Emily Rudd has been quite open about her love for One Piece and the excitement of getting to work with Eiichiro Oda, the creator of the franchise. Now, she has the chance to play her favorite character, Nami, in a series that is famous for being goofy and silly. Yet, they still try to aspire to make a “grounded version.“
I think there have been crazier shows done. And yes, it’s a little bit silly and a little bit wacky. But again, I think something that we have really focused on is just the heart of the show. It’s a really beautiful story. And I think it’s the adventure, it’s the play, but it’s also like real stories, real people. And so, finding the grounded version of it while still maintaining the spirit of the original was something that we tried to find the balance of.
Emily Rudd
One thing that Emily Rudd is very aware of is the importance of her performance in the East Blue Saga. Most of this storyline is built around the emotional arc and an iconic moment that defined many’s journey into the 25+ years of One Piece.
Oh, I was so deeply aware that this was going to hinge on me. I mean, the scene that we are addressing was the one that made me a fan of the show. It was what locked me in, and I remember the first time seeing it, I was bawling. And every time I have seen or read it since, I cry. I think about it, I cry.
Emily Rudd
Especially that iconic sequence is something that the actress is well aware of, and probably put a lot of pressure on herself to ensure it is done justice. But not just her, the entire crew that is bringing the series to life wanted to make sure they pull it off.
But that scene, because it means so much not only to existing fans, but to me, that was like, ‘I have to make it right. I have to make it right,’ and I really think that we did. Like the entire team really kind of turned it out for that moment.
Emily Rudd
She shares that what makes Namis stand out among the Straw Hats is that “she’s the brains of the bunch” as “she’s keeping the boys in line” throughout their voyage into the Grand Line. It’ll be interesting to see how she pulls it off with the hopefully first of many seasons of this iconic series.
Source: GamesRadar
