One Piece will bring more classic characters to life in season 2, and revealed a surprising casting choice for Smoker – but this actor has some relevant experience and I think it just might work. I had my hesitations about One Piece season 1 coming out on Netflix as a live-action show, as anime adaptations haven’t always been a resounding success. But happily, I was blown away by this entirely unique effort to commit Eiichiro Oda’s iconic manga to live-action. Iñaki Godoy really is “the real Luffy,” as Oda proclaims.

As a glimpse of what’s coming in One Piece season 2, the show introduced Smoker in the last minutes of season 1. Identifiable by his signature trait of smoking two cigars at once, his shock-white hair, and his military jacket, the character materialized through clouds of smoke. He stubbed his cigar out on the eye of a man on a wanted poster – Monkey D. Luffy. The implication was that Smoker would pursue Luffy and company in season 2, as per the manga and anime, so I’m excited to see what this new Smoker will bring to the show. However, his casting remains a somewhat surprising and contentious move.

Callum Kerr Isn’t The Obvious Casting For One Piece’s Smoker

Callum Kerr Isn’t Yet Known For Fantasy Or Anime Roles

Smoker will be played by Callum Kerr, the actor, model, and country musician scheduled to appear in Wheel of Time, although not yet known for fantasy or anime-related roles. This casting choice surprised me due to Kerr’s newness to the genre and model good looks. Despite Smoker’s physical fitness, this isn’t how I, and many others, pictured Smoker. Although in his 30s, I imagined him as an older, more grizzled thug whose face matched his lung health. This could be due to his battle-worn status as a Marine Vice Admiral, or perhaps just the two cigars in his mouth at all times.

There’s a wholesome youthfulness to the appearance of Kerr and the characters he has played, and I wonder how One Piece will manifest Smoker’s gritty look and nature. In joining the One Piece season 2 villains’ cast, Kerr will be charged with the task of faithfully representing Luffy’s main antagonist from the Loguetown arc, so I hope his anti-hero spark comes off with the energy it deserves. One Piece didn’t cover this arc in season 1, but with a Loguetown reference, “The Beginning and the End,” confirmed as the next episode’s title, it looks set for season 2, making Kerr’s role even more central.

One Piece Season 1’s Perfect Casting Has Earned My Trust For Season 2

Callum Kerr Will Probably Be A Good Match For Smoker

One Piece’s ideal casting for season 1 gives me faith that Callum Kerr will make a solid choice for Smoker and will successfully translate the character from the manga. The Straw Hat Pirates were all excellently portrayed in the show, and the bickering between Emily Rudd’s Nami and Mackenyu’s Zoro had arguably even more depth than it did in the manga or anime. What’s more, DC villain actor David Dastmalchian has been flawlessly cast as One Piece season 2 villain Mr. 3, giving me even more reason to believe that the show will continue its winning streak with cast members.

I may not have seen Callum Kerr in grizzled fantasy roles before, but his square jaw is more than a match for Smoker’s tough-looking grimace. The difficulty in making anime characters come to life in live-action shows is playing them with just enough flamboyance to ensure they come across as an anime character, and just enough nuance to be credible. While Callum Kerr’s credentials don’t yet include anime or comic-book characters that would give his performance support, his deep voice and the whiskey-downing lyricism of his country career are indicators that he could make a good Smoker.

Where You Know One Piece Season 2’s Callum Kerr From

Callum Kerr Has Been On British And American TV Shows

My fellow Brits are perhaps the most likely to recognize Callum Kerr. The Scottish actor cut his teeth on British TV shows like Doctors and Armchair Detectives, but he is perhaps best known for playing a police officer in the popular British drama Hollyoaks. Callum Kerr played PC George Kiss in Hollyoaks – a violent police officer who had a nasty disposition, which may provide some useful references for Smoker. Kerr may be familiar to others due to his modeling gigs, as he worked with big brands such as Jaguar, Adidas, and Specsavers.

You may also remember Callum Kerr from Flowers in the Attic: The Origin, a 2022 TV miniseries whereby Kerr starred as Christopher Foxworth, a member of a family with dark secrets. Kerr dyed his hair platinum blonde for this series, which gives a decent indication of how he might look as the white-haired Smoker. Smoker’s signature hairdo was seen at the end of One Piece season 1, and it wasn’t too far from the hair styled on Kerr in the last image he shared in an Instagram post showing off his bleached locks:

If you’re from the US, you may recognize Kerr from the American TV adaptation of the classic British movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. This show earned recognition for featuring Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuelle, known for playing Missandei. Emmanuelle also starred in Hollyoaks, which actually launched her career. The ties and experience amassed throughout Kerr’s acting work saw him progress to his current position – as one of the new One Piece characters for season 2 and an upcoming character in Wheel of Time, he will soon break into major fantasy TV.