Casting must be one of the most challenging parts of adapting a beloved piece of art. Imagine the countless critical decisions in bringing something like Eiichiro Oda’s enduringly popularOne Pieceseries to the screen in a new medium. Fans may forgive some mistakes, but the actors behind their favorite characters will receive immense scrutiny. Luckily, almost every choice was excellent in their role. Emily Rudd brought Nami to life well, but where else has she flexed her talents?
Netflix’s live-actionOne Pieceshocked fans by being basically alright. Many were expecting a slap in the face to their favorite franchise, but the slow drip of information gradually won them over. The most significant cultural shift came from cast interviews. Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Taz Skylar, Mackenyu, and Jacob Romero Gibson endeared themselves to fans with playful group chats andblessings from Eiichiro Oda. The performers deserve much of the credit for the show’s success.
Who is Nami inOne Piece?
Nami is the navigator of the Straw Hat Pirates. She’s the second member to joinMonkey D. Luffy’sfledgling crew, shortly after Roronoa Zoro. She learned cartography and navigation in her youth. As a girl, she dreamed of traveling the world and finally mapping out all the unexplored corners of the sea. Her childhood was difficult. She was orphaned by war and kidnapped by the pirate who killed her adoptive mother, the dangerous Fishman Arlong. She spent eight years robbing pirates to buy her home village from her tormentor. Despite seemingly abandoning Luffy, the new captain returned to defeat Arlong and free Nami’s home. After his selfless heroism,Nami set out with the Straw Hatsto achieve her dream of mapping the world.
Nami is confident, bold, and fiercely independent. She’s heavily motivated by money, initially driven to buy back her home, but her greed doesn’t end after she leaves Arlong’s service. Nami is among the most intelligent members of the crew, usually reigning in the more extreme personalities and suggesting practical solutions to absurd problems. Nami participates in fight scenes, but she’s one of the weaker members of the crew.Luffy, Zoro, and Sanjifight massive foes, while Nami, Chopper, and Usopp are more technical combatants, generally posed against less dangerous enemies. Nami claims a greater understanding of the shadier corners of a pirate’s life. She’s street-smart in a way that often aids the crew. She’s a critical part of the Straw Hat Pirates, from her formal job to her sage wisdom.
Nami in Netflix’s Live-ActionOne Piece
Netflix’sOne Pieceonly covers the East Blue Saga or the first six story arcs of the manga. Subsequently, the live-action series only depicts Nami in her early eras. The last two episodes of the seriesunpack the Arlong Park arc, though they do so rapidly. Nami appears in the first episode and sticks around for the rest of the series, but the penultimate and final episodes are hers. Nami appears much as she does in the anime, though aspects of her character are sanded down to fit better in live-action. Nami regularly lashes out against her childish crewmates, but punching her friends doesn’t play the same without cartoon physics. She’s more mature in general, responding to most scenarios with snarky quips instead of her more animated behavior in the anime.
Emily Rudd’s Other Movies and TV Shows
Emily Rudd has more roles in TV than in film, but most of her work has come from Netflix. She starred in thestreamer’sFear Streettrilogy, playing Cindy Berman in1978and Abigail in1666. She has a smaller role in the now-removed HBO Max originalMoonshot. She appears to have entered Adam Sandler’s orbit, with bit parts inMurder Mystery 2andLeo. On TV, she has one-off performances inElectric DreamsandThe Romanoffs. She appears in season 3 of the 2020 remake ofDynastyand season 2 of the Amazon Prime Video seriesHunters. She’s made forays into voice acting, first as Ruby in an episode ofAgent Elvis. After bringing an iconic anime character to the screen inOne Piece, she took her first anime voiceover role as Marcille in Netflix’s excellent adaptationofDelicious in Dungeon.
Emily Rudd has a promising career ahead of her, with several intriguing performances in excellent projects. Netflix seems to love working with her, bringing her back for numerous roles. Her first step into the anime world went beautifully. Many didn’t immediately recognize hervoice inDelicious in Dungeon, suggesting a potential future in live-action and anime series. Emily Rudd brought Nami to the screen with a stellar performance and some engaging creative choices, and she’ll likely carry those sharp instincts to several new characters in the coming years.
