5 Minutes
Cole Escola Cast as Bentham (Mr. 2 Bon Kurei)
Netflix's live-action One Piece has just announced its first major addition to the Season 3 roster: Tony Award winner Cole Escola will join the series as Bentham, better known to fans as Mr. 2 Bon Kurei. Escola — who earned acclaim on Broadway for Oh Mary! and is a familiar comic presence from At Home with Amy Sedaris — is the first headline casting revealed for the upcoming installment, and it signals the production's continued appetite for theatrical talent with strong comic and physical performance chops.
Bentham is one of Eiichiro Oda's most visually distinctive characters: a ballet-loving fighter with swan-inspired choreography and an arc that begins in opposition to Luffy before transforming into sincere friendship. Translating that mixture of graceful movement and emotional sincerity from page to screen is a tricky creative task, and Escola's stage background suggests the production wants someone who can do both the dance and the drama.
Where and when production resumes
Season 3 filming is slated to recommence in Cape Town, South Africa, later this year. The location choice offers versatile coastal and urban backdrops to replicate the varied islands of the One Piece world — a practical approach similar to previous seasons that blended real locations with practical sets and selective CGI. Fans can expect choreography-heavy sequences for Bentham and expanded storylines adapted from Oda's manga as the show moves into more ambitious territory.
Cast, creators, and the road so far
The series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew as they hunt for the legendary treasure, One Piece, and chase the dream of making Luffy the King of the Pirates. Iñaki Godoy returns as Luffy, with Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji anchoring the main ensemble.
Tomorrow Studios (in partnership with ITV Studios) and Shueisha continue to produce the show, and early confidence in the property led Netflix to greenlight Season 3 before Season 2 even premiered. Ian Stokes and Joe Tracz serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers; Eiichiro Oda remains closely involved as an executive producer, alongside other producers from Tomorrow Studios and international partners.
Why this casting matters: context and comparisons
Casting a Tony-winning performer for a flamboyant, dance-forward role follows a growing trend in adaptations: blending theatrical technique with cinematic scale to honor the source material's physicality. In that sense, One Piece’s approach recalls successful casting strategies from other high-profile adaptations that put stage-honed actors into visually complex roles.
The first season proved the model works: upon release in 2023, One Piece spent eight weeks in Netflix's global Top 10, hit number one in more than 75 countries, and amassed close to 100 million views to date. It also earned multiple nominations at the Children’s & Family Emmy Awards — a strong sign that faithful, performance-forward adaptations can attract both mass audiences and industry recognition.
Industry note and fan reaction
Fans have responded with excitement and debate; Bentham is a beloved, idiosyncratic character whose live-action depiction will be closely watched. Some viewers worry about how stylized elements translate from manga to screen, while others praise Escola's casting as a smart choice that privileges skill and comedic timing.
"Casting someone with strong theatrical instincts like Cole Escola is a deliberate move," says film critic Anna Kovacs. "Bentham's arc depends on physicality and heart, and Escola brings both. If the production leans into choreography and character, this could be one of the series' most memorable performances."
What’s next
Season 2 of the live-action series is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on March 10, 2025, and Season 3 will follow production later in the year. Meanwhile, Escola's calendar is busy: aside from Oh Mary!'s West End transfer, he’ll appear opposite Jesse Plemons in A24's comedy Jonty, further raising his profile ahead of his One Piece debut.
Whether you come for the spectacle, the faithful adaptation of Oda's sprawling manga, or the actors who make these characters human, the addition of Cole Escola promises a season that leans into performance and showmanship. Expect fans and critics alike to watch Bentham's live-action transformation closely.
A short note: the live-action One Piece has made adaptation look possible when it respects source material, invests in strong performers, and balances spectacle with character work. Season 3’s first casting indicates the show intends to keep doing exactly that.
Comments
mechbyte
Woah Cole Escola as Bentham?? Love the pick, theatrical chops seem perfect, but hope the ballet stuff isnt awkward in live action. Fingers crossed
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