Iñaki Godoy, Emily Rudd, Mackenyu, Jacob Romero Gibson, Taz Skylar, and Charithra Chandran recently chatted to JustWatch about the second season of Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece. And the conversation took an interesting turn when they were asked to pick the movie their respective characters would consider their favorites.
WATCH: Which Movies Would The Straw Hats Binge? The Cast Reveals Their Picks
Each of them chose a movie that reflects how their character sees the world, how they react to it, and what kind of energy they bring. "I think for Nami, any heist film," Rudd said, with Skylar suggesting 2011's Tower Heist as a fitting example. Mackenyu picked The Hangover (2009) for Roronoa Zoro, Gibson went with 1997's Hercules for Usopp, and Skylar picked 1993's Rudy for Sanji.
Godoy seemed a little unsure at first, saying, "I feel like Luffy maybe just likes cartoons." But the actor eventually made a solid choice. "Maybe like Space Jam (1996), something like that." Chandran imagined her character Nefertari Vivi gravitating toward a classic fairy tale. "I can imagine her favorite film being something like [Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs] (1937)," she explained.
None of those picks feels especially random. If anything, they line up quite neatly with how those characters come across on screen. Whether it's strategy, impulsiveness, optimism, or something a bit more idealistic, once you start looking at them that way, the choices begin to make a bit more sense. So even though the genres are different, the logic behind them is pretty similar.
Why These Movies Fit The 'One Piece' Characters So Well
Each choice focuses on a defining character trait. Take Nami, for example. The idea of her enjoying heist films makes sense almost immediately since her character (an expert cat burglar) joins the Straw Hat Pirates as their navigator. That role requires strategy and knowing how to read a situation before anyone else does. Heist movies tend to follow that same rhythm.
Zoro's pick feels different, but it still makes sense. The Hangover has a slightly unpredictable storyline, which lines up with Zoro using an unorthodox "Three Swords Style" in battle. There's a sense that things don't always follow a clean or expected path, and he's comfortable operating within that. He is also Luffy's first mate, which lines up with the buddy-comedy element of his movie choice.
Usopp's Hercules pick connects in a slightly more aspirational way. His character is built around storytelling and the idea of becoming something greater than he currently is. He talks himself up, sometimes before he fully believes it. But he really wants to be seen as brave and capable. A story like Hercules follows a similar arc, where the idea of being a hero comes before fully growing into it.
Sanji, going with Rudy, points to persistence and discipline more than anything else. Whether it's protecting others, his precious chef hands, or searching for the All Blue, there's a constant sense that he's willing to work for it, even when the outcome isn't guaranteed. That kind of determination lies at the center of a film like Rudy.
The idea of Nefertari Vivi connecting to Snow White is very idealistic. As a princess dealing with political conflict and responsibility, she carries a sense of duty, but also a belief in how things should be. Stories like Snow White tend to hold onto that kind of perspective. Even when the world becomes complicated, there's still a sense that things can be made right.
And then there's Luffy. The idea that he would just enjoy cartoons, or a hybrid like Space Jam, feels very on point since his entire character is playful and built around wanting to be free as the next King of the Pirates. He doesn't overthink things. He reacts, moves forward, and trusts how he feels in the moment. That same energy is what defines a lot of animated films.
Why To Watch 'One Piece' (And What To Watch After)
Based on Eiichiro Oda's long-running manga, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young pirate driven by a simple idea of freedom. He sets out in search of the One Piece, a legendary treasure said to grant its finder the title of King of the Pirates. Along the way, he builds a crew, finds his footing at sea, and crosses paths with rivals who are usually chasing the same things that he wants.
Part of what makes One Piece work, especially in its live-action form, is how the story moves between action, humor, and something a bit more emotional without feeling like it's shifting too sharply. That makes it easier to settle into, even if you're not familiar with the source material. Each episode adds just enough to hold your attention, while still featuring some quieter, character-driven moments.
If you want to understand the characters a bit better, going through the films that the cast mentioned would be a natural next step. Tower Heist, The Hangover, Hercules, Rudy, Space Jam, and Snow White can work as a kind of extension of their personalities. You might not even need a full season of One Piece to understand what drives them after checking out the movies that the characters love.
