Cosplayer Frustrated With Netflix Casting Xolo Maridueña as Ace in One Piece Live Action Season 3

Brazilian Ace cosplayer Lucas Amorim, who had spent years campaigning to be cast as Ace in Netflix’s One Piece Live-Action, finally snapped after not getting the role. On the internet, he has shown apparent frustration with Netflix casting Xolo Maridueña as Ace.

In fact, he went to great lengths to land the role. He launched the #LucasForAce hashtag, trained his body to resemble Ace, learned Japanese, practiced fire-handling, and even filmed multiple audition clips. But all that led to nothing.

Lucas’s long-held dream came to an end after Netflix’s announcement. It may sound like a sad situation on the surface, but how much should we really empathize with Lucas? Some fans claim that the outcome was deserved, even though he does bear a striking resemblance to Ace. Here’s what Lucas had to say, followed by fans’ reactions to the news.

Lucas Blames Netflix for Being Biased Toward Certain Actors

Portgas D. Ace from One Piece | Credits: Toei Animation

In a past video, Lucas opened up about how he had done almost everything humanly possible to get the role and even inspired people around the world with his dream. Yet, despite all that effort, he never even got the chance to audition for the role of Ace.

In 20 months, I learned to do magic with fire, studied martial arts, trained my body...

He expressed frustration about how the industry (possibly referring to Netflix) shuts out Brazilians and Latinos from major opportunities, though he clarified he wasn’t calling out any specific actor. According to him, he simply wanted to highlight how difficult it can be for aspiring actors outside the Hollywood circle to land an opportunity.

When I talk about how hard it is for Latinos and Brazilians to get opportunities in the industry, I wasn’t talking about anyone specific.

Still, how much of that is true isn’t really known. Netflix has a reputation for hiring top talent, and most fans seem pretty happy with Xolo Maridueña’s casting as Ace, even if Lucas’s passion for the role can’t be denied. There’s a difference between cosplaying and acting.

Lucas Is Just a Fan Cosplayer, While Xolo Is Originally an Actor

While cosplaying does a great job of bringing some of our favorite fictional characters to life, it really shouldn’t be compared to professional acting. The two are worlds apart. Acting requires a whole different level of training, expression, and emotional depth. That’s what many fans have been pointing out amid the recent debate.

i've seen my fair share of egoing in the last 12+ years but this one's in the hall of fame 100 percent pic.twitter.com/XReaVWT56k

Sometimes, cosplayers can get a little too confident, believing they’d be perfect for the live-action version of the character they love. But that’s not always the case. There’s a big difference between looking the part and becoming the character on screen.

Some are even saying that striking poses and recreating iconic moments for photos or videos is fun, sure, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into real acting. Acting demands a lot more.

mogging at a camera and making cute poses does not make an actor

So with that in mind, what do you think? Should dedicated cosplayers be given a fair shot at major roles, or is acting something best left to trained professionals?

One Piece Live Action Season 2 is scheduled to air on March 10, 2026, and you can already watch Season 1 on Netflix.