The rise and fall of the 30-year friendship between Bill Gates and Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates at a Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting.

Rick Wilking/Reuters

• Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have been friends for over 30 years.
• After hitting it off in their first meeting, they worked together on philanthropy for decades.
• But their relationship appears to have cooled in recent years.

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, who both rank high among the richest men in the world, have been friends for decades. It began in the 1990s and led to joint ventures and world-changing philanthropy.

But in recent years, both their business and personal relationships have cooled.

Here's what happened.

A decades-long friendship.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Gates and Buffett's friendship can be traced back to a single day: July 5, 1991.

Gates' mother, Mary, invited the late Meg Greenfield, a Washington Post editor, to her home. Greenfield planned to bring her friend Buffett, Business Insider previously reported.

Gates didn't want to take the day off work.

A young BIll Gates in the early years of Microsoft.

Doug Wilson/CORBIS

Mary Gates pressed her son to join them, but he didn't want to take the day off work, Business Insider reported.

"What were he and I supposed to talk about, P/E ratios?" Gates later wrote in a column for Fortune. But he chose to show up because Greenfield was also planning to bring legendary Post publisher Katharine Graham, with whom Gates wanted to speak.

Buffett made similar comments at the time.

Buffett at a press conference.

Mark Cardwell/Reuters

Buffett didn't particularly want to meet Gates, either.

"While we're driving down there, I said, 'What the hell are we going to spend all day doing with these people? How long do we have to stay to be polite?" Buffett recalled years later to Fortune.

But the pair hit it off immediately.

Buffett joined Gates at a CEO summit at Microsoft headquarters.

Jeff Christensen/Reuters

To the surprise of both men, they hit it off, Fortune reported.

Gates recalled being impressed by Buffett's questions, such as, "If you were building IBM from scratch, how would it look different?"

Gates told Buffett to buy stock in Intel and Microsoft. It was the beginning of a deep friendship and a mutual mentorship.

Friendship and mentorship alike.

Buffett and Gates attend a finance conference.

AP Photo/Paul Sakuma

Buffett has attended multiple Microsoft events, but he's never served on the company's board or invested in the tech company, Business Insider previously reported.

In 2018, he said it would be a conflict of interest due to their close friendship.

But Gates didn't have the same concern.

Buffett and Gates at a Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting.

Thomson Reuters

Gates didn't seem to worry as much about a conflict of interest.

He joined Berkshire Hathaway's board in 2004 after the passing of Buffett's first wife, who was a board member, Market Watch reported.

Both say they have a laser focus.

Both men have said they focus on prioritizing tasks and knowing the value of their time.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Both credit their tremendous success to a laser focus, Alice Schroeder wrote in a biography of Buffett. Gates has written that he's learned from Buffett how to manage his time by prioritizing certain people and tasks.

Shortly after they first met, Gates said he asked Buffett for his favorite business book recommendation, and Buffett lent Gates his copy of "Business Adventures" by John Brooks.

It's now Gates' favorite business book, too, and he still has Buffett's copy.

Joining together on causes.

Warren Buffett, Melinda Gates, and Bill Gates, are seen during an interview in May 2015.

Lacy O'Toole/CNBC/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

They've often joined forces for political and philanthropic causes.

In 2010, Gates and Buffett, along with Gates' then-wife, Melinda French Gates, started The Giving Pledge, which encourages billionaires to donate most of their wealth to charitable causes in their lifetimes or in their wills. To date, about $600 billion has been pledged.

Gates also credits Buffett with inspiring him to found the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000.

Buffett contributed billions to Gates' foundation.

Buffett has given billions to the Gates Foundation.

Nati Harnik/AP

Buffett has given part of his fortune, including Berkshire stocks, to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In 2006, he committed to giving 99% of his wealth to philanthropy and said the Gates Foundation would be the biggest recipient of his donations in his lifetime.

Buffett's contributions to Gates' foundation from 2006 through 2023 total at least $39 billion, accounting for the appreciation of Berkshire stock over time, The New York Times reported.

They've advocated for policy change, too.

Gates and Buffett on Fox Business Network.

Nati Harnik/AP

In 2014, Gates, Buffett, and Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson published a New York Times op-ed pushing for immigration reform.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Buffett called Gates his "science advisor." In February 2020, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $100 million to fight the pandemic.

During the pandemic, they spoke often.

Gates and Buffett once had fun trying out new mattresses.

The Gates Notes, LLC

Pre-pandemic, they'd been seen trying out mattresses in Buffett's hometown, enjoying Dairy Queen, and playing ping pong.

In July 2020, Yahoo's Andy Serwer wrote that during the pandemic Warren and Gates were "talking on a more regular basis." Buffett told Serwer that the two men scheduled a weekly hourlong call, but they usually exceeded the allotted time.

That same year, Gates resigned from his roles at Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft. The billionaire said he wanted "to dedicate more time to philanthropic priorities."

But things have evolved amid Gates's life changes.

Gates attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Over the years, Buffett's feelings about Gates appeared to have cooled. The New York Times reported in August that Buffet began to believe the Gates Foundation had become bureaucratically bloated, hindering philanthropic productivity. He was disheartened to hear some people found Gates rude.

Following the death of disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2019, news emerged that Gates met with Epstein repeatedly. Gates later said the meetings were for philanthropic purposes and were a "huge mistake."

After that, things changed even more.

Gates and French Gates delivered the commencement speech at Stanford University graduates in 2014.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In 2021, Gates and his wife announced their divorce after 27 years of marriage. Shortly after, Buffett resigned from the three-person board at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"My goals are 100% in sync with those of the foundation, and my physical participation is in no way needed to achieve these goals," Buffett said at the time.

Buffett said his gifts to the foundation won't continue after he dies.

Buffett and his children have indicated that their generosity toward the Gates Foundation is limited.

Scott Morgan/Reuters

In a 2022 blog post, Gates said half of the Gates Foundation's resources had come from Buffett's gifts.

However, Buffett, who is 93 years old, said recently that his 2006 commitment to the foundation would remain only while he lived.

In 2023, he detailed plans for his wealth distribution after his death, leaving it to his three children to disseminate. Buffett made no mention of the Gates Foundation, and The New York Times reported his children have unanimously agreed that none of the remaining Berkshire shares will go to the foundation.

Gates has stopped posting as much about Buffett.

The two men seem to have drifted apart in recent years, reports say.

Bennett Raglin/Getty Images

On his blog, Gates once wrote regularly about Buffett.

In 2018, he wrote about how the two friends visited a "fantastic" candy store in Ohama, where Buffett lives and works. In 2019, Gates wrote a post titled "Grilling and chilling with Warren." In 2020, Gates wished Buffet a happy 90th birthday. It included a photo of him holding a cake with Buffett's face on it.

But the few posts from 2021 and 2022 that mention Buffett are strictly business. Instead of writing about goofy guys' trips, Gates thanked Buffett for his generous contributions to the Gates Foundation. In 2023, Gates didn't mention Buffett in a single post. And in his 20-plus posts so far in 2024, Gates has only mentioned Buffett once, again focusing solely on philanthropy.

