Ian McShane is an extremely well-known and respected actor. Being best known for his work in projects like American Gods, Game of Thrones, Deadwood, and John Wick, he has established himself as a true talent throughout his lengthy career. His most recent appearance also happens to be the one that stands out the most from his filmography.
The actor recently took part in the Netflix live-action adaptation of the iconic anime and manga, One Piece, narrating a short but integral sequence in it. It would not be far-fetched to say that being a part of a project like this certainly does like seem like his cup of tea. It would seem, however, that the actor has a very specific and heartfelt reason why he starred in the series.
Ian McShane Had No Idea What One Piece Was
Ian McShane played a very important role in the One Piece adaptation. While his appearance was limited, being a small scene compared to the big series, he played the role of the narrator for one of the most significant moments in this entire series. The John Wick actor narrated the execution of Gold Roger. McShane recently gave an interview with The Big Thing, where he spoke about how he ended up getting this role in the series.
“I tell you, I only knew about [One Piece] because one day I got a call, and they said, “Why don’t you do this?” I thought about the people I had, and with my youngest grandson… I phoned him,”
The actor explained that he was not familiar with the manga or the anime in the very least. The first time he heard of the series was when he received the call that asked him to be a part of this. Knowing that there was one person in his family who would know what this series was about, McShane consulted his grandson.
Ian McShane’s Grandson Was The Reason Why He Joined The Cast
Coincidentally, Ian McShane’s grandson was more than a little familiar with the series. The actor revealed that not only did he know about the anime, he had been watching it ever since he was very young, being a huge fan of the series. He also informed his grandfather that the series initially started as a manga, which was adapted into an anime, and was now getting adapted into a live-action series.
“I called him and asked “Do you know about this show?” He went, “Grandad… I’ve been watching this show since I was a kid.” He said it started off as a manga then anime and now it’s here. He said it’s great.”
Understanding how much it would mean to his grandson, McShane took on this role as the narrator, regardless of how small his appearance would be. His grandson even ended up watching the Netflix series and loving it.
