What Is The Lera Abova 'Nico Robin' Casting Controversy? The One Piece Live Action Backlash Explained

Netflix just revealed two additions to the cast of One Piece Season 2. Joe Manganiello was cast as the classic villain Crocodile, while the Russian actress Lera Abova is set to take on the role of Nico Robin, a.k.a Miss All Sunday.

Although the casting choice for the characters was widely received with a positive and excited sentiment from both fans of the original manga series and the Netflix series, some outrage and intense debate took over the internet about the streaming company's decision to cast a Russian actress as Robin.

Why is Lera Abova's nationally being the target of xenophobic comments and even sparked a boycott campaign to fire her from the One Piece Live Action series? Here's what we know!

Who Is Lera Abova?

Lera Abova is an actress and model born in Siberia, Russia on November 4th, 1992. According to her Wikipedia page, when she was 13, she moved to Germany and used an electronic translator to communicate until she learned German.

On September 18th, 2024, Abova's name was suddenly a massive trending topic on the internet, after Netflix revealed she was cast to play the fan-favorite character Nico Robin for the One Piece Season 2.

Why Is Lera Abova's Cast As Nico Robin Receiving Backlash Online?

The decision to cast a Russian actress for the role of Nico Robin attracted some backlash from netizens claiming it's inappropriate due to Robin's complex backstory as a victim of genocide and persecution by the World Government for years, relating the fictional character with the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

One of the viral posts criticizing Nico Robin's cast was a fan art uploaded by X 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!"

Some alleged Ukrainian fans of the live action series 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, X 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.

It is important to mention the author of the series Eiichiro Oda has claimed numerous times before that Nico Robin's real-world nationality is Russian.

What Has Lera Abova Said About The Controversy?

Lera Abova has not directly commented about the wave of hateful and xenophobic comments about her heritage, but she posted a long statement via Instagram stories on September 24th 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."

How Did The Internet React To Lera Abova's Cast As Nico Robin Backlash?

Most of the fans came in support of the casting choice for Nico Robin, bringing several mentions from the series' many inspirational and educational messages about the dangers of hate and prejudice in the world. For example, on September X user @RevivalOfPotara shared a panel from the manga in which the character Franky says to Nico Robin "It's never a crime just to exist!!!", condemning @OtomiruTomoshi tweet for "calling an actor a terrorist for existing because of their ethnicity."

For the full history of the Lera Abova "Nico Robin" Casting Controversy, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.