Katey Sagal Lands Massive New Netflix Role On ‘One Piece’

Eagle-eyed anime lovers are buzzing with excitement: Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the renowned manga series One Piece has just announced that it cast an Emmy-nominated star for a pivotal role in its widely anticipated second season.

Katey Sagal, who is most recognized for her voice and film roles as Leela in “Futurama” and Peggy Bundy in “Married…with Children,” is the actress in question for this part. Sagal will provide the voice of Dr. Kureha, the much-awaited new character in the series.

Casting And Production Details

Sagal’s casting was officially confirmed by the streaming giant, following months of speculation. The role was first suggested as a potential fit for Jamie Lee Curtis, the Oscar-winning actress for her work in 2018’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once.”

However, Deadline claimed that scheduling conflicts stopped her from participating. The part is believed to require a “significant commitment,” with filming scheduled to take place in South Africa for several months.

Executive producer Marty Adelstein, together with Becky Clements, had previously hinted that the role of Dr. Kureha would be played by ‘an amazing person’. The announcement of Sagal’s involvement was met with swoons of excitement, with many citing the choice as inspired and unexpected.

Exciting New Additions To The Cast

The Straw Hat Pirates is a key ally to Dr. Kureha, chief physician on Drum Island, who also heads the famous medical team Isshi-100. Sagal’s vocal performance is set to further flesh out the complex narrative of One Piece itself.

Sagal will be joined by Mark Harelik, who will play Dr Hiriluk, also known as the formerly thieving but now skilled physician on Drum Island. Fans of his work in Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone will appreciate the coincidence in surnames.

In her Instagram post, Sagal rejoiced over the role, writing: “I am thrilled to be a part of this show! And finally being able to speak about it. Been sitting on this for months as it was a @onepiecenetflix secret. Thank you to all the One Piece fans, your enthusiasm and support has been overwhelming. On my way to Capetown! I won’t let you down!”

Filming is underway in Cape Town, South Africa, for season two of Netflix’s One Piece, with about two months completed. The show’s core cast features Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji.

John Miller Reportedly Doesn’t Like Sharing Jennifer Garner With Ben Affleck

View Story

Fans Are Eager for Season Two

Besides Sagal and Harelik, other A-list voice actors debut in the coming season, such as Brendan Sean Murray as Brogy, Callum Kerr as Smoker and Mr 3, David Dastmalchian as Mr 3, and Julia Rehwald as Tashigi.

The series is a collaboration between Netflix, Shueisha, and Tomorrow Studios. According to Deadline, the executive producers for the second season include showrunners Matt Owens and Joe Tracz, original manga creator Eiichiro Oda, Adelstein, Clements, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes, and Steve Maeda.

Given how well-received the first season was, there is a great deal of anticipation for the approaching second one. One Piece has changed people’s opinions about live-action anime adaptations, which were once usually thought to be failures.

Viewers are interested in what will happen next since the Straw Hat Pirates are trying to cross the Grand Line as the season draws to a close.

While the exact release date is unknown, fans anticipate seeing it sometime in mid-to-late 2025. Netflix presently offers One Piece Live Action for streaming.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Katey Sagal right now. Come back here often for all Katey Sagal spoilers, news, and updates.

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com