One Piece showrunner Matt Owens voiced support for casting his colleagues from his time working on Marvel TV shows.
Owens conducted a Reddit AMA on Oct. 6, where among questions and praise, he was asked which actors from his former shows he would like to bring on board for the One Piece live-action. Luke Cage star Mike Colter was suggested by a fan. "Love Mike! Would be great to bring him on," Owens replied. "I also adore Clark Gregg and think he'd have a lot of fun playing in the One Piece world."
Owens worked with Colter on Luke Cage as a co-writer for multiple episodes of the TV series. Colter's most recent major acting credit comes in Jean-Francois Richet's Plane, which premiered in January 2023 to generally favorable reviews. Colter described in an exclusive interview with CBR the experience of going from a superpowered role to a more realistic one in the film, highlighting the importance of being versatile with his roles as he delved deeper into his character. "We're not relying on a lot of CGI. [These are] not indestructible people. These are two people that are human," Colter said. "They are vulnerable, and they are outnumbered, and people like underdogs."
Any role for Colter in One Piece would likely take a much different tone, trading realistic for the surreal. Gregg, whom Owens also worked with in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., was said to likely have lots of fun within the wacky One Piece world. This may not be a surprise given Gregg's role within the MCU, who despite not having powers, thrived in his role as Phil Coulson due to the contrast with his deadpan humor and surreal situations.
However, the star most heavily courted for a role in One Piece is Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis famously lobbied last year to join the show, revealing that she's a big fan of Eiichiro Oda's manga, which the Netflix show adapts. In September, an Instagram post by Curtis showcased her intentions to lobby for the role after the strikes were concluded, to which Owens replied, "Mommy dearest, that's why we sent you that figure! No need to lobby. Once we get what we deserve and get back to work, let's talk!" Owens also revealed he was a fan of The Bear in the AMA. "That is great company for us to be in!" Owens replied to a positive message grouping the two shows together. "The Bear is one of my favorites of the year as well! Thank you so much!"
With Curtis having a particular standout role in The Bear's critically acclaimed second season, it's safe to say that Owens was watching her very carefully.
Source: Reddit
