Actor Sendhil Ramamurthy will play the role of Nefertari Cobra, the king of Alabasta Kingdom and father of Princess Vivi, in the second season of Netflix’s hit One Piece live-action series, the streamer announced on Wednesday.
“In the heart of The Desert Kingdom of Alabasta, where rebellion stirs and secrets are buried, stands a King like no other. Introducing Nefertari Cobra, the pillar of integrity in a kingdom at crossroads,” Netflix wrote on Instagram alongside a collage of the actor with his character from the anime adaptation.
Ramamurthy is known for playing Devi’s late father in Netflix’s teenage drama Never Have I Ever starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. He also recently featured in Shirsha Guha Thakurta’s Do Aur Do Pyaar alongside Vidya Balan, Pratik Gandhi and Ileana D'Cruz.
In Eiichiro Oda’s manga and the anime adaptation, Nefertari Cobra is a wise and noble ruler of Alabasta, who prioritises his citizens’ wellbeing over personal desires. As a descendant of one of the Twenty Kings who founded the World Government, Cobra chose to stay in Alabasta rather than move to Mariejois, exuding a deep love for his kingdom.
The cast for Nico Robin and Princess Vivi are expected to be revealed on August 23.
Season 2 of One Piece is currently in its second month of production in Cape Town, South Africa. The upcoming instalment will cover Loguetown, Reverse Mountain (Twin Cape), Whiskey Peak, Little Garden and Drum Island arcs.
Set in the world of pirates, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young boy who sets sail with his wacky crew on a perilous journey across the Grand Line to find the legendary treasure One Piece and become the Pirate King. In his quest to achieve freedom in its truest sense, Luffy overcomes formidable enemies, forges meaningful friendships and unravels the world’s secrets.
The anime adaptation of the manga series, which began in 1997, is currently ongoing with over 1,000 episodes. Starring Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero and Taz Skylar, One Piece live-action series topped Netflix’s top 10 global list for weeks after its debut on August 31 last year.
