IN CONVERSATION WITH IÑAKI GODOY

interview by JANA LETONJA

Mexican actor Iñaki Godoy starred in Netflix’s live adaptation series 'One Piece', which was released last August and has been renewed for a second season. Taking Hollywood by storm, Iñaki has captivated audiences with his exceptional talent, versatility, and undeniable on-screen charisma. His magnetic presence and a growing list of impressive roles have placed him on-track to become an artist that both industry peers and the public will continue to talk about.

Iñaki, you starred in Netflix's series 'One Piece'. In the series, you play Monkey D. Luffy, who embarkson a search of the legendary One Piece treasure to become the King of the Pirates. How much have you imagined or wished to be a pirate while growing up?

Of course, I dreamed of being a pirate at some point. I definitely have some pictures of me with an eye patch and a hook. I feel like pirates have universal appeal. I mean, who hasn’t heard about pirates and their awesome adventures. However, I never expected to actually play one. Having the opportunity to play a pirate, especially one like Luffy, takes me back to my childhood and the main reason why I got into acting in the first place. It’s fun.

How would you describe your character, Monkey D. Luffy?

Luffy loves adventure and he isn’t afraid of anything, not even death. He has an extraordinary sense of optimism and a delicate moral compass. He might be clumsy and a little bit ignorant at times, but he is aware of that and he trusts others to guide him when he needs. 

Luffy will do anything for his friends and his dreams, and if anyone gets in his way, he doesn’t hold back. He isn’t a hero, he is a pirate, which means he has one priority above anything else, freedom. He doesn’t care about what others think, which can seem selfish at times, but that’s what pirates do. They do whatever they want. However, unlike other pirates, Luffy shares this freedom with others, which helps bring joy and healing to anyone he meets. And this might just be his biggest strength, his ability to make friends in a very dangerous world. He is destined to become the King of the pirates one day and while doing so, change the world as he goes.

Did you have any stunt training prior to being cast on 'One Piece'?

I didn’t have a lot of stunt experience before filming 'One piece'. I did one stunt workshop during the summer when I was younger, but that was it. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for what this show would ask me to do. That’s why I began training as soon as I heard I got the part. It wasn’t easy, but thanks to the help of the 'One Piece' team and a lot of dedication, I was able to improve my condition and do most of my stunts. I say most because I was very lucky to have my amazing stunt double, Cameron Groep, do the more dangerous and cool looking stuff. He is great and alongside the rest of the stunt team, they taught me many things, such as wire work or my first kick up.

The series has been renewed for a second season. What can the fans expect from this upcoming season?

Luffy and his crew are finally heading to the grand line, so get ready for all the crazy adventures and people they will meet along the way. I can assure you that we have a fun, challenging and very moving journey ahead of us.

What made you pursue acting from such a young age?

When I was 4 years old, my mom signed me up to take musical theater classes in Mexico City, but even before that I knew I wanted to be a performer. I don’t know why, it’s just the way I’ve always been. I enjoy people, feelings and being someone else for a while. Acting is fun and a great way to enjoy as much of life as I can. I can’t think of doing anything else that doesn’t involve storytelling, it’s who I am.

As you made your start in the business at a young age, how was it being on a set of your ealier projects, compared to a series for Netflix for example?

I’ve been lucky to be part of many different types of projects. I’ve done dramas, comedies and, surprisingly, a lot of fantasy-related things. All are special in their own ways. For example, I owe my ability to learn lines quickly to 'La Querida del Centauro', where we would sometimes shoot more than ten scenes a day. '¡Ánimo Juventud!' showed me I could perform dramatic roles that were very different to me, the same goes with 'No abras La Puerta' and even 'Who Killed Sara?'. 'Mexzombies' was the first comedy I did and 'The Imperfects' gave me an understanding of what it meant to be the lead of a show. 

However, nothing can compare to my most recent project with Netflix, 'One Piece'. 'One Piece' is bigger than any of us and there are so many moving parts. The production was so complex that there were times where we would only shoot one scene a day. They built ships and towns just for the show and hired people from all around the world to make it the best it could be. It’s something extraordinary and yet, you get used to it. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how big or small the production is, acting is the only thing I have to do, so all my productions are very similar in that sense for me. It’s still only acting, sometimes on a huge set with expensive cameras and others in a tiny room with just a few people.

'One Piece' is not your first project for Netflix, as you've starred in the popular series 'Who Killed Sara?' and 'The Imperfects' before it. How have these two series impacted your career?

'Who Killed Sara'' was the first show I ever did with Netflix. It opened many doors for me, which eventually led to 'The Imperfects' and 'One Piece'. I feel grateful for the people who gave me a shot during that time and I’m a better performer thanks to the characters I played in both shows. I’m happy that the Netflix team kept an eye on me.

You are also a big supporter of raising awareness around the autoimmune condition, alopecia. Can you tell us more about why it is so dear to you?

My sister was diagnosed with alopecia at three years old. Growing up, it was difficult for her to feel beautiful and confident, something a lot people have a hard time with too. Our hope is to send a message not just about alopecia, but self-acceptance overall. It’s very hard and we likely won’t be the ones to solve this issue, but we have faith that with small acts of kindness we can help create a world where we all feel beautiful in our own way. I have an article on my website inakigodoy.actor if you want to read more about it, but for now, know that looks aren’t everything, even if it feels like they can be. At the end of the day, true lasting beauty comes from the inside and everyone deserves to feel good about themselves.

What is coming up next for you, besides the second season of 'One Piece'? Do you have any special projects you really want to work on, character and story wise?

I don’t know what’s next, I just know that whatever I do, I will do it with passion and responsibility. Personally, I just want to work with interesting people, whatever genre or story it might be. I’m very simple in that sense. Just bring me a great story and I’ll do it.