Netflix’s One Piece stars Iñaki Godoy as Luffy, Emily Rudd as Nami, Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, and Taz Skylar as Sanji. All of them play the Straw Hat Pirates, the protagonists of the show. One Piece has received generally positive reviews for its fun, relatively faithful adaptation, characters, and cast.
Also read: Eiichiro Oda Reveals His Biggest Concern About Netflix’s ‘One Piece’ Live-Action Adaptation
But had things gone according to plan for Taz Skylar, he may not have been playing the role of Sanji the chef. He had originally chosen a completely different career path but then unfortunate circumstances dictated a switch to acting and writing, eventually leading him to play Sanji in One Piece.
How did Taz Skylar become an actor and writer?
Taz Skylar was born to a Sierra Leonese/Lebanese father and an English mother and was raised in the Canary Islands. Diagnosed as dyslexic, in addition to being a middle school dropout and legally illiterate, Skylar attempted to join the military; specifically, the Territorial Army which is made up of volunteer soldiers. However, these plans were dashed after a car accident gave him a severe concussion and led to him failing his medical test, thus being unable to enlist.
When Taz Skylar found out that he would have to wait a full year before attempting to enlist again, he decided to turn to performing and writing. He found success in these fields, including starring in Boiling Point, a British independent film released in 2021, renowned for being a one-shot film set in the kitchen of a restaurant. Skylar played a character called Billy in the film and is expected to reprise the role for the upcoming BBC spinoff/sequel of Boiling Point.
Eventually, Skylar landed the role of Sanji in Netflix’s One Piece.
These three words define Sanji in One Piece, says Taz Skylar
Sanji is the chef of the Straw Hat Pirates and is known for fighting only using his legs since he wants to preserve his hands for his cooking. In an interview with GamesRadar, Taz Skylar spoke about how he would define Sanji in three words, saying:
“Romantic, fierce, caring. Romantic, for the obvious reasons. I think he is a romantic. He romanticizes not just other people, but he romanticizes things. He romanticizes what he does, he romanticizes the world. And he’s fierce because he protects both his care and his romanticizing with what is a very adamant ability to protect him and others. And caring, I think that’s my main word. It’s interesting that I put that one last, because if I get to define him in one word, my one word for him would be that he cares… deeply. And that is, again, whether it be things or people. It’s different to romanticizing. Caring, I think, is more of… there is a genuine care that goes beyond his show of it. Even when it comes to someone like Zoro as a character, he may not speak his careness into truth, but he doesn’t not care. If that makes sense. He would risk everything to protect the things that he cares about. Even if that’s a dish. [laughs] Even if that’s the plating of a dish on its way to a table. If he cares, he will protect it. Those are my three words.”
Also read: One Piece: 7 Strongest Naruto Characters That ‘Black Leg’ Sanji Can Beat to a Pulp
From Boiling Point, which is set in a kitchen, to playing a chef in One Piece, Skylar certainly has a knack for picking culinary characters!
Source: Concord Theatricals, GamesRadar
