Who is Xolo Maridueña? One Piece casts Cobra Kai alum as Portgas D. Ace in Season 3

Xolo Maridueña will portray Portgas D. Ace in Season 3 of Netflix's One Piece

One Piece has recruited Xolo Maridueña to play Portgas D. Ace in Season 3, Netflix announced on Wednesday. The 24-year-old is best known for his roles in Blue Beetle (2023) and Cobra Kai. The live-action series, which was greenlit for a third season in August, is based on the popular manga series of the same name. Written by Eiichiro Oda, its first issue came out in 1997. It is one of the longest-running Japanese manga series.

One Piece Season 3 casts Xolo Maridueña as Portgas D. Ace (Netflix)

One Piece casts Xolo Maridueña as Portgas D. Ace in Season 3

Netflix's One Piece live-action resumes production for Season 3 later this year in Cape Town, South Africa, the streaming giant said on Tudum. Meanwhile, the premiere date for Season 2 is set for March 10.

It follows protagonist Monkey D. Luffy, played by Iñaki Godoy, “on his quest to find the legendary fabled treasure, the One Piece, and become King of the Pirates,” according to the official logline.

Maridueña is among the latest cast members to join the show. The show recently announced that Broadway star Cole Escola will star as theatrical assassin Bon Clay in One Piece Season 3.

The Smurfs actor has worked with Netflix before, starring as Miguel Diaz in all six seasons of Cobra Kai, which is based on the Karate Kid franchise. During Geeked Week 2024, he served as a special correspondent alongside co-star Jacob Bertrand.

In Season 2, “Luffy and the Straw Hats set sail for the extraordinary Grand Line—a legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn. As they journey through this unpredictable realm in search of the world’s greatest treasure, they’ll encounter bizarre islands and a host of formidable new enemies,” per the official logline.

The series stars Iñaki Godoy as Luffy, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji.