Photo Credit: Netflix
One Piece fans may have enjoyed Mikaela Hoover’s portrayal of Tony Tony Chopper in Season 2 of the acclaimed Netflix adaptation, but the Superman star came very close to passing on the opportunity altogether. In a recent interview, Hoover revealed that she had initially rejected the chance to join the cast of the live-action One Piece series, only to go back on her decision a week later.
Mikaela Hoover initially rejected Chopper’s role in Netflix’s One Piece
The Love Hard star, who frequently collaborates with James Gunn on big-screen projects, revealed that she initially said no to playing Chopper in Netflix’s One Piece after thinking it was simply a voice-acting role.
“I initially thought it was just a voice audition, so I turned it down,” Mikaela Hoover told The Seattle Times. However, her agent contacted her a week later, asking her to go through the script again before permanently rejecting the part. After taking a closer look at her role, Hoover realized that she would be required to shoot in motion capture, which convinced her to take up the opportunity.
After officially casting her in the series, the One Piece team revealed to Hoover that she will be portraying Chopper, the fan-favorite human-reindeer hybrid. “That was quite the shock when I found out. I was crying. I was so excited, I couldn’t believe it,” she said while explaining her reaction.
Having dismissed the part at first, the How I Met Your Mother actress now considers her time in the One Piece series as one of the greatest experiences of her career. “It was similar to what I’ve seen Andy Serkis do,” Hoover noted, alluding to the Gollum actor’s numerous motion-capture performances. “It was great because I didn’t have to worry about makeup or looking pretty. I could just embody the character.”
Notably, Mikaela Hoover made her One Piece debut as Chopper in Season 2, which premiered all of its episodes on Netflix on March 10, 2026.
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net.
