Netflix has announced more of the cast for their upcoming live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series. When we say this casting is pretty perfect, we mean it. Not only are there recognizable names across the board, but these actors are also look the part when it comes to their cartoon counterparts.
We already know the main cast includes Gordon Cormier (Aang), Kiawentiio (Katara), Ian Ousley (Sokka), Dallas Liu (Zuko), Elizabeth Yu (Azula), Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Iroh), Daniel Dae Kim (Fire Lord Ozai), Maria Zhang (Suki), Tamlyn Tomita (Yukari), Yvonne Chapman (Avatar Kyoshi), and Casey Camp-Horinek (Gran Gran).
New Cast:
Water Tribe Announcements:
Amber Midthunder (“Prey,” “Roswell“) will play Princess Yue (Sokka’s girlfriend). A Martinez (“Cowboy Bebop,”) as Pakku a fierce protector of the Northern Water Tribe. Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas”) as Yagoda, the empathetic healer who serves as a role model for her tribe’s female waterbenders. Joel Oulette (“Trickster,”) as Hahn, a strong and skilled warrior with an unwavering loyalty to his tribe. Nathaniel Arcand (“Heartland“) as Chief Arnook, father to Princess Yue and the respected leader of their tribe. And Meegwun Fairbrother (“Burden of Truth,” “Mohawk Girls“), as Avatar Kuruk a previous Avatar with a haunted past.
Earth Kingdom Announcements:
For the Earth Kingdom we have some great names as well. Arden Cho (“Partner Track“) as June, a tough and persistent bounty hunter known for her ruthless efficiency. Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Ghosts”) as King Bumi, the ancient and mercurial ruler of the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu and good friend to Aang. Danny Pudi (“Community,” “Mythic Quest“) as the Mechanist, an eccentric inventor and engineer who’s doing his best to raise his son in a war-torn world. Lucian-River Chauhan (“Encounter”) as Teo, the idealistic and high-flying son of the Mechanist. And, James Sie (“Stillwater)” as the Cabbage Merchant, a long-suffering vegetable vendor in Omashu. He’s iconic in the cartoon and we know that Sie will bring everything to this roll.
Fire Kingdom Announcements:
Fire Kingdom will bring in Momona Tamada (she/her; Secret Headquarters, One: Thunder God’s Tale) as Ty Lee, an energetic and upbeat teen and one of Princess Azula’s best friends. Thalia Tran (“Raya and the Last Dragon“) as Mai, an unflappable and deadpan teen who, along with Ty Lee, is one of Princess Azula’s closest allies. Ruy Iskandar (“Yes Day“) as Lt. Jee, the first officer of Prince Zuko’s ship. Hiro Kanagawa (“Altered Carbon,” “The Man in the High Castle“) as Fire Lord Sozin, the ruthless and ambitious previous ruler of the Fire Nation and grandfather of Fire Lord Ozai. C.S. Lee (“Dexter,” “Warrior“) as Avatar Roku, a wise and benevolent past Avatar from the Fire Nation. François Chau (“The Expanse”) as The Great Sage, the venerated spiritual leader of the Fire Nation and guardian of Avatar Roku’s shrine. And, Ryan Mah (“Snowpiercer“) as Lt. Dang, Commander Zhao’s second-in-command.
Spirit World:
George Takei (“Star Trek: The Original Series“) will voice Koh, an ancient, predatory spirit. Randall Duk Kim (“Kung Fu Panda,” “John Wick“) as the voice of Wan Shi Tong, appears in the form of a giant owl and is also known as the Spirit of Knowledge.
We don’t have a release date yet for the series, but we’ll let you know what we hear about this and other news. Also, we HIGHLY suggest picking up the collected complete series of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “The Legend of Kora” on Blu-ray. Order it from Amazon here.