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I got laid off from Snap after 20 years in tech. I was shocked but quickly became excited.

Lucas Frischmann has worked in tech for over 20 years.

Courtesy of Lucas Frischmann

• Lucas Frischmann was laid off from Snap in February and left the country 1.5 weeks after the notice.
• He'd been working in tech since he was 15 and had roles at Twitter (now X), Meta, Snap, and more.
• Frischmann said the layoff gave him and his wife an opportunity to travel and explore.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lucas Frischmann, a 34-year-old former Snap employee from Los Angeles. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I completed a 3.5-year apprenticeship as a media designer and engineer, and I've been in the tech industry since I was 15.

Then I started my career as a software engineer and later transitioned to different positions at Twitter (now X), Meta, and Snap. At Twitter, I was a senior product manager from 2016 to 2017 before spending four and a half years at Meta in global product and program management roles from 2017 to 2020.

After three years of self-employment, I joined Snap in May 2022 as a technical project manager and was just laid off in February. My feelings about my layoff quickly transitioned from initial shock to recognizing an opportunity.

I finally had the chance to pause, recharge, and explore my dream of traveling, which had been deferred by the pandemic and previous commitments. This traveling period has also reinforced the importance of direct social interactions in an increasingly digital age and helped me spark some new tech ideas.

I received the news of my layoff during an early morning video call and left the country a week later

My manager shared the news with me in an early morning video call, and it kind of felt like a dream come true. Despite the challenges my colleagues faced, which weighed on me emotionally, my immediate reaction was one of positive anticipation.

I'd long aspired to take a significant break, with specific plans for an Asia tour postponed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though unsettling, the layoff coincided with my long-term desire to explore and connect with the world more deeply with my wife — who has a similar layoff experience from Twitch.

Frischmann and his wife in Vietnam.

Courtesy of Lucas Frischmann

We terminated our lease, put everything in storage, and took off just a week and a half after receiving the layoff notice.

Snap gave me a severance package, but I was already prepared for a change

Thanks to prior planning and savings, we weren't concerned about immediate financial stability, job security, or the severance package itself.

Snap's support was within industry norms, enabling me to embark on a journey of self-discovery and exploration soon after receiving notice. Leaving so quickly wouldn't have been possible without the support of our LA friends, who helped us in many ways.

These friends let us keep valuable items at their places, assisted with moving, checked in on us regularly, and even offered us a place to stay before we left — and when we should return.

Frischmann and his wife standing in front of the Duomo di Milano in Italy.

Courtesy of Lucas Frischmann

Our trip has taken us through Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Italy and other parts of Europe, such as Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Each destination has been a chapter of learning and exploration.

Traveling has broadened my perspective of the world, other cultures, and how tech is used to connect people

Our travels have been opportunities to network, learn from diverse business cultures, and understand the global tech landscape.

For instance, Bangkok has offered unique insights into work-life balance and a business pace, which is very different from my US and European experiences. Bangkok's business culture feels much more "laid back and go with the flow," while in the US, we're more focused on execution, momentum, and getting business done more efficiently and quickly.

Currently, I'm offering my expertise and experience to companies facing tech, product, program, or operational challenges. I've used this traveling time to reflect and observe how people use technology and live their lives. I reflected on the modern lifestyle and noted how many people "misuse" their smartphones.

Frischmann and his wife at the Amalfi Coast in Italy.

Courtesy of Lucas Frischmann

Instead of using them to gain knowledge or improve their lives, people often spend time on irrelevant content just for entertainment. This isn't bad in general, but this seems out of balance for most people.

My business idea — LatteLink — was partly inspired by my observations during my trip. I reconnected with many friends, and while it's great to see how paths are changing, it's also very sad to realize that we're losing touch with old friends so quickly.

This period of travel isn't just a break but a quest for new ventures and opportunities

I originally wanted to build an app where users could connect locally, like in a coffee shop, but I've shifted focus to creating a kind of personal customer relationship management (CRM) system to maintain meaningful relationships beyond social media and provide valuable tools for individuals, not just businesses.

In my friend circle, fewer and fewer people are using social media. My current project aims to help maintain meaningful relationships through regular check-ins and updates.

Frischmann and his wife standing in a rice field in Bali, Indonesia.

Courtesy of Lucas Frischmann

I came up with this idea as I struggled to keep up with all my connections. While traveling, I met an old work colleague, and it turned out we both lived two years in the same city but never met.

Traveling also helped me zoom out and see the bigger picture, not just the tunnel view of tech. For example, I'm about to invest in a real estate project for tourism, which I'd never thought of doing before — my focus was 100% on tech.

Looking back, I see the layoff as a pivotal, positive turning point for me

It's been an opportunity for growth and exploration. It's also allowed me to engage with the world in new ways, like going to a coffee shop during the week and talking to people.

Traveling with my wife has been rewarding for both of us. We don't have a formal plan; we just have a loose checklist we're trying to complete for now, which gives us a sense of adventure and adaptability.

I'm excited to see where this path of exploration — both of the world and of myself — leads.

If you were laid off from a tech company and want to share your story, please email Manseen Logan at mlogan@businessinsider.com.

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A stretch of Florida beaches has soared from a lesser-known gem to 'the Hamptons of the South'

Inlet Beach, Florida, is one of the communities that makes up 30A.

Courtesy of the Blankenship Group

• 30A is a string of Florida towns and beaches between Destin and Panama City, two spring-break hot spots.
• Named for the highway running through it, 30A has long been a low-key favorite for Southern families.
• Now people from as far as Illinois and Montana are spending millions on real estate there, too.

It once was one of the South's best-kept secrets, but now the word is out.

A 26-mile Florida highway known as 30A — lined with towns including Rosemary, Seaside, and Santa Rosa Beach that front the Gulf of Mexico — has become one of the country's hottest luxury vacation destinations.

Nestled between two famous spring break destinations, Destin and Panama City Beach, the 30A beaches earned their reputations as quiet, family-oriented destinations somewhat off the beaten path.

A decade ago, those visitors were mostly from Southern cities within driving distance, like Atlanta and Nashville, local real-estate agent Beau Blankenship told Business Insider.

"Now you're seeing people from the Northeast, people from the West, Salt Lake City, Utah, Colorado," he said.

South Walton County, which includes 30A, reported in 2023 that visitor spending during the peak summer season has increased $500 million compared to 2019. It's even earned the nickname "the Hamptons of the South."

Locals describe 30A beaches as mixing Caribbean-esque clear blue waters and powdery white sand with trademark Southern hospitality. In the past few years, word has gotten out, attracting visitors — and homebuyers — from around the country.

Sunset over Rosemary Beach, Florida, in 30A.

Barry Winiker

In 2020, Blankenship sold a towering $3.8 million, six-bedroom home in Inlet Beach with wraparound porches on every level to a family from Chicago. In March this past year, he sold a $4 million, four-bedroom home in Santa Rosa Beach to a family from Montana.

