The casting of Charithra Chandran as Nefertari Vivi for Netflix’s One Piece Season 2 has been met with tremendous backlash and racial attacks from a large portion of the fandom, with a noticeable section of the fanbase strongly criticising Chandran’s addition to the show. Meanwhile, Eiichiro Oda, several cast members, and the creative team are defending the decision.
The controversy stems from the character’s original depiction in Eiichiro Oda’s manga and anime, where Vivi is presented with fair skin, and her kingdom, Alabasta, draws heavy inspiration from Ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern cultures. Some fans argue that casting a British actress of Indian origin misrepresents the source material. Others believe that an actress of Middle Eastern descent would have been a more accurate choice.
Since the release of the second season’s first-look teaser, Chandran’s social media accounts have been flooded with extreme racist and hateful remarks, some even taking digs at India and its culture.
According to Rob Colletti, the actor playing the live-action version of Wapol in Season 2, Charithra Chandran was “hand-selected” by Oda for the role of Vivi.
“Charithra was hand-selected by Oda, and he has far more knowledge and understanding of his own characters than anyone else—particularly the hateful, unimaginative creeps who actually have the audacity to get on the internet to throw hate speech towards an actor without even seeing their absolutely amazing performance on the show,” Colletti said.
If Oda himself has approved Chandran’s addition to the show, then, ladies and gentlemen, that should be considered the ultimate seal of approval. The live-action series has consistently emphasised its commitment to Oda’s vision, and his direct involvement in casting decisions has been a key factor in its success.
Following her casting as Vivi, Charithra Chandran has not directly addressed the racist comments. Instead, she shared several of the hateful messages she received on her Instagram Stories, accompanying them with a sarcastic, “Thank you so much for all your support” caption.
Unfortunately, Chandran is not the only talent dealing with online harassment related to racial attacks, and she definitely won’t be the last. Many actors of colour cast in major Hollywood franchises have faced similar experiences in the past, particularly those based on beloved fantasy or sci-fi properties.
For instance, when John Boyega was cast as Finn, a Black stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, he was subjected to a significant amount of racist abuse online. Fans created racist hashtags and memes, and he received threats.
Similarly, Disney’s announcement of Halle Bailey playing Ariel in the live-action The Little Mermaid led to a firestorm of racist and misogynistic backlash, with the unfortunate hashtag #NotMyAriel gaining massive attention.
Moses Ingram, who played the Jedi hunter Reva Sevander in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, was also met with a barrage of racist attacks and threats.
These examples highlight a pattern: a small but loud segment of fandoms reacting with hostility to diverse casting, often under the guise of “being faithful to the source material.”
The scenario with Charithra Chandran once again brings attention to the problems associated with modern fandoms. Their desire for strict adherence to source material and accurate representation of popular characters is valid, but we have often seen them take matters into their own hands, opting instead to attack actors online based on their race or colour.
The recurring pattern of harassment faced by actors like Chandran demonstrates a serious problem that goes beyond a simple disagreement over casting. It points to a toxic element within fandoms that weaponises a love for the source material to justify racist and hateful behaviour. If even Eiichiro Oda’s stamp of approval is not enough to satisfy these fans, then what will? Stay tuned for more updates.