When One Piece premiered on Netflix in 2023, it achieved something many believed impossible: successfully translating Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga phenomenon into a live-action spectacle that delighted longtime fans and newcomers alike. Based on the highest-selling manga series of all time – with more than 500 million copies sold worldwide – the high-seas adventure quickly became a global sensation, topping charts in over 75 countries and spending eight weeks in Netflix’s Global Top 10.
Now the Straw Hat crew is preparing to venture even further into the unknown. Season two, One Piece: Into the Grand Line, promises stranger islands, fiercer enemies, and the most dangerous stretch of ocean yet as Monkey D. Luffy and his ragtag crew sail toward the legendary Grand Line in pursuit of the ultimate treasure – the elusive One Piece.
Among the most anticipated new additions to the story is Nefeltari Vivi – first introduced undercover as Miss Wednesday – played by Charithra Chandran. A princess forced to live under an alias while infiltrating the shadowy Baroque Works organisation, Vivi walks a precarious line between loyalty, secrecy and survival. As Chandran explains, it’s a role defined not by fearlessness but by determination – a character driven by purpose even while navigating anxiety, mistrust and the constant strain of living a lie.
Speaking with our Peter Gray, Chandran reflects on stepping into such an iconic role within an already passionate fan universe, explores Vivi’s complex sense of bravery and diplomacy, and explains why the Straw Hats represent something her character rarely gets to experience: true freedom.
First off, congratulations on One Piece – it’s such a cultural phenomenon. I wanted to ask about Miss Wednesday’s sense of morality and loyalty. She works alongside people she doesn’t truly agree with, so how does she decide where her loyalty actually lies?
Being in that environment really reinforces the traits she has to work through during the season. She’s surrounded by people she doesn’t trust, so she develops these deep trust issues and struggles to rely on anyone. Learning to let people in is really the arc of the second season for her.
Would you describe her bravery as loud and defiant, or more quiet and strategic?
I think her bravery is quite defiant. But what’s interesting is that she’s actually very anxious – she’s an anxiety-ridden character. She’s not fearless. To me, true bravery is carrying that fear and still pushing through it. She has doubts and insecurities, but she keeps going, and that’s what makes her brave.
Looking at themes of identity and disguise – what do you think Miss Wednesday enjoys about being Miss Wednesday, and what does she secretly hate about it?
Honestly, I don’t think she enjoys much about it at all. The only thing she values is the purpose – it helps her achieve a very specific goal. Everything else about it she hates.
Does living under that alias feel like a kind of freedom for her?
Not at all. It’s actually incredibly restrictive. You’re so conscious of every single thing you do – nothing is sincere. And if nothing is sincere, how can that feel freeing? That’s why the Straw Hats represent freedom to her. They’re free to be themselves and to follow their goals, and that’s something she’s really drawn to.
If she could steal one trait from a Straw Hat, what would it be?
Charithra Chandran: Luffy’s determination, or his optimism. His conviction is something she’d definitely take.
If the Straw Hats were a band, where would Vivi fit in?
Vivi’s the diplomat. As a princess she’s grown up around diplomacy and communication through her father and the court, and that’s the skill she brings to the Straw Hats. It fills a gap, and you really see that influence her decisions in season two.
Well, joining a show that already has such a huge personality and fan base, you’ve absolutely smashed it. I’m excited for audiences to see your take on Vivi.
Thank you so much, my love. Have a wonderful start to your day.
I will – and you enjoy the rest of yours.
Thank you!
One Piece: Season 2 is streaming on Netflix from March 10th, 2026.