Blankenship said the popularity is spreading through word of mouth, though national coverage from outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times has certainly helped.

"The family from Chicago came down because their brother told them about it," he told BI. "They loved it so much they bought after the first time they came."

The pandemic is what really brought the crowds, locals said

Alys Beach is a 30A town known for its Mediterranean-style — often white — homes.

Christian Blouin/Getty Images

Luxury rental owner Kemp Stewart has witnessed the explosion of 30A firsthand.

In 2018, he moved to Santa Rosa Beach from Oklahoma and started his vacation rental management business with just one home.

Now his company, Bespoke Management, manages 35 homes across 30A communities with prices as high as $2,500 per night, a rise that mirrors the rest of the region.

One 30A community, Rosemary Beach, has seen the median sales price of homes increase from $1.1 million in July 2019 to $3 million in July 2024, according to real-estate listings site Redfin.

Over the same amount of time, vacation rentals on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo are commanding higher rates, growing from $450 to $530 per night, and are booked more often, rising from 69% to 84% monthly average for occupancy, according to data from short-term-rental analytics site AirDNA.

The boom, Stewart told Business Insider, had two inflection points. The first was the 2008 recession, where rock-bottom prices allowed developers to move in and buy open land.

"There'd be a few vacant lots, and then a house surrounded by trees and brush," he told Business Insider. "Then all of sudden, you'd see individual developments of monster homes being built on the beach."

The luxury homes made sense alongside planned communities that were popping up along 30A. Alys Beach, built in the mid-2000s, features over 600 uniformly white homes, mimicking a Mediterranean village, and a town center with high-end shopping and restaurants.

Nearby Seaside, built in the 1980s is also so idyllic, with its cottage-like homes in various pastel colors, that the 1998 film "The Truman Show" about a fictional utopia was filmed here.

Then, the pandemic hit. In 2020, the state of Florida had one of the earliest and least restrictive reopenings following COVID-19 lockdowns. By June, bars, restaurants, and shops were able to open again. Those seeking solace from stricter measures and escape in the Florida sunshine flooded 30A's beaches.

"The infrastructure that had been built and all the quality development is paying off in a way that we hadn't seen previously," Stewart said.

Even with the influx of visitors and investor money, Kemp said 30A's appeal hasn't changed.

"It's stayed consistent," Kemp told BI. "This is a place for families to go on vacation and connect with one another in one of the most beautiful environments in the world."

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Every Kennedy family member that opposes RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign

President Joe Biden has welcomed the support of Kennedy family members, some of whom have lined up against RFK Jr.'s campaign.

Matt Rourke/AP

• Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s large family keeps speaking against him.
• Most of them have endorsed President Joe Biden.
• Several have said Kennedy's long shot campaign will hurt Biden's reelection chances.

Since the day he declared for office, Democratic-turned-Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been chastised by his fellow Kennedys for being a threat to President Joe Biden's chances at reelection.

Many of them endorsed Biden over their relative during a campaign stop in Philadelphia in April. Kennedy, who recently suspended his campaign and threw his support behind Donald Trump, brushed it off in a lengthy social media post at the time highlighting his affection for them.

"I hear some of my family will be endorsing President Biden today," Kennedy posted. "I am pleased they are politically active — it's a family tradition. We are divided in our opinions but united in our love for each other."

Other family members have kept their support much more low-key.

"We love our brother. We love our party. And we love our president," Christopher Kennedy told Politico shortly after RFK Jr. decided to run as an Independent.

Five of Kennedy's siblings issued a joint statement on Friday after he suspended his campaign and said he was supporting Trump.

"We want an American filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride," the statement read. "We believe in Harris and Walz. Our brother Bobby's decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story."

Read on to see how various members of the Kennedy family have spoken out against RFK:

Kerry Kennedy

Kerry Kennedy, one of RFK Jr.'s sisters, has been one of the family's most outspoken critics of her brother's presidential run.

Getty Images News/Getty Images

Kerry Kennedy, Robert's sister, endorsed President Joe Biden during a rally in April that featured other family members, arguing that Biden and Trump are the only two candidates that matter in 2024.

"President Biden has been a champion of all the rights and freedoms that my father and uncle stood for," Kerry Kennedy said, adding that "The Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for president."

Kerry Kennedy has been harshly critical of her brother, including when he shared the unfounded claim that COVID-19 was "ethnically targeted" to avoid Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people. Kennedy later said his comments were not antisemitic.

"I strongly condemn my brother's deplorable and untruthful remarks last week about Covid being engineered for ethnic targeting," Kerry Kennedy said at the time. "His statements do not represent what I believe or what Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights stand for, with our 50+-year track record of protecting rights and standing against racism and all forms of discrimination."

Kerry Kennedy is directly involved in shaping her father's legacy as president of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, a nonprofit organization. She also wrote a 2018 book about RFK's legacy that is based on interviews with celebrities like Bono and world leaders like President Barack Obama.

Joseph Kennedy II

Former Congressman Joseph Kennedy II (second from left) said members of the family will work to make it clear they don't support his brother's presidential run.

AFP/Getty Images

Former Congressman Joseph Kennedy II said he and some of his family members would continue to express their disagreement with his brother's presidential campaign.

"We cannot do anything that in any way, strips even one vote from President Biden. You put the name Kennedy on the ballot and Democrats are going to feel torn," Kennedy II told reporters after the Biden endorsement rally in April. "We are trying to make them understand that this is an issue that they do not have to feel torn about."

Kennedy II represented Massachusetts in Congress for over a decade, until 1999. Before leaving Washington, he ruled out a gubernatorial run. Kennedy also declined to run for the so-called "Kennedy seat" in the US Senate after the death of his uncle, Ted Kennedy, in 2009.

Kathleen Kennedy Townsend

Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has denounced her brother's presidential run.

Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has also endorsed Biden.

"Honored to stand with my family as we endorse Joe Biden who will continue to protect our rights our freedom and our democracy in this moment of deepest peril," she wrote on X after Biden campaign event that featured some of the family members.

Townsend made history in 1994 when she was elected Maryland's first female lieutenant governor in a close election. She had previously become the first Kennedy to lose a general election when she lost a bid to represent Maryland in Congress in 1984. Townsend was just 16 years old when her father was assassinated. Secret Service agents accompanied her, RFK Jr. and Joseph Kennedy II, as they flew out to California.

Townsend sided with her brother in a push to reopen the investigation into RFK's assassination, concluding that Sirhan Sirhan may not have fired the fatal shots.

"Bobby makes a compelling case," she told The Washington Post in 2018. "I think [the investigation] should be reopened."

Rory Kennedy

Rory Kennedy, RFK Jr.'s sister, was among the members of the family the formally endorsed Biden.

Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Rory, the youngest of RFK Sr. and Ethel Kennedy's 11 children, has repeatedly denounced her brother's campaign.

"Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment," Kennedy said in a statement when RFK Jr. announced his intention to run as an independent presidential candidate.

Kennedy was joined by three other siblings, Kerry Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy III, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. Rory Kennedy was born six months after her father's assassination. She is a documentary filmmaker. Her latest work is "The Synanon Fix" a TV series for Max that explores a drug rehabilitation program that turned into what some call a cult. Kennedy was nominated for an Academy Award for her work in 2005's "Street Fight" a documentary about Cory Booker's early rise through an unsuccessful Newark mayoral race.

Joseph Kennedy III

Former Congressman Joe Kennedy III is one of his family's most vocal critics of RFK Jr.

Getty Images News/Getty Images

Former Congressman Joseph Kennedy III told NBC News that his uncle's campaign is "likely to divert support away from President Biden and end up increasing support for Donald Trump."

Kennedy III left Congress after failing to oust Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey in a 2020 primary. He was viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party and even delivered the party's official response to Trump's 2018 State of the Union. He is the most recent Kennedy to have served in Congress. Biden appointed him as United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland in 2022.

Stephen Kennedy Smith

Stephen Kennedy Smith, JFK's nephew, poses with US ambassador to Ireland Claire Cronin (middle) to mark the president's 1963 visit to Ireland.

Claire Cronin/X

Stephen Kennedy Smith has said that his uncle "does not have the vision, values, or judgment of RFK Sr. "

"I have known RFK Jr. since I was a child. We attended Harvard together and my father ran Senator Robert F Kennedy's campaign for Senate in 1964 and his presidential campaign in 1968," Smith wrote on LinkedIn. "When RFK Jr decided to run he didn't call me to ask for help because he knew I would oppose his candidacy due to his misguided stands on issues, his poor judgement, and tenuous relationship with the truth."

Smith has served as a US Senate staffer, lectured at Harvard, and is a philanthropist and entrepreneur. He also wrote a book about JFK with historian Douglas Brinkley, "JFK: A Vision for America."

Bobby Shriver

Bobby Shriver slammed a Super Bowl bowl that used the image of his uncle, RFK Sr., to promote RFK Jr.'s campaign.

Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Bobby Shriver, a nephew of RFK Sr., was among the family members who slammed a pro-RFK Jr. super PAC for using images of the late attorney general.

"My cousin's Super Bowl ad used our uncle's faces- and my Mother's," Shriver wrote on X. "She would be appalled by his deadly health care views. Respect for science, vaccines, & health care equity were in her DNA."

RFK Jr. apologized for the ad but promoted it on X. He later named one of the major donors to that super PAC, Nicole Shanahan, as his running mate.

Shriver, who briefly served as mayor of Santa Monica, California, cofounded (RED) which works with major brands to raise money to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Jack Schlossberg

Jack Schlossberg has called his cousin's presidential campaign " an embarrassment."

WireImage/Getty Images

Jack Schlossberg, JFK's only grandson, has gone after his cousin for invoking the family's famous image for "personal gain" amid the presidential campaign.

"He's trading in on Camelot celebrity conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame. I've listened to him. I know him. I have no idea why anyone thinks he should be president," Schlossberg wrote on Instagram. "What I do know is his candidacy is an embarrassment. Let's not be distracted again by somebody's vanity project."

Schlossberg's comments are notable as his mother, Caroline Kennedy, cannot engage directly with the presidential campaign due to long-held interpretations of how federal law restricts political statements by US diplomats. Biden appointed Kennedy as US Ambassador to Australia.

A slew of other Kennedys have endorsed Biden.

Ted Kennedy Jr. is among the other family members that has endorsed Biden's presidential campaign.

Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Other family members have not been as outspoken in their criticism of RFK Jr., but they have announced that they will support Biden this November.

According to multiple reports, they are Beth Kennedy, Christopher Kennedy, Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, Vicki Strauss Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy Meltzer, Max Meltzer, Ted Kennedy Jr., Peter McKelvy, and Rebeca McKelvy.

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I've been to North Korea more than 180 times. Here's how tourists can stay out of trouble.

South Korean and US military personnel steps away from Simon on his first visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in 2002. He says they didn't say hello when greeted.

Simon Cockerell

• Simon Cockerell, a tour operator, has visited North Korea more than 180 times.
• North Korea is opening partially to tourism for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
• He said visiting can be full of pitfalls, like mentioning religion or South Korea.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Simon Cockerell, a manager at the travel agency Koryo Tours. It has been edited for length and clarity.

The first time I went to North Korea, I thought I knew what to expect.

I was living in Beijing at the time, which was near North Korea. I figured it would be a bit like China or a bit like Russia.

There are definitely those elements, especially if you look for them; but the reality is that it is its own place.

In the two decades since then, I've visited North Korea more than 180 times on various tours and trips — perhaps the most of any Westerner.

Tour operator Simon Cockerell on his first trip to North Korea in 2002. Pictured with a North Korean tour guide in front of a statue of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang.

Simon Cockerell

North Korea has been closed to visitors for almost five years, but is partially opening up to tourists at the end of 2024.

I've shown hundreds of visitors around the country over the years, and if you've ever thought of visiting, this is how to get the most out of a trip to North Korea.

Careful what you talk about

Interacting with the local people and tour guides in the country is not like meeting aliens — it's actually one of my favorite things to do. The fact remains though, that when you're allowed to interact with them, you need to watch what you talk about.

You don't have to go around praising North Korea's leaders, but openly criticizing Kim Jong Un is a definite no-no.

I'm technically allowed to talk about what I want because I'm not a North Korean, but I am also aware that people there don't have that freedom.

So if I go over there and say, "Oh, hey guys, I want to tell you the truth about your leaders, they're actually quite terrible," I'm putting them in a very, very dangerous position.

Simon [far right] with Grammy-award winning singer Joss Stone [center] and North Korean tour guides at Pyongyang Airport at the end of a tour.

Simon Cockerell

Tourism is important to some people there, but nothing is more important than the perception of national security.

You can find some common ground to talk about, but you have to work at it because your cultural references are all completely different. So you can't say, "Oh my gosh, did you see 'Deadpool & Wolverine?'" because they will have no idea what you're talking about.

Absolutely no religious talk

This is the most common reason foreigners get detained in North Korea.

Most of the ways tourists get into trouble in North Korea is for acts that have been pre-meditated, like leaving a Bible behind, handing out religious material, or bringing in other contraband.

Don't take in or leave behind contraband

South Korean cultural products like Korean dramas or K-pop songs should definitely be left behind before coming into North Korea.

Other things on the list include religious material and any material about North Korea published abroad, whether it's literature, guidebooks, or videos.

Then you have the usual — no weaponry, no narcotics. North Korea is actually very permissive about alcohol consumption, so that's OK.

Steer clear of comparisons to South Korea

A lot of tourists who come to North Korea have experience in South Korea as well (it's not true that visiting South Korea makes it difficult to enter North Korea).

These people tend to think "Okay, this is where we will connect. Let me tell you about my life in South Korea!"

The problem is that comparisons between North and South Korea tend to favor the South, and you can imagine people don't like to hear it.

When we lead trips, we tell people "If this is your only conversation, maybe learn to have another conversation."

Colorful dancers perform at North Korea's Arirang Mass Games in 2002, a mass event that happens every few years and features 100,000 performers.

Simon Cockerell

About 90% of the country is off-limits — so don't wander off

Part of my role as a tour operator has been to be a sort of guinea pig, visiting areas of the country the government is thinking of opening to tourism.

I've seen beautiful seasides with basalt columns and other places tourists still haven't been allowed to visit.

Something like 90% of the country is off-limits for tourists both legally and logistically. Horrific poverty means that there's not much infrastructure conducive to tourism outside approved areas.

There are also military bases and operations throughout the country that are off-limits for obvious reasons.

I would definitely advise that tourists stay with their guides at all times, and not wander off for some personal adventure.

Simon's travel documents on his 180th trip to North Korea - boarding pass for Pyongyang, DPRK visa, and a well-used passport.

Simon Cockerell

Ask permission to take pictures

Everybody likes to take photos, it's quite understandable. As tour operators, we've seen everything you can imagine. Sometimes someone will take a picture when they're not supposed to.

People seem to think it's off to the gulag as soon as you do something wrong. The worst that I've seen is that they get asked to delete it and not do it again — but it's always best not to try to sneak pictures when you think nobody is looking.

At the end of the day, it's very simple — all you have to do is not break the law. In general, if you don't think you can go into any country without breaking their laws, you probably shouldn't be anywhere near that country — especially if the country is North Korea.

It's the most difficult, complicated, thankless, and endlessly fascinating country I've been to.

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This is not the Democratic Party of 2020

The Democratic Party seems a lot less doom-and-gloom than four years ago.

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

• The Democratic National Convention in 2024 showed a shift from the party in 2020.
• Democrats in 2020 were more solemn and more interested in appealing to progressives in the party.
• This year there's been a focus on joy and on appealing to moderates, independents, and GOP voters.

Granted, 2020 was unusual, to say the least. It was an election year with a particularly divisive incumbent, the COVID-19 pandemic upended American life, and the murder of George Floyd ignited a massive protest movement across the US.

As a result of perhaps all of those factors and then some, the Democratic Party took on a particular form. The messaging was serious to the point of solemn, with little space to forget for even a moment the official party line: that President Donald Trump's reelection posed an existential threat; the only way to reject hundreds of years of racial injustice was to get him out of office; and that with COVID-19, it was quite literally a matter of life or death.

This time around, the vibe shift was apparent and on full display at the DNC.

Though there was imagery of January 6, 2021, and speakers, including Vice President Harris in her keynote address, outlined concerns about protecting democracy, there was much less doom and gloom than four years ago.

Take the current favorite criticism for Trump and allies: that they're simply "weird" and "small" — a far cry from the moral outrage of 2020 or even from President Joe Biden's 2024 message.

The convention speakers have been leaning into joy — a word speakers have used to describe the kind of president Harris would be.

While the 2020 DNC was virtual, its tone was noticeably different. Then-nominee Joe Biden's speech was described by NPR at the time as "sober and urgent" and "one of light versus dark."

Four years ago, the party, having selected Biden, also seemed to at least try to cater to its most progressive and leftist voices, even if only in messaging and optics.

Politico reported in 2020 that the DNC's focus on racial injustice had been an "earth-shattering" turn for the party, as one former Democratic aide had put it. The party gave a "full-throated acknowledgment" of systemic racism and its impact on society, according to the outlet.

In 2024, progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren spoke, along with racial justice advocates like the exonerated "Central Park Five."

At the same time, pro-Palestinian activists were stationed outside the DNC protesting all week. The DNC declined to allow a Palestinian speaker at the convention due to fears over not showing unity within the party — but also served as another signifier that the party was not going out of its way to include liberal activists as it was in 2020.

The convention often focused on reaching out to folks with different views — former President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton both made that pitch — and appealing to moderates, independents, and Republicans. A long list of Republican speakers, from former elected officials to people who served in the Trump White House, gave speeches that sought to appeal directly to Republicans and independents.

The speakers this year even focused more on issues that could win over moderates, like immigration (Javier Salazar, sheriff of Bexar County, Texas, was one of the speakers) and the economy. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a moderate Democrat, specifically called for investing in "the police and in the community."

In 2020, The New York Times reported Democrats were split over how much bipartisanship mattered, but the Democratic Party of 2024 seems far more sure that it does. The party appeared to be trying to hold together the coalition that helped elect Biden in 2020, but whom the Democrats were having a hard time reaching again with Biden as the candidate in 2024.

There is one key way that the Democratic Party needs to replicate 2020 — or even the 2018 midterms — and that is turnout on Election Day, which speakers reminded DNC attendees. No matter the vibes at the 2024 convention, Harris and the Democrats have 74 more days to unveil comprehensive policy and motivate voters until ballots are counted on November 5.

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This Chinese video game based on a novel from the year 1592 has become one of the most popular ever in a matter of days

A woman watching gameplay of "Black Myth: Wukong" inside a video game store.

China News Service/Getty Images

• "Black Myth: Wukong" hit 2.3 million concurrent players on Steam in just two days.
• The game, based on "Journey to the West," faced backlash for censoring streamers' content.
• Despite the controversy, it sold 4.5 million copies and is China's first major video game success.

"Black Myth: Wukong" is smashing online records for concurrent players.

Similar to the 2021 game of the year "God of War," "Black Myth: Wukong" is a modern retelling of an ancient myth.

'Wukong' is an action RPG adventure based on the 1592 Chinese novel "Journey to the West." The game follows a monkey protagonist based on Sun Wukong, a monkey king from the novel who is imprisoned by Buddha under a mountain after leading a rebellion against the heavens.

"Black Myth: Wukong" debuted on Tuesday to massive player numbers on Steam, the online store where most PC gamers make purchases. At its peak on Wednesday, the game had more than 2.3 million concurrent players on Steam alone.

In just a few days, the game has already sold more than 4.5 million copies worldwide, according to South China Morning Post.

It now sits in second place behind "PlayerUnknown's Batttlegrounds" as the game with the highest-ever concurrent player count. "PUBG" logged over 3.2 million concurrent players in December 2017, according to Dexerto.

"Chinese players in the past have gone through this process of cross-cultural understanding. Now it is the turn of overseas players to learn... and understand Chinese traditional culture," CCTV, China's state-run broadcaster, said in a blog post on Wednesday on its WeChat account.

The success of "Black Myth: Wukong" comes despite a backlash ahead of its release from streamers who complained about censorship by the game's developers, according to NBC. Some streamers who received advanced copies of the game also got a Google Doc from the Chinese studio behind it, Hero Games, the outlet reported.

The document contained a list of "Dos and Don'ts" that described "trigger words" to avoid, like "quarantine," "isolation," and "COVID-19," and topics to avoid, like "feminist propaganda" and "other content that instigates negative discourse," NBC reported.

Hero Games did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider on Wednesday.

