Taz Skylar’s tears at the end of the One Piece Season 2 filming were not just for the cameras; they were real tears of relief. When Taz Skylar said that he “couldn’t believe that I was somehow still in one piece … I knew at the very least I had done my best,” the pun was obvious for the One Piece fans out there. But what wasn’t obvious was that Taz Skylar was not just being funny. He was being literal. For Taz Skylar, being the voice of Sanji has been a full-contact sport from the first season. Taz Skylar has been putting in 8-10 hours a day, with serious leg injuries, and duct-taping his legs together for the final fight scenes where Sanji kicks his enemies. Taz Skylar does not want to be benched or replaced by a stunt double. That alone makes Taz Skylar the “Real Life Sanji.”
The actor completed his toughest stunt yet
For the upcoming Season 2 of One Piece, which covers the Alabasta storyline, things are going to take off for Taz Skylar. Taz Skylar is adding special forces training and Lucha Libre techniques to give Sanji’s kicks some real oomph. Taz Skylar is also doing the spinning kicks himself, as opposed to using CGI.
According to insiders, what finally snapped him out emotionally was to redo the take for the Party Table Kick Course stunt—that crazy spinning handstand attack. Being able to pull that off on the final day without harming his body is one of those things that hits him all at once after the adrenaline wears off.
Taz confessed to having gone, “I knew at the very least I had done my best.” This was when he started to cry.
What’s perhaps more touching is that Taz’s stunt double isn’t really a stunt double. Taz’s trainer is the one who’s been assisting him on the set, just off-camera. Taz’s trainer has been guiding him through the various stunts instead of replacing him. “He’s not my replacement; he’s my cheerleader. When we finished that last take, we both just lost it. It felt like winning a championship, not just finishing a job. “ Both Taz and his stunt trainer were reported to have cried after getting that final shot done. It was like winning a championship instead of ending a season.
Given that Season 2 is set to premiere in March 2026, and Water 7/Enies Lobby is likely to be next, Taz is already pre-training for even crazier stunts involving the air. At the rate things are going, fans are already joking that Taz will be unlocking Diable Jambe for real. And honestly? We wouldn’t doubt that.
