onepiece
Casey Crafford / Netflix Tudum — editorial use, removal on request
Quick answers
- Who plays Usopp in Netflix's One Piece?
- Jacob Romero plays Usopp in Netflix's live-action One Piece (Season 1 & 2).
- Who is Usopp?
- Usopp (Sniper): The crew's sniper and storyteller — a chronicler of tall tales who is slowly fighting his way into the brave warrior of the sea he claims to already be.
The character
The crew's sniper and storyteller — a chronicler of tall tales who is slowly fighting his way into the brave warrior of the sea he claims to already be. Every lie he tells has a habit of coming true.
Character development
From village liar to the man who saved the crew wearing a hero mask he invented on the spot. His lie "I am the brave warrior of the sea" keeps coming true: each arc he is terrified of, he walks into anyway — and the world keeps rewarding him with bigger and bigger bounties.
Powers & abilities
- Elite sniper — hits targets across islands; awakened Observation Haki at range
- Kuro Kabuto slingshot with plant-based Pop Green ammunition
- Inventor: gadgets, smoke bombs, and tricks that bail out the whole crew
The actor
Jacob Romero — as Usopp · Season 1 & 2.
Jacob Romero, born in Denver, Colorado in 1996, worked television (including Grey's Anatomy) and independent film for years before One Piece — and kept a parallel life as a DJ and dancer along the way. Before the show aired he wrote to fans about the weight of expectation that comes with Usopp; today he passes one million followers on Instagram (@bookofjacob), where movement and joy are the house philosophy.
Known for
- One Piece (Netflix, 2023–)
- Grey's Anatomy
- DJing and dance work
The casting story
Romero was, as press coverage put it at the time, a little-known supporting actor when he landed one of the most beloved roles in anime — a leap he has described as the moment his persistence paid off. Since the premiere he has become one of the production's most visible ambassadors, from Usopp-reaction videos to a Reuters interview about how long the series could run.
Why this casting works
Jacob Romero gives Usopp the trickiest balance in the cast: coward and hero in the same breath, played completely straight. His Usopp is the audience's way into the adventure — terrified, delighted, and rising to it anyway.
The fan corner
The fans' line about Romero has entered fandom canon: "he didn't just play Usopp — he literally IS real-life Usopp," an underdog storyteller who kept believing. Mashable amplified the take until it stuck, and his reaction videos to Usopp fancams and fan art are among the cast's most-shared social moments.
Community reaction and speculation — shared because it's fun, not because it's fact.