Chinese state media has described the success of "Black Myth: Wukong" as a great achievement. The game is considered the first AAA game for a Chinese developer.

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A Gen Xer who traveled to all 50 states shares his top 5 — and the 5 he won't rush back to

Patrick Forhane visited all 50 states, noting that Oregon is one of his favorites because of Crater Lake National Park.

Patrick Forhane

• Patrick Forhane visited all 50 states, completing his goal in Kansas in 2022.
• A health emergency in 2020 and the pandemic delayed his travel plans to hit the remaining states.
• Forhane ranked Washington and Oregon highest, though he doesn't care for Florida and Arizona.

Patrick Forhane, 45, hit his 50th state, Kansas, in 2022. Two years earlier, he wasn't sure if achieving the feat would be possible.

Forhane, a credit review manager for a bank, had a longtime goal of visiting all 50 states, though a serious health emergency in early 2020 put a wrench in his plans. He was out of commission for a few months, then had to postpone travel plans after the outbreak of the pandemic. However, by the end of the year, Forhane was back to traveling to hit his final few states.

Forhane has also been to 45 countries, his favorites being Sweden, Japan, and Chile. He's also traveled to Azerbaijan, Tanzania, Malaysia, and Russia.

"When I was younger, I didn't plan on driving around the country, and I never have still. I've been to all these places randomly, and I'm just surprised at how much there is to see in the US," Forhane said. "It's sad that not everybody knows what's out there."

Patrick Forhane hit his 50th state, Kansas, in 2022.

Patrick Forhane

Forhane ranked his favorite and least favorite states, preferring the colder Northern states to the hotter South.

Aiming to hit all 50 states

Forhane grew up on Long Island, where his dad worked for United Airlines. He and his family took vacations in states such as California, Florida, and Hawaii, though he said that his parents "weren't very creative with traveling."

He moved with his family to California, where he attended college and explored the West Coast. He then moved to Seattle for work for seven years, visiting states including Idaho and Montana. He took two trips to Alaska, where he rented a car and explored the major cities.

"When I lived in Seattle, a very large portion of the people I knew had never been to Alaska due to the cost and the remoteness," Forhane said.

He moved to New York City in 2012, getting to visit many New England states he didn't hit growing up. He said he rarely travels for work, meaning he's had to visit many states during vacations or quicker weekend trips, often on federal holidays. Having three airports close by allowed him to take nonstop flights across the country for relatively affordable prices.

While in Seattle and New York City, he would take trips to cities he'd never visited, noting he prefers exploring cities over parks. In each state, he said he would spend a few days attending concerts, visiting museums, and trying the local food scene.

He said he'd kept trips affordable by taking public transit and staying at hotels on the outskirts of downtowns. He used to rent cars to get out of the cities and see rural areas, though car rental prices have shot up over the last few years.

Patrick Forhane in Mississippi

Patrick Forhane

By the beginning of 2020, Forhane had been to 46 states. However, that January, Forhane had a medical emergency that sent him to the ER.

"I was sitting on a gurney, and one of the things that went through my head was, I'm not going to be able to hit all 50 states," Forhane said. "Because of that, I said, if I get out of here, I want to do this."

After his recovery two months later, he crafted a plan to visit Michigan, Alabama, New Mexico, and Kansas. Because of the pandemic, he pushed back his travel plans — including a trip he planned in March to Ukraine and Poland.

"My mom talks about wanting to see things, how she's always wanted to see the world, but now that she's older, there are many places she didn't get to see," Forhane said. "I feel that seeing older relatives not being able to do certain things they've wanted to do gave me the idea that if I want to do something, I probably should do it as soon as possible rather than waiting until later. There's no guarantee that it will work out."

In September 2020, he spent a few days in Traverse City, Michigan, choosing a smaller, less crowded city where he could stay safe from COVID-19. He later flew to Alabama, where he spent time on the Gulf Coast and Birmingham, and then New Mexico.

For his last state, he had a friend who lives in Missouri who offered to drive from Kansas City into Kansas proper. A few of his friends flew him for his final state, after which they celebrated at a barbecue joint.

"That was a big to-do since they were able to come with me; it wasn't like landing in a random airport by myself for my 50th state," Forhane said.

Favorite states

Forhane said his favorite state is tied between Oregon and Washington, as both have cities so close to tranquil forests and mountains. He misses living in Seattle and spending time amid evergreen trees and lakes outside the city.

In Oregon, he said Portland is one of his favorite cities, located close to Mount Hood and the Pacific coastline. He enjoyed driving by Crater Lake National Park in the state's southwest, noting it's one of his favorite national parks.

Maine is his third-favorite state, noting he adored the waterfront towns along the coastline and its many forests. He only visited during the summer and hasn't experienced the frigid Maine winters.

Montana, which he ranked fourth, surprised him with its natural beauty, noting he was shocked by the serenity of Glacier National Park and the state's vastness.

Patrick Forhane was surprised to enjoy Alabama as much as he did.

Patrick Forhane

Alabama, a state many rank in their bottom five, rounded out his top five. He spent some time in Mobile and the Gulf Coast, including the beach town Dauphin Island, which he said were pleasantly surprising. He added that Birmingham was a historic and culturally diverse city.

"When it comes to food, nature, and cities, there's a lot more going on there than most people realize," Forhane said.

Least favorite states

As someone who has spent most of his life in the Northern US, he prefers many Northern states to the South. That's why he ranked Florida as one of his least favorite states.

He said he's spent much of his life visiting friends and family in Florida, seeing "more of Florida than most people would ever want to." He said the heat and humidity, the traffic, and frequent storms and floods led him to put Florida at the bottom of his list.

He didn't love Louisiana, noting New Orleans was a historic city to see once but not his favorite given the large crowds.

He said he wants to revisit Arizona and Nevada to explore some of the more underrated parts of those states. However, he didn't enjoy Las Vegas, and he said he didn't find either state too memorable as he's "not a big desert person."

As a New Yorker, he added that New Jersey is "just not a place I go to for fun," noting he's never been too impressed with the state driving through.

Have you visited every state or national park? Reach out to this reporter at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com.

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A woman lost 159 pounds when she quit strict diets that left her feeling starving. She shared 2 tips that mean she's never hungry.

Maria Kirkeland at the start of her weight loss journey, and in the summer of 2024.

Marie Kirkeland

• Maria Kirkeland lost 159 pounds sustainably by counting calories and eating more protein.
• Kirkeland struggled with her weight for over a decade and felt stuck in a binge-restrict cycle.
• Strength training and working on her mindset helped her lose weight healthily.

Maria Kirkeland had been trying to lose weight for over a decade, but always ended up over-restricting, bingeing, and putting more weight on.

It wasn't until the 37-year-old from near Oslo, Norway, learned about calories, protein, and strength training that she finally started losing weight sustainably.

Kirkeland lost 159 pounds over the course of two years, and, she told Business Insider, never once felt hungry.

She attributes this mostly to two strategies: calorie counting which stopped her from undereating, and consuming plenty of protein to stay full.

