The newest member of the cast of One Piece Live-Action Season 3 has given its first update. Xolo Maridueña, who was officially announced in the role of Portgas D. Ace almost two months ago, has made his first statement about the show.The short answer would be yes. Maridueña made this statement in a newly released clip for One Piece Live-Action Season 3 posted on August 31, 2026. The cast was announced back in November, but this is the very first time Maridueña has mentioned it in his own words.Xolo Maridueña Talks About Joining AceXolo Maridueña image via Twitter/@onepiecenetflixAccording to Maridueña, he shared his thoughts on his casting as Ace for One Piece Live-Action Season 3. He recalls saying he got bombarded with messages from the moment the news about his casting broke. People connected with him via messages, including both friends and acquaintances.He talks about the overall large size of filming and mentions that filming took place in the hot sun of South Africa, and this is why he jokes that he will miss that sun. He ends by saying that he might be taking one small thing as a souvenir from the set, likely the signature hat of Ace's character.Who Is Portgas D. AceFire Fist Portgas D. Ace - Source: Toei AnimationAce is an important character in the source manga and anime. He is the older brother of Luffy and is similar in his reckless nature, though he is slightly more realistic in his way of functioning. He is associated with the group of Whitebeard Pirates, which is known as one of the strongest teams in the whole series.Ace's powers are derived from the powers of the Flame-Flame Fruit, which gives him the ability to handle fire and make himself into fire. He is kind in nature, is very loyal, and has experienced one of the most touching moments in the series. He made his debut in this storyline.Getting the best representation of this character is not an easy task. Many people were hoping that Maridueña would be given this character after knowing the chemistry between the two.What Netflix's One Piece Live-Action Season 3 Will CoverOne Piece Live-Action Season 3 carries the subtitle "The Battle of Alabasta," pulling from one of the most cherished arcs in Eiichiro Oda's original story. In this segment, the narrative introduces its first genuine big-time antagonist, one that possesses actual influence in the world.The plot follows Luffy and his team on their journey to save Princess Vivi’s beloved kingdom from a coup, orchestrated by a warlord named Sir Crocodile, a notorious Devil Fruit wielder who is operating under the auspices of the criminal organization called Baroque Works.The filming of One Piece Live-Action Season 3 was recently completed in Cape Town, South Africa. Although Netflix has not revealed the exact release date, the season is expected to drop sometime in 2027.Cast Additions Rounding Out the SeasonThere are plenty of new faces joining forces with Maridueña. Cole Escola will play Bon Clay, while Daisy Head plays Ms. Doublefinger. Awdo Awdo joins the cast as Mr. 1 and has found a nice company in Emilio Sakraya, who plays Koza.Returning actors include Charithra Chandran (Princess Vivi), Joe Manganiello (Crocodile), Lera Abova (Ms. All Sunday), and Sendhil Ramamurthy (King Cobra). Many actors among them have been promoted to be regulars on the show.With filming done, people are getting excited about One Piece Live-Action Season 3. The performance of Maridueña as Ace is one of the major points of interest leading up to the 2027 release.