire to be cast: “My friend Brina Palencia does the voice of Tony Tony Chopper in the American dub,” she revealed, before joking that she was a little too old to play her first choice, Nico.
However, there’s another character she could see herself playing, and that was Dr. Kureha: “She wears those really low bell bottoms. She’s looking a little nasty but she has long, kind of stringy gray hair, and my Ruby said that that would be what I would play.” The “Ruby” in question is Curtis' daughter,who later said on aOne Piecepodcast that her mom would be totally down to play the character.One Pieceactress Emily Rudd, who essentially manifested her role as Nami into existence, then took up the torch. In a Q&A on her Instagram stories, Rudd answered the question of who she’d like to see cast in the live-action series with “@jamieleecurtis, i am BEGGING!!!!!!!” with Dr. Kureha as the background.
10 Anime Moments One Piece Season 2 Will Struggle To Replicate
The live-action One Piece is doing a great job of portraying the anime so far, but it is due to capture some anime moments that will be hard to adapt.
Why Jamie Lee Curtis Ultimately Wasn’t Cast
She Just Couldn’t Make The Scheduling Work
Sadly, despite Curtis being on board, fans being on board, and producers being on board,Jamie Lee Curtis joining the show just wasn’t in the cards.Ina July interview aboutOne Pieceseason 2, executive producer Becky Clements was asked about the subsequent groundswell of support for Curtis and fan campaign to get her cast as Kureha. Disappointingly, she revealed that it wasn’t going to happen due to scheduling conflicts they couldn’t work around:
“She loves the show. She has too many films and TV shows that she’s going into production on, so our production dates aren’t going to work. She definitely wanted to do it, but she’s got deals in first position, and it just became complicated. We have found an amazing person.”
We now know that “amazing person” is Katey Sagal,which should hopefully help ease the sting of Curtis not being able to make it work.It’s good to know that producers were listening to fans and to Curtis herself, even if it didn’t work out. Sagal’s casting inOne Pieceseason 2 creates a very different vibe for Dr. Kureha, but it’s a fantastic casting, nonetheless.
Why Katey Sagal Is A Perfect Choice To Play Kureha In One Piece
She Can Embody Dr. Kureha’s Toughness & Her Maternal Side
Even though audiences may be disappointed about Jamie Lee Curtis not being cast,Katey Sagal may prove to be even better.She is honestly a perfect casting for Dr. Kureha. As Curtis said, Kureha is a character who is a little nasty, a little tacky with the bellbottoms. It’s what makes her unique, but it’s genuinely hard to pull off a sort of eccentric, grungy character authentically for actresses used to being in more polished roles. The lack of realness always comes through. Instead of exuding a lived-in quality to the character, the actress comes across like she’s obviously putting on a costume.
It’s genuinely hard to pull off a sort of eccentric, grungy character authentically for actresses used to being in more polished roles. The lack of realness always comes through.
Sagal, however, excels in that type of role, having played roles such as the hotpants-wearing, bouffant-rocking Peggy Bundy onMarried… with Childrenand later the criminal biker matriarch Gemma Teller Morrow onSons of Anarchy.Sagal is used to playing independent women who march to their own drums,sometimes to the dismay of others. Her strong on-screen presence embodies Dr. Kureha’s no-nonsense attitude, and she can easily play the hippie, nonconformist scientist so often called a “witch” by other characters. She’s a tough, hard-drinking woman who doesn’t let anyone push her around, traits Sagal excels at portraying.
But Sagal also has the warmth needed to portray Kureha’s more maternal and affectionate side.As Tony Tony Chopper’s adoptive mother, Dr. Kureha considers him her true son and loves him unconditionally, despite her sometimes strict demeanor and demanding ways. She’s extremely thoughtful and observant, and does feel things deeply. When she’s had to say goodbye to another character inOne Piece, whether through separation or death, it’s impacted her greatly. As such, Katey Sagal is the perfect actress to not just portray, but to embody, Dr. Kureha inOne Pieceseason 2.
One Piece
One Piece follows young pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his diverse crew as they embark on a daring quest for treasure. Released in 2023, the film brings the adventurous world of the popular manga to life, capturing Luffy’s relentless pursuit of the legendary One Piece treasure.