The rise of weight loss drugs has begun to change perceptions, with more people understanding that there's more to maintaining a healthy weight than willpower. Kirkeland lost weight without medication, but it took a lot of work on her mindset.

A binge-restrict cycle

Growing up, Kirkeland said she was bullied for being a bit chubby. So, aged 12, she began eating as little as possible — Kirkeland lost weight as well as interrupting her menstrual cycle.

It was extreme enough that her parents suggested sending her away to get help, prompting an immediate change in Kirkeland.

From that point, Kirkeland's weight started increasing.

"I didn't know how to deal with the emotions that I was having related to the bullying and the negative thoughts," Kirkeland said. "So I turned to food as a comfort instead, and that's when I got into secret eating."

Maria Kirkeland said she now experiences thin privilege.

Maria Kirkeland

Kirkeland said her weight increased gradually until her mid-twenties, but got worse with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I just sort of lost it. I was very depressed," she said. "I got very isolated and I think that led me to have a horrible relationship with food and eat very poorly and really not get out of the house."

Kirkeland had tried to lose weight many times but was in a binge-restrict cycle, she said. She would try to cut out foods she deemed "bad" and eat as little as possible, but found that unsustainable and would end up overeating the foods she denied herself.

"I would eat a lot of snacks, ice cream, chocolate, very high-calorie food, and then I would feel terrible about myself," she said. "Then I'd say, 'I'm going on a diet. I'm not going to eat any ice cream. I'm never going to eat chocolate ever again. I'm going to lose the weight.' And that lasted about a few days and then you crack."

Tip 1: Counting calories was educational

In July 2022, Kirkeland decided to try to lose weight again, but differently. She'd downloaded TikTok and followed some qualified weight loss coaches.

"The common denominator in all of the things they were saying was: don't be perfect, just be consistent," Kirkeland said.

She knew that a calorie deficit was the only way to lose weight, so Kirkeland decided she would try counting calories.

"I was very scared of falling back into the former mindset that I had," she said, referring to her youth when she ate so little. But Kirkeland decided to see if she could count calories healthily — and she did.

While you don't need to count calories to lose weight, calories always count. Calorie-counting can be an unhealthy obsession for some people, so it's not right for everyone, but it can be a useful tool for others.

As someone with a mathematical brain, Kirkeland enjoyed learning about the nutritional content of different foods. It took the guesswork out of weight loss and showed her how much she could eat and still lose weight, she said.

"Before when I'd tried to lose weight, I'd done more guesswork and I think that led me to undereat, which would then lead me to break because I got so hungry," she said.

Counting calories kept Kirkeland feeling full, even as she lowered her target as she lost more weight.

"I didn't feel hungry ever really, which was nice and I still lost weight," she said.

She wasn't over-restrictive

While Kirkeland enjoyed counting calories, she wasn't obsessive over it and would take breaks over holidays like Christmas or vacations, she said.

At the start, Kirkeland didn't really change the foods she was eating, but as time went on, she started incorporating more nutrient-dense foods into her diet and focusing on protein.

Kirkeland said she now eats more vegetables, fish, and lean meats than she used to. She drinks more water and cooks at home more often, and she has less processed food.

She didn't cut any foods from her diet entirely though.

"I have a massive sweet tooth and I just allow myself to enjoy things in moderation," she said.

Tip 2: Protein and strength training

Kirkeland started strength training in the hope of building muscle mass. She made sure she was eating plenty of protein, because it's satiating, helps muscles recover and grow after workouts, and helps you lose fat rather than muscle when in a calorie deficit.

Kirkeland had always done cardio previously, but she knew strength training was important. She started doing bodyweight exercises once a week and built up from there.

"I got more comfortable in the gym and added weights," Kirkeland said. "In the last 12 months, I've really focused on getting strong, doing deadlifts and trying to challenge myself."

Getting stronger gave Kirkeland a mental boost too.

"As I've seen that I've been able to push myself, I've been able to do things that I thought were difficult before, it's given me such joy and a sense of achievement," she said.

Kirkeland is treated differently now

Changing her mindset around food didn't happen overnight, and Kirkeland said she still has to fight the diet culture voice in her head that gives her food guilt.

She focuses on building healthy habits, so she tries not to panic if her weight fluctuates upwards on some days, too.

Kirkeland would like to lose a little more weight, but she's conscious of not losing too much, so she has asked her boyfriend and friends to say something if she can't see it for herself.

Since losing weight, Kirkeland finds she's treated differently.

"People are definitely nicer when you are thinner, which is sad when you think about it, but thin privilege is a very real thing," she said.

Overall, Kirkeland said she feels much happier and more confident after losing weight. She's no longer held back by her weight, and she finally went on a zip line after being too scared to do so for years.

"I feel more free. And I am not so scared of trying new things," she said.

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Bill Gates says he has to 'have a sense of humor' about vaccine conspiracy theories

Bill Gates is the cofounder of Microsoft.

Jordan Strauss/AP

• Bill Gates addressed some of the pandemic conspiracy theories about him in a new interview.
• Microsoft's cofounder said he has to "have a sense of humor" about theories concerning trackable microchips.
• Conspiracy theories linking Gates to COVID-19 began to circulate early in the pandemic.

Bill Gates is trying to make light of some of the conspiracy theories about him.

Speaking on "The Life Scientific" on BBC Radio 4, the Microsoft cofounder addressed a viral conspiracy theory that he was behind a plan to implant trackable microchips in people during the pandemic.

"You got to have a sense of humor," Gates said about the conspiracy theories. "When people say that I want to track everyone — why do I want to track everyone?"

He said someone once confronted him in the street, yelling and making accusations: "I'm like 'wow, I really don't want to know your location.'"

Conspiracy theories linking Gates to COVID-19 began to circulate early in the pandemic and the Microsoft cofounder has addressed the issue more than once.

In 2022, Gates said he never expected to be the subject of viral misinformation.

"Some of it like me putting chips in arms doesn't make sense to me — why would I want to do that?" he posted on X.

Gates said on the BBC program that many people were still paying a price for how the world handled the pandemic.

"In terms of deaths and mental health and learning loss and loved ones who died, we're still paying a price for not having handled that well at all," he said.

Gates is the world's fifth-richest person worth $158 billion, per Bloomberg, despite donating some of his wealth to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation set up in 2000.

Gates representatives did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

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'One Piece' season 2: Everything we know so far

Iñaki Godoy as Luffy in Netflix's "One Piece."

Netflix

• Netflix's live-action "One Piece" is coming back for a second season.
• Netflix announced in July that the season had gone into production in South Africa. 
• Manga author Eiichiro Oda revealed the plot scope of season two in a letter to fans in August. 

Netflix's "One Piece" will be back for season two — and now, we know a little bit more about what portion of the long-running manga it will cover.

The live-action series, based on Eiichiro Oda's anime and manga of the same name, follows a friendly pirate called Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) on his adventure to find the legendary One Piece, a treasure hidden by the former Pirate King. To do so, he needs to assemble a crew and make for the Grand Line, a dangerous stretch of ocean filled with promise and adventure. 

