Lera Abova "Nico Robin" Casting Controversy

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IT'S NEVER A CRIME JUST TO FROM AS FAR BACK AS SHE CAN REMEMBER, HER EXISTENCE IS A CRIME!!! EXIST !!!

sy / sylvia @w[mxnnx Anyways, it's never a crime just to exist Tomoshi Otomiru @OtomiruTomoshi - Sep 20 #ONEPIECE #OnePieceNetflix x.com/onepiecenetfli... I'm not a terrorist LER ABOVA MISS ALL SUNDAY and I dont Want to be a Terrorist!

XBL(ewd) @EwdXbl This woman dose not deserve the hate she is getting. A person is not the country they were born in, let alone one she hasn't lived in for 20 years, and everyone getting upset at this is stupid. ITS A T.V. SHOW!!! Get a life and stop harassing this woman. Netflix @netflix - Sep 20 Miss All Sunday at your service. One Piece's Lera Abova at #GeekedWeek! 5:56 AM - Sep 22, 2024 335 Views

боровичoк @Levi_Borovychok - 23h Netflix supports genocide. 14 1735 2.9K Il 19K чулася потужна бавовна @bigbo4ek - 17h Mmm, @netflix is now a genocide supporter :) Maybe next step would be filming something in russia? 7 18 2K Il 15K Kateryna Halushka @katalina_ada - 12h Netflix supports genocide. 12 149 3.1K lil 19K ធ Гіль @i_gil - Sep 21 So the character that is a survivor of a genocide is played by an actress who's country is currently committing a genocide? Tone deaf af 36 158 5.4K ill 36K 口企 Call me Pavlo⭑@pavlo_tomiak - Sep 21 A piece of russian s--- 12 178 Варнак, надреп @radykalniy - 8h This actress sold me fentanyl 3 132 2K Ilil 16K 1 419 ill 7.2K

Alex @Acestarsz Follow X A Z!onist tweeting this is low key hilarious ngl ESPECIALLY when one of the BIGGEST character moments involving Nico Robin is about her being allowed to live despite living her entire life like an outcast who was told her existence was a crime BUILDING YOU MUST NO YOUR MERE EXISTENCE NOT LIVE I THIS WORL ROBIN!!! MATTER WHAT KIND OF SAND IT IS! THERE'S NOTHING GOOD AND NOTHING BAD... ...NO MATTER WHAT WEAPON YOU'VE GOT... YOU'RE NOT THE ONE WHOL BE HURTING THEM, RIGHT? ...JUST BEING ISN'T A CRIME!! THE GOVERNMENT PEOPLE CALL YOUR EXISTENC A CRINE, BUT... IS YOUR GREATEST SIN!!! ROBIN!!! EXISTING IS NOT A CRIME FOR AS LONG AS SHE CAN REMEMBER HER VERY EXISTENCE HA BEEN A CRIME !!!

Alexander The Vegito King | @RevivalOfPotara · Follow Calling an actor a terrorist for existing because of their ethnicity meanwhile you're a zionist get off my f------ series you scum. X IT'S Tomoshi Otomiru @OtomiruTomoshi Follow тестина всю історію існування Ізраїлю напада NEVER чеї і творила повний піздець, і це відбувалося А CRIMEЖИ для того щоб забрати собі території і Чернути євреїв в іслам. І тут коли Ізраїль нареш JUST і відсіч, його засрали і назвали терористами. пестина нічим не краще за Росію. TO EXIST slated from Ukrainian by Google !!! stine has been attacking Israel for the entire history of tence and making a complete mess, and this happened in order to take the territories and convert the Jews to n. And here, when Israel finally fought back, it was f--- nd called terrorists. Palestine is no better than Russia.

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Overview

Lera Abova "Nico Robin" Casting Controversy refers to the internet reaction and controversy surrounding Russian actress Lera Abova being cast as the character Nico Robin for the second season of the One Piece live-action Netflix show. Although the majority of fans met the casting with positive feedback, some netizens disagreed with the choice because of Abova's Russian heritage, claiming it is inappropriate given Russia's ongoing war with Ukraine. A boycott movement against Netflix was started on X / Twitter in mid-September 2024 in which people canceled their subscriptions to the streaming platform and demanded a recast of the character.

Background

On September 18th, 2024, the X^[1] page @OP_Netflix_Fan revealed that Russian actress and model Lera Abova will be playing the role of Nico Robin in the second season of Netflix's live-action One Piece adaptation. The tweet (seen below) amassed more than 50,000 likes and 10,000 reposts in four days.

LERA ABOVA NICO ROBIN Anna, Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, Honey Don't!, Exterritorial XOOPLAfandom r/OnePieceLiveAction discord.gg/opla XOOP_NETFLIX_FAN

Developments

Lera Abova Casting Boycott

Within hours of Lera Abova's announcement for the role of Nico Robin in mid-September 2024, the decision to cast a Russian actress caused considerable dissatisfaction among Ukrainian fans of the series, as well as others.

For example, on September 18th, 2024, X^[2] user @hka_toto posted an image of Monkey D. Luffy with the overlay text, "Russians are not my nakama." The post (seen below) amassed more than 3,400 likes and 220 reposts in four days.

