Filming on Season 2 of Netflix's live-action One Piece series has been going on for a couple of weeks now. While many of the new cast members who will help bring the beloved anime characters to life have already been announced, there are still a few that have yet to be revealed.
Chief among them is Dr. Kureha, the 139-year-old doctor on Drum Island, and ally of the Straw Hat Pirates. For months, Jamie Lee Curtis had been attached to the play the character, but it was confirmed back in July that this would not be the case. One Piece executive producer Becky Clements explained that scheduling conflicts prevented Curtis from joining the cast of the live-action series.
With Curtis ruled out and Netflix still not making any official announcement, fans have taken it upon themselves to try and figure out who will play Dr. Kureha in the series. The current fan theory speculates that actress Katey Sagal may now be the one overseeing the role.
On social media, fans pointed to a recent featuring Katey Sagal in which the actress was asked to plug her next project. Unfortunately, an NDA prevented her from revealing what it was, but what she did say has seemingly led some to believe that she has been cast in One Piece Season 2.
"I have a really good thing but I signed a [NDA], so I can't say it. I can't say what I am going to do," Sagal said. "Very soon, I am going very far away that I cannot talk about."
As One Piece Season 2 is filming in South Africa, many fans believe this could be the "very far away" location. And, "next year," could be referring to Season 2 releasing in 2025. It's a stretch based on these comments alone, but Sagal has been linked to the role in the past.
Katey Sagal is an incredibly accomplished actress, best known for playing Peggy Bundy in the beloved show Married... with Children, which ran from 1987 to 1997. She also played Leela in Futurama, Cate Hennessy in 8 Simple Rules, and Gemma Teller Morrow on the FX series Sons of Anarchy. Sagal won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 2011 for her role in Sons of Anarchy.
While fans were initially disappointed that Curtis would not be playing Dr. Kuhera in the live-action One Piece series, there's no doubt that Katey Sagal will be amazing in the role — if the speculation is true, that is. Netflix has still not made any announcement.