Non-binary actor and Tony winner Cole Escola is headed to the Blue Planet!
On 3 November, Deadline announced that the Difficult People actor would be joining Netflix’s hit series One Piece.
Based on Japan’s bestselling manga of all time, written by Eiichiro Oda, the show follows Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) as he embarks on an epic high seas adventure “to find the legendary fabled treasure, the ONE PIECE, and become King of the Pirates.”
Joining him along the way are his crew of Straw Hat Pirates, which includes the “fiercely independent thief” Nami (Emily Rudd), “no-nonsense swordsman” Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), “born storyteller”/marksman Usopp (Jacob Romero), and charming chef Sanji (Taz Skylar).
According to the aforementioned news outlet, Escola will be playing fan favourite character Bentham, aka Mr. 2 Bon Clay, in the show’s upcoming third season, which was greenlit in August.
Originally introduced during the Alabasta Arc as an antagonist to Luffy and the gang, Bon Clay made waves with their flamboyant personality, unique ballet attire and ability to shapeshift into anyone they touch.
As the story progresses, the beloved character becomes a close friend and ally to the Straw Hat Pirates.
Lastly, Netflix’s upcoming iteration of Bon Clay will officially be reimagined as non-binary.
The recent One Piece news comes after a monumental year for Escola.
After taking over Broadway with their captivating and hilarious play Oh, Mary!, the Fantasmas star made history as the first non-binary performer to win a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
In addition to their work on stage, Escola has an array of projects in the pipeline, including the Daria spin-off Jodie, the A24 film Jonty, and Melissa McCarthy’s upcoming holiday feature Margie Claus.
While we’ll have to wait a while for Escola’s debut as Bon Clay, One Piece fans will have plenty of content to consume in the meantime.
In October, Netflix announced that the show’s highly anticipated second season – titled One Piece: Into the Grand Line – will premiere on 10 March 2026.
The official synopsis reads: “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.”
One Piece season one is now streaming on Netflix.
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