Cosplayer Susann Alicia Campaigns for Yamato Role in Netflix's One Piece

The campaign is backed by more than just social media reach. Alicia, known online as LienSue, has spent years cultivating an aesthetic that resonates with the One Piece community. Her commitment to the character was recently validated at streamer Emiru’s fourth annual cosplay contest, where her portrayal of Yamato earned second place in the fan-voted Chat Favorite category. While the win secured a $2,500 prize, Alicia views the performance as a professional audition of sorts, arguing that the intense scrutiny of the One Piece fandom requires an actor who understands the source material intimately.

Securing a role in the high-budget production remains a significant leap from the convention circuit, yet the precedent for such transitions exists. Emily Rudd, who currently plays Nami, famously campaigned for her part and secured the role after a single audition tape. Alicia believes her deep immersion into the manga and anime provides the necessary foundation to portray Yamato, the child of the antagonist Kaido, with the authenticity viewers demand. With the series currently mapped through the Alabasta arc, production remains years away from the Wano narrative, leaving Alicia ample time to continue her pursuit as the show sails toward its future seasons.