Netflix’s hit live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga One Piece is expanding its crew for Season 3 with two major casting announcements. As the series prepares to resume filming later this year in Cape Town, South Africa, the streamer has confirmed that Tony Award winner Cole Escola and Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña have joined the cast in key roles.
Escola, known for their acclaimed Broadway performance in Oh Mary!, will portray the dynamic and flamboyant Bon Clay — also known as Bentham and Mr. 2 Bon Kurei. A master of disguise and combat choreography, Bon Clay is a fan-favorite character celebrated for their theatrical flair and swan-inspired costume. Within Oda’s manga lore, the character begins as an enemy before eventually becoming an ally to protagonist Monkey D. Luffy and his crew. The live-action series will depict Bon Clay as non-binary, aligning with the character’s expressive identity from the original story.
Joining Escola is Xolo Maridueña, who takes on the role of Portgas D. Ace, Luffy’s fiery and fearless sworn brother. Maridueña gained global recognition as Miguel Diaz in Netflix’s long-running hit series Cobra Kai and recently headlined DC’s Blue Beetle. His addition to the One Piece cast marks another milestone in Netflix’s collaboration with rising talent from across major franchises.
One Piece, produced by Tomorrow Studios in partnership with Shueisha, continues its strong momentum following global success across its first two seasons. Season 1 became a record-breaking sensation upon its 2023 debut, spending eight consecutive weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10, peaking at No. 1 in over 75 countries, and becoming the first English-language Netflix series to debut at No. 1 in Japan. It also earned 11 Children’s & Family Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Young Teen Series.
Season 3, which received an early renewal in August 2025, will be co-showrun by Ian Stokes and Joe Tracz, who also serve as executive producers and writers. Eiichiro Oda, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes, Christoph Schrewe, and Steven Maeda return as executive producers under the Tomorrow Studios banner.
Before Season 3 sets sail, fans can look forward to One Piece: Into the Grand Line, the highly anticipated second season premiering on March 10, 2026. Season 2 will continue Luffy’s journey through new and perilous waters — the Grand Line — introducing characters such as Tony Tony Chopper, voiced by Mikaela Hoover, and Miss Wednesday, played by Charithra Chandran.
The returning ensemble includes Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji. Together, they’ll continue their adventure toward the fabled treasure and Luffy’s ultimate dream of becoming the King of the Pirates.
Escola’s casting as Bon Clay and Maridueña’s debut as Portgas D. Ace promise to bring fresh energy and fan excitement to the franchise’s next chapter — reaffirming Netflix’s One Piece as one of the streaming platform’s most ambitious and beloved adaptations.