One of the viral posts criticizing Nico Robin's cast was a fan art uploaded by X^[3] user @OtomiruTomoshi on September 20th, 2024, in which they drew the character pointing at a picture of Lera Abova with the text, "I'm not a terrorist and I don't want to be a terrorist!" The post (seen below) amassed over 6 million views and 8,200 likes in two days.

I'm not a terrorist LER ABOVA MISS ALL SUNDAY and I dont Want to be a Terrorist!

Some Ukrainians also started posting under the "#boycottNetflix" hashtag, accusing the streaming company of supporting Russia in the ongoing war, while also sharing screenshots of them canceling their subscriptions to the service.

For instance, on September 20th, 2024, X^[4] user @istota__ tweeted in Ukranian that they hoped the boycott of Netflix would reach a high level of people, "because well, they went to hell. Think about it, take on the role of a woman whose house was destroyed, a victim of genocide… you bastard. You're stupid #boycottNetflix," they wrote. The post (seen below) received roughly 5,400 likes and 550 reposts in two days.

дед інсайд @istota__. Sep 20 Сподіваюсь бойкот нетфліксу вийде на великий рівень, бо ну пішли вони нахуй. Ви вдумайтесь, брати на роль жінки чий дім знищели,жертви геноциду...довбану росню. Тупо лециміри #boycottNetflix

Lera Abova's Response

On September 24th, 2024, Lera Abova did not directly comment about the wave of hateful and xenophobic comments about her heritage, but she posted a long statement via Instagram stories, thanking all the support and heartwarming reception by One Piece fans, writing that she "discovered so much about Miss All Sunday that resonates deeply with my own heart, soul, and who I am as a person."

A few days ago, I was introduced to something I didn't know existed: a whole community of such loyal fans who will protect and uplift you, just like each of the Straw Hats would. Thank you to everyone on the team for casting me, and especially to Matt for fighting for Miss All Sunday and opening up a whole new world to me. I wasn't very familiar with Miss All Sunday at first, but I've come to understand what she means to people and what she represents. I realize that some may not appreciate the fact that I wasn't initially very knowledgeable about the show (though I was aware of the "I WANT TO LIVE" part!) and its significance to so many. I've done my research and continue to do so. I've discovered so much about Miss All Sunday that resonates deeply with my own heart, soul, and who I am as a person. That's what I love about the show - you can see yourself in the characters you admire. I feel so loved by so many incredible people. Deep people. Strong people. People who are so special, both individually and as a community. After seeing all the fan casting, I can finally say:Jojo, you were right all along the cope was real! So many great and talented actors were considered for this role, and it was a really hard journey to get here. I still can't believe I was the one chosen - it feels surreal, even now. I used to work in Japan for about four years in my 20s. I loved everything about my time there, and I can't wait to be back- not as a model, but as one of the most iconic characters in the history of manga and anime. I can't wait for you to see what we've done for Season Two, and I will, of course, do my absolute best to bring Miss All Sunday to life, so that you, as the biggest part of the One Piece family, feel proud and happy. Thank you, Oda Sensei, for creating this wonderful piece of culture that shows us life is about friendship and love for one another. That together we can conquer any battle that comes our way, and that life truly comes from within us. ありがとうございます

I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who's been part of my journey since I began acting. To my incredible team: @paradigmtalentagency, @afa_primetalent, @partnerincrimemgmt - thank you for standing by me through thick and thin, for always believing in me, and for seeing something special in me, even when I couldn't always see it myself. It might sound cliché, but it's the absolute truth. A huge thank you to my amazing coach @goli.samii, who pours her heart and soul into our work. She's been by my side 24/7, and her dedication has been such a key part of my growth - not just as an actor but as an artist as whole. And of course, my family & friends who held me close during my darkest times, when I couldn't see the light or a future at the end of the tunnel. I love you all! You'll always have a special place in my heart.

I've received so, so, so much love over the past few days, and while I can't respond to each of you individually, I truly wish I could. Please know that I see you all - your edits, your comments, your videos - on every platform. You guys are funny, dedicated, and simply amazing. BIG LOVE TO YOU, NAKAMA! Being on that stage at @netflixgeeked felt like I was on top of the world! YOU made me feel that way. Thank you to @netflix, @onepiecenetflix, @cinemattic1, and everyone else involved in everything surrounding One Piece. You are all doing an incredible job. P.S. I apologize for taking a whole week to get back to you with my feedback; I was truly overwhelmed - in the best way possible.

Online Reactions

Lera's casting as Nico Robin sparked a viral debate on the internet. Many One Piece fans received the news with positive feedback, even pointing out that the series creator Eiichiro Oda has claimed numerous times before the characters' real-world nationality is Russian.^[5]

For example, on September 21st, 2024, X^[6] user @RevivalOfPotara shared a panel from the manga in which the character Franky says, "It's never a crime just to exist!!!" to Nico Robin, condemning @OtomiruTomoshi for "calling an actor a terrorist for existing because of their ethnicity." The tweet (seen below) amassed more than 15,000 likes and 2,100 reposts in a day.

On September 22nd, 2024, YouTuber^[7] and streamer Asmongold posted a video commenting on the Nico Robin casting controversy, which amassed more than 68,000 views and 5,100 likes in a few hours (shown below).