Copyright Screen Rant
In an act of defiance of Western live-action adaptation expectations, One Piece on Netflix is still on a roll years later. The series went into a slower hype period following its season 1 debut, but now the entertainment sphere is abuzz not just about 2026's season 2, but further beyond. Lately, the talk of the town is Bon Clay's casting. The Netflix original spin on Eiichiro Oda's epic manga has been deploying a steady feed of proper glimpses ever since May's Tudum event. However, the show is crucially not a carbon copy in live-action, with surprising and delightful stylistic changes. With Cole Escola cast as Bon Clay in One Piece, this trend continues in the best of ways. Cole Escola Couldn't Be More Perfect for One Piece Despite One Piece being rooted in abject silliness for much of its pre-timeskip era, Netflix's live-action series doesn't feel as comedic as the source material. Its gags from the manga, like Luffy's befuddlement over Usopp's romance with Kaya, or when he repelled Garp's cannonball, felt more unintentionally funny rather than deliberate comedy. In the case of season 3's Bon Clay, however, the beloved Baroque Works member and future ally to Luffy has always had an absurd, comedic flair. With the Clone-Clone fruit's ability to perfectly mimic others, Bon Clay's portrayal will require the right comedic delivery and timing. This is necessary to prevent the perception of flamboyantly-dressed doppelgangers as uncanny or hokey. Before even factoring in their abilities, to be authentic, Bon Clay's portrayal must be flamboyant and utterly flippant toward traditional gender norms. The character is heavily inspired by okama culture, which encompasses effeminate men, drag queens, trans women, and varying sexual orientations. Casting a proud non-binary actor for the role is a sensible, genuinely solid choice for One Piece. Their personality, fashion choices, abilities, and actions are emblematic of the whimsy and heart of One Piece, so nailing the casting was crucial. Bon Clay, despite being one of One Piece's most beloved former antagonists, becomes a fiercely loyal and even heroic ally to the Straw Hats. Their personality, fashion choices, abilities, and actions are emblematic of the whimsy and heart of One Piece, so nailing the casting was crucial. However, choosing Cole Escola is far from a mere token casting. Bon Clay Would Be Proud of This Future Mr. 2 Actor Escola's resume encompasses more than a decade and a half's work onstage, in television, and movies. Their work landed 2025's Tony Award for Best Actor in Oh Mary! for portraying a fictionalized long-suffering Mary Todd Lincoln. Escola's work has been featured including as a guest judge on King of Drag, Chassie Tucker in At Home With Amy Sedaris, and more.
