It’s well and truly anchors aweigh for Netflix’s live-action adaptation of One Piece, as not only did it receive a Certified Fresh critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, it also captured the hearts of fans as well.
While it’s currently unknown if the show will receive a second season, the fan casting for the next set of characters has begun. Interestingly, Eminem was caught in the mix when fans noticed that the “Lose Yourself” rapper has the potential to play the series’ next antagonist.
People on r/OnePiece are debating if Eminem should play Enel in One Piece, just because they look alike. While he doesn’t have a huge acting career, he appeared in a few comedies, most notably 2014’s The Interview, so he does have the potential to star in another.
For those who don’t know who this character is, Enel is the former tyrannical ruler of Skypiea. He was the main antagonist of the Sky Island arc, which is the 13th story in the One Piece series, so it’s going to be a while before we see this character on screen.
Even if the Sky Island arc does receive an adaptation, fans pointed out that Eminem would be too old to play the character. As of writing, he is 50 years old. If it takes a year or two to produce a season, he’s going to be around 60. However, some argued that this age issue could be combated with CGI, like how Disney de-aged Mark Hamil to look like his younger Luke Skywalker self in The Mandalorian season 2.
Others pointed to feasibility issues when it comes to casting the Rap God to play a Skypiea’s God. One joke is how casting Eminem would drain Netflix’s budget, especially since he has a reported net worth of $250 million. Meanwhile, some pointed out that he only does cameos, not major acting roles.
While it would be cool to have him cast in a future One Piece season, it might be difficult to get him on board. However, if the Rap God doesn’t want to play this anime character, a fan mentioned another candidate who might be perfect for the role — Vin Diesel.
Not only does he have the body for the role, but he also has an extensive acting history. At the same time, the guy can do his own stunts. The Fast X actor told Metro in 2021 that he used to be a “daredevil,” but becoming a father made him more cautious when doing stunt work. So if Eminem doesn’t want the role, perhaps this guy would be worth the shot.
One Piece is now available to stream on Netflix.