Katey Sagal (pictured left) goes to Dr. Playing Kureha, one of the series' standout casts to date. Mark Harelik (pictured right) will star as Dr. Hiriluk in an almost perfect homonym between the actor's last name and his character.
The introduction of Dr. Kureha was one of the most anticipated elements of season two of the live-action series based on Oda's beloved manga. Jamie Lee Curtis was approached for the role and wanted to do it, but as One Piece (2023) executive producers Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements shared last month, her schedule wouldn't allow it. According to sources, the role requires a few months' stay in South Africa, where One Piece (2023) is being filmed.
Adelstein and Clements said at the time that "we found a great person" to hire Dr. Kureha to play. That now turns out to be actress Sagal, whose extensive resume includes Married... with Children, Sons of Anarchy, The Conners and Futurama.
Harelik previously starred in AMC's Preacher, HBO's The Leftovers and Apple's The Morning Show, among others.
An ally of the Straw Hat Pirates, Kureha is a doctor on Drum Island where she is the head of the Isshi-100. Hiriluk is a thief who becomes a doctor on Drum Island.
Sagal and Harelik join previously announced new cast members Brendan Sean Murray as Brogy, Callum Kerr as Smoker, Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5, Clive Russell as Crocus, Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3, Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine, Julia Rehwald as Tashigi, Rob Colletti as Wapol, Ty Keogh as Dalton and Werner Coetser as Dorry.
Returning leads include Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, Taz Skylar as Sanji, Ilia Isorelys Paulino as Alvida, Jeff Ward as Buggy the Clown and Michael Dorman as Gold Roger.
Season two has been in production for approximately two months in Cape Town, South Africa.
The series is created in association with Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios, an ITV Studios partner, and Netflix. Executive producers of season two are showrunners Matt Owens & Joe Tracz, Oda, Adelstein and Clements via Tomorrow Studios, Tetsu Fujimura, Chris Symes and Steve Maeda.
