The One Piece Podcast: OPLA! #13 — “Daddy Issues Wapol”

Special Guest: Rob Colletti (Wapol in the One Piece Live Action Series)
Hosts: Zach & Alex
Release Date: April 8, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode of the OPLA! segment, Zach and Alex chat with Rob Colletti, the actor behind Wapol in Netflix’s live action One Piece adaptation. The discussion dives into Rob’s casting journey, his approach to embodying one of One Piece’s most despicable (and unexpectedly hilarious) villains, the physical and emotional intensity of the role, and the collaborative artistry that brings such an over-the-top character to life. Rob shares behind-the-scenes details about the show’s practical effects, costumes, and the surprising connections between Wapol and the broader themes of the series.

1. Rob Coletti’s Casting and Introduction to One Piece

[01:24 – 06:52]

• Rob’s Broadway Background:

  • Previously performed in The Book of Mormon and has been involved in Broadway since 2014.
  • Was between roles when cast as Wapol.

• Landing the Role:

  • "I just got very lucky... I had no idea what One Piece was before I auditioned for it." — Rob Colletti [02:33]
  • The audition process used code names and scripts not pulled from the One Piece canon.
  • Tried an Italian accent, thinking the code name “Alessandro” suggested this, but was later told to use his natural voice.
  • Initial inspiration for the character drew on figures like King Joffrey (Game of Thrones) and historic despots: “I kind of got this vibe of, like, King Joffrey… but also didn’t want to lean into the spoiled brattiness.” — Rob Colletti [03:37]

• Moment of Realization:

  • After booking the role, suddenly saw One Piece everywhere—a “kismet moment” with ads on the Vegas Sphere and NYC buses.

2. Creating Live-Action Wapol

[06:52 – 15:52]

• Interpreting the Character:

  • Rob intentionally did not watch the anime:
    "I was very intentional about not wanting to do that. I still haven’t. I don’t know what Wapol sounds like at all from the voice actors... I only can assume what he's like based on the manga." — Rob Colletti [08:47]

• Balancing Menace and Comedy:

  • Hosts praise Rob’s “menacing tone” and comedic timing: "Wapol is one of these guys that you love to hate.” — Alex [07:12]

• Theatricality and Physical Choices:

  • Prosthetics and costume (especially the jaw) inspired unique physical behaviors:
    "Just having it [the jaw] on made me want to, like, move my face left and right… had to think about how my eyes looked over the jaw." — Rob Colletti [09:29]
  • Director encouraged Rob to go “bigger” with his performance due to prosthetic coverage on camera.

• Rooting the Villain in Humanity:

  • Despite Wapol's "cartoonish evil," Rob sought to embed a tragic, human element:
    "He is a cruel and demented individual, but it had to be rooted in some kind of humanity...the decision was...this idea that he wanted to impress his daddy. He never had his father’s love." — Rob Colletti [13:05]

3. The Drum Island Arc and Wapol's Role

[15:52 – 19:00]

• Significance for Fans:

  • Hosts highlight Drum Island’s “weight and heart,” placing it above many popular arcs.
  • "Wapol is a bastard and he's hilarious.” — Zach [16:14]

• Portrayal of Evil in One Piece:

  • Discussion of Wapol’s function as both a source of catharsis and comic relief after intensely emotional storylines.
  • Rob contextualizes Wapol’s cruelty in real-world parallels:
    "Just, like, cartoonishly evil, you mentioned. And then you see in real life there are people who are so cartoonishly evil." — Zach [18:02]

4. Filming Challenges and Body Horror

[19:39 – 25:36]

• The “Mouth Opening” Scene:

  • VFX team used physical props/wire frames for reference, but the effect was mostly digital.
  • Rob fought to keep a sense of struggle in scenes where Wapol uses his powers:
    "We should maybe root this physical transformation that occurs...to not just be like easy and funny. It should be a struggle still and a worthwhile struggle for him." — Rob Colletti [20:11]

• Body Horror Element:

  • The jaw-opening was performed with real gurgling and strain. Shooting was grueling:
    "By the end of the last take, I felt like I was about to faint because I'm wearing all that armor." — Rob Colletti [24:47]

5. Makeup, Costuming, and Set Practicality

[25:36 – 46:13]

• Makeup Process:

  • Two and a half hours daily to get into wig, makeup, hippo hood, and prosthetic jaw.
  • Full face painted black, food coloring in mouth, purple eyebrows.
  • Costume, armor, and cape “combine to weigh almost 80 pounds.” At times, inside temperature reached 130°F!
  • Cooling vest piped with ice water used between shots:
    "…the armor and the cape, the hood, the paws, all of it combines to weigh almost 80 pounds." — Rob Colletti [28:48]

• On Acting While Encased:

  • The discomfort and restriction “viscerally created a physical response” that fed Wapol’s natural frustration and rage.