In season one, Luffy picks up four key crewmates: sword-wielding pirate hunter Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu Arata), pirate thief and navigator Nami (Emily Rudd), kickboxing chef Sanji (Taz Skylar) and compulsive liar and sharpshooter Usopp (Jacob Romero Gibson). The adaptation was a success, and the streamer first announced its renewal just two weeks after season one's release on August 31, 2023.

Season two will bring new friends, enemies, and adventure — here's everything we know so far. 

When will 'One Piece' season 2 be released?

Vincent Regan as Vice-Admiral Garp in "One Piece."

Casey Crafford/Netflix

"One Piece" manga author Eiichiro Oda confirmed that the live-action "One Piece" had been renewed for season two in a video released by Netflix on September 14, 2023. Oda didn't address the season two release date in his video, only noting that it will "still take a while to get the scripts ready" and asking fans to be patient while they wait.

However, Marty Adelstein — the CEO of Tomorrow Studios, which produces the live-action show — told Variety earlier that month that scripts had been written for season two.

 

Season one was first announced in July 2017, but did not premiere until August 31, 2023. However, season two likely won't take quite as long, since production on the first season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tomorrow Studios president Becky Clements told Variety in the same September 2023 report that season two could be released as early as next year, once the strike ends.

"Realistically, hopefully, a year away, if we move very quickly, and that is a possibility," Clements said. "Somewhere between a year and 18 months, we could be ready for air."

Netflix announced on July 1, 2024 that "One Piece" season two had entered production in South Africa. Given the timeline, it seems most likely that the new season will be released sometime in 2025 rather than 2024, as Clements had previously projected.

Which 'One Piece' cast members will return for season 2?

Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp, Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Taz Skylar as Sanji in the season one finale of "One Piece."

Casey Crafford / Netflix

All of the Straw Hat actors — Godoy, Arata, Rudd, Gibson, and Skylar — are returning for season two. Others like Alvida (Ilia Paulino) and Buggy the Pirate (Jeff Ward) are likely additions as well, given that their characters appear in the upcoming arcs in the manga.

It is unclear whether Garp (Vincent Regan), Koby (Morgan Davies), Helmeppo (Aidan Scott), and Bogard (Armand Aucamp) will return since they weren't in the next part of the anime. However, the live-action series has already made many significant changes to include those characters earlier in the story than in the anime, which means they may bring them back in season two.

It is also unclear whether Shanks (Peter Gadiot) and his crew will return in season two.

Netflix has slowly made casting announcements for season two. That includes key characters like the marines Smoker and Tashigi (played by Callum Kerr and Julia Rehwald), giants Dorry and Broggy (Werner Coetser and Brendan Murray), and Wapol and Dalton (Rob Colletti and Ty Keogh). The series has also cast a number of Baroque Works agents, including David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3. 

—ONE PIECE(ワンピース) Netflix (@onepiecenetflix) August 20, 2024

 

There are still a few key cast members who have yet to be announced, including Miss All Sunday (a character that "One Piece" fans better know as Robin) and Vivi, an undercover princess. But the biggest question mark is one of Luffy's new crewmates, a fan-favorite character named Chopper.

Tony Tony Chopper in the "One Piece" anime.

Toei Animation

"From here on, it seems to me the Straw Hats will need a great doctor... We will see!" Oda teased in the season two announcement video before it cut to footage of him drawing the iconic crew member. 

Tony Tony Chopper is a reindeer who ate the Human-Human Devil Fruit, giving him sentience and the power to transform into various human-reindeer hybrid forms. He eventually joins the Straw Hats as the crew's much-needed doctor. 

Given that he isn't fully human, it's natural that depicting Chopper will be a bit tricky. In an interview with IGN before the renewal announcement, showrunner Steven Maeda said that Chopper was his "favorite character," but that bringing him into the Netflix series fold would be "a challenge for sure."

'One Piece' teased Smoker, a new antagonist, at the end of season 1

We get a brief glimpse of Smoker at the end of season one.

Netflix

At the end of season one of Netflix's "One Piece," the show teases a new character who burns a cigar through a wanted poster of Luffy. This is likely Marine Captain "White Chase" Smoker, who spends the next section of the anime chasing Luffy and the Strawhats.

The teaser seems to suggest that, like in season one, the Marines will be the main antagonists of season two as they try to capture Luffy. However, there is one other "One Piece" major villain that was also teased in season one — the leader of Baroque Works.

What's the plot of 'One Piece' season 2?

Oda confirmed in a letter released in August 2024 that season two would cover a few arcs from the manga: Loguetown, Reverse Mountain, Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island.

Season one of "One Piece" made some diversions from the early chapters of the manga, but stayed relatively faithful to its major plot points. While we can't be sure how the show will adapt the action to come, we can get a rough idea from what happens in the manga. 

For those who aren't manga readers (and are spoiler-curious), the second season will likely take us through Chopper joining the Straw Hat crew. To get to that point, Luffy's crew must evade the Marines as they pass through Loguetown, where the former Pirate King Gold Roger was executed. After that, they'll cross over into the Grand Line by scaling Reverse Mountain. On the other side, they'll encounter the town of Whiskey Peak, which has ties to the organization Baroque Works. 

After that point, Luffy and his friends travel to an island named Little Garden, which is inhabited by a variety of prehistoric creatures as well as two dueling giants named Dorry and Broggy. Then, they arrive on Drum Island and seek out a doctor. That search leads them to Dr. Kureha, a mysterious doctor, and her disciple Chopper. It also puts them at odds with Wapol, Drum Island's tyrannical leader. 

Oda's announcement also confirms that we won't be getting the highly-anticipated Arabasta arc from the manga, though Reverse Mountain, Whiskey Peak, Little Garden, and Drum Island are all part of the broader Arabasta Saga. More to look forward to in (hopefully!) season three!

How many seasons of Netflix's live-action 'One Piece' will there be?

Taz Skylar as Sanji, Mackenyu Arata as Roronoa Zoro, Iñaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy, Emily Rudd as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson as Usopp in season 1 of "One Piece."

Courtesy of Netflix

The original anime has over 1,000 episodes and is still not completed, which raises questions as to how far will the live-action series go.

Clements and Adelstein told Deadline that the live-action producers and showrunner Matt Owens already have plans for six seasons.

"We have hopes for 12 seasons, there's so much material," Adelstein.

"We have plans with Matt Owens for how we would break multiple seasons, and I think even if we did six seasons, we would probably only use up half of the chapters of the manga," Clements said. "It really could go on and on and on."

She added: "We've definitely had more thorough conversations about what we would do with Season 2 should we have the opportunity, and then less extensive conversations about where we would go for seasons three to six."

For context, season one of the live-action show covered almost 100 chapters of the manga and over 40 episodes of the anime. At that rate, season six would land around the Sabaordy or Marineford Saga, which is one of the major points of the anime.

"One Piece" season one is currently available to stream on Netflix.

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