• Practical Sets and Immersion:

  • Sets such as Crocodile’s office and the throne room were built for real, not just green screen work.
  • The throne room included full-size (20 ft. tall!) custom portraits and extremely detailed props.
  • "Literally an entire arts department built a set around things that look like me." — Rob Colletti [45:52]

• Art Department Easter Eggs:

  • The art team used Rob’s social media pics as models for some Wapol paintings seen in the set.

6. On Wapol’s Humanity and Legacy

[31:00 – 33:29]

• Redemption and Long-Term Storytelling:

  • Rob receives messages from fans asking whether he’ll return for potential future arcs adapting Wapol's later involvement (e.g., Vivi, world government).
  • "Oda really is maybe the best living long form storyteller on planet Earth." — Rob Colletti [32:56]

• Rob’s Manga Experience:

  • Committed to reading the manga only up to the storylines covered by the show; now planning to keep going, aiming for Alabasta and Water Seven.

7. Rob’s Career and Other Roles

[35:34 – 39:10]

• Past Work:

  • Brief part in The Sopranos prequel movie, which he describes as a dream for a fan of the show.

• Origin Story:

  • Introduced to acting by accident: pressured into auditioning for a high school musical while waiting for baseball practice.
  • “I totally got bit by the theater bug—and I ended up quitting baseball and just doing all the plays…” — Rob Colletti [38:37]

8. Favorite Moments on Set

[39:41 – 46:13]

• Acting Highlights:

  • Loved working with Charithra (Vivi), Inyaki (Luffy), Emily, Taz, and others—cited camaraderie and fun especially filming the final showdown.
  • Favorite specific scene: receiving and eating the devil fruit in Crocodile’s office—set was entirely practical, and the scene was new to the live-action adaptation.
  • "Being in Crocodile’s office, that’s all practical there… it was such a blast to walk in that space and just, like, feel the presence of the moment.” — Rob Colletti [40:27]

• Shooting the Devil Fruit Scene:

  • Prop was “a gum gelatin thing… very little flavor,” with a sweet cake-like exterior and tasteless gummy/pudding inside. Multiple takes required “resetting” the prosthetic and makeup.

• Cast Chemistry:

  • Rob describes working with Mark Herlick as both inspiring and challenging—you don’t want to be mean to such a nice person!

9. Reflections and Fandom

[47:54 – 52:26]

• Action Figure Realization:

  • Surreal for Rob to see a Wapol action figure of himself, a childhood dream achieved.
  • Shouts out Inyaki as an especially kind costar, making him feel welcome.

• Fan Engagement:

  • Hopes to join convention/expo circuit to meet fans: “The fans have been so nice, I just want to meet everyone.”

10. Where to Find Rob Colletti

[52:40 – 53:01]

• Instagram: @robcoletti
• New on TikTok with the same handle.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Not Watching the Anime:
  "I wanted to make sure that I completely avoided it. And I mean, doing theater is certainly part of the reason why I think that I was able to quickly adjust to doing something like this." — Rob Colletti [08:47]

• On Wapol’s Motivation:
  "The idea that he wanted to impress his daddy. He never had his father’s love...there's this very obvious sad and broken man inside of Wapol." — Rob Colletti [13:05]

• On Body Horror:
  "The gurgling, like, strained sound when my jaw opens and the soldier is about to reveal...that was me on the day, just kind of coming up with it in the moment." — Rob Colletti [24:47]

• On the Physical Toll:
  "The armor and the cape, the hood, the paws, all of it combines to weigh almost 80 pounds… over 120 degrees in there." — Rob Colletti [28:48]

• On Set Design:
  “To walk onto a set and see that literally an entire arts department built a set around things that, like, look like me… it was a very surreal pinch me moment.” — Rob Colletti [45:52]

• On Oda's Storytelling:
  "Oda really is maybe the best living long form storyteller on planet Earth." — Rob Colletti [32:56]

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------| | 01:24 | Introduction, Rob joins | | 02:33 | Rob’s casting story | | 06:52 | First time booking via self-taped audition | | 08:47 | Approach: avoiding the anime, reading only manga | | 13:05 | Humanization and “Daddy Issues” for Wapol | | 19:39 | Watching the finished product, VFX mouth scenes | | 25:36 | Makeup/chair process, armor, managing intense heat | | 30:16 | How Wapol is “his own worst enemy” | | 39:41 | Favorite scenes and set experience | | 46:39 | Wapol as Napoleon/Christ in set paintings | | 48:43 | Devil fruit prop details | | 51:44 | Future prospects, hopes for more roles/fan meetings | | 52:40 | Social media and closing plugs |

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a rich look at the acting process and set-building magic behind the One Piece live action adaptation, focusing on one of its most unique villains. Rob Colletti’s thoughtful approach to Wapol—balancing outrageous wickedness with a thread of tragic humanity—has resonated with both manga purists and new fans alike. Stories of sweat, prosthetics, grueling discomfort, and actorly camaraderie paint a vivid picture of the work it takes to translate Oda’s wild, charismatic world from page to screen.

For more insights, follow Rob Colletti on Instagram and TikTok (@robcoletti), and stay tuned for next week’s interview with Aura, singer of Tony Tony Chopper’s theme!