This is not a drill! Netflix has just announced the full cast of their live-action remake of the popular animated classic, Avatar: The Last Airbender. While much of the human population has collectively decided not to speak of the terribly flawed 2010 film adaptation, it looks like the streaming giant will offer a promising effort with this upcoming series, and that cast is already a step in the right direction.
Featuring some big names, some rising stars, and newcomers, the lineup — headed by Gordon Cormier as Aang and featuring members of the different tribes — definitely packs a punch.
Here are all the cast members of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Gordon Cormier as Avatar Aang
Gordon Cormier is a 12-year-old Canadian actor of Filipino descent. He previously starred in a minor role in Paramount Plus’ The Stand, acting alongside big names such as Whoopi Goldberg, Alexander Skarsgård, and James Marsden. Here’s hoping that playing Aang is destined to be his breakout role!
Kiawentiio as Katara
Another relative newcomer is Mohawk actress Kiawentiio Tarbell, who will play the much-loved waterbender Katara in the upcoming project. She starred in the third season of Anne with an E and played the titular role in the coming-of-age drama, Beans.
Ian Ousley as Sokka
With minor roles in 13 Reasons Why, Young Sheldon, and Physical, Ian Ousley will have his first prominent role in Avatar as intelligent, yet vitriolic non-bender, Sokka.
Dallas Liu as Zuko
Actor and martial artist Dallas Liu will portray the hot-headed firebender Prince Zuko in the Netflix adaptation. His other credits include roles in PEN15 and playing Ruihua in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai
Beloved actor Daniel Dae Kim moves over to the antagonist’s side as the ruthless and power-hungry Fire Lord Ozai — father to Zuko and Azula, and ruler of the Fire Nation. Kim is most famous for his roles in Lost and Hawaii Five-0, He also lent his voice to the original Avatar animation as General Fong.
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who won hearts as Appa in Kim’s Convenience, will be taking on the role of Iroh. Unlike his brother Ozai —and most of the members of the Fire Nation — Iroh is rather humorous and carefree, opting for knowledge rather than power.
Maria Zhang (Suki)
Maria Zhang will star as the no-nonsense leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, Suki. Zhang previously starred in the short film, All I Ever Wanted.
Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi
Yvonne Chapman, best known for portraying the villainous Zhilan Zhang in Kung Fu, will be bringing the formidable and empathic warrior Kyoshi, who is regarded as one of the best Avatars ever, to life in the series.
Casey Camp-Horinek as Kanna aka Gran Gran
Casey Camp-Horinek, a Native rights activist and actress, will portray the nonbender Kanna, affectionately referred to as Gran Gran. As an actress, Camp-Horinek is most famous for starring in the 2009 drama, Barking Water.
Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari
Japanese-American actress Tamlyn Tomita will take on the role of Suki’s mother Yukari, the mayor of Kyoshi Island. Tomita is an easily recognizable face, having starred in famous projects, including Cobra Kai, Teen Wolf, How to Get Away with Murder, 24, Star Trek: Picard, and The Good Doctor.
Amber Midthunder (Princess Yue)
Amber Midthunder has, undoubtedly, established her presence as an actress of great caliber after leading the acclaimed Predator prequel, Prey. She is set to star as the gentle and brave Princess Yue, daughter of the Northern Water Tribe’s leader, in the Netflix series.
A Martinez as Pakku
Veteran actor A Martinez, popular for starring in the series The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives, will star as the waterbending instructor Master Pakku.
Randall Duk Kim as Wan Shi Tong
Another veteran actor that has joined the cast of Avatar is Randall Duk Kim, who many fans will recognize from the second and third John Wick films. As a voice actor, he played Master Oogway in the Kung Fu Panda film series. Duk Kim was cast in a minor role in the first live-action film adaptation of Avatar, appearing as the old man in the temple. But this time, he will star as Wan Shi Tong, the Spirit of Knowledge in the upcoming remake.
Arden Cho as June
A skilled fighter and a talented actress, Arden Cho’s name has been on many lips this year after her captivating performance as Ingrid Yun in the legal romance drama, Partner Track. She quickly rose to fame in the 2010s for starring as Kira Nakamura in the popular teen series, Teen Wolf. Cho has joined the Netflix series as the badass and ruthless bounty hunter June.
Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi
Actor and musician Utkarsh Ambudkar has been cast as the eccentric King Bumi in the Netflix adaptation. He has starred in several notable projects over the years, including Pitch Perfect, Tick, Tick… Boom!, The Mindy Project, and most recently, The Dropout.
Danny Pudi (The Mechanist)
Easily recognizable due to his performance in the NBC sitcom, Community, Danny Pudi will play the Mechanist, the earthly refugee and inventor who resettled at the Northern Air Temple.
Lucian-River Chauhan as Teo
Lucian-River Chauhan will play Teo, the friendly son of the Mechanist, who became a paraplegic after the great flood displaced his community. Chauhan has starred in Encounter, Gabby Duran & The Unsittables, and Heartland.
George Takei as Koh
George Takei is a household name and is best known for his role as Commander Hikaru Sulu in the long-running Star Trek franchise. The original Nickelodeon animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender, saw the actor being the voice of a Fire Nation prison warden. But this time, he will be starring as the antagonist Koh in the live-action remake of the series. As Koh is a demonic spirit, Takei will probably only be lending his voice once again.
James Sie as Cabbage Merchant
James Sie will star as the salesman turned businessman, Cabbage merchant in the upcoming series. Sie is an accomplished author and voice actor, with a reputation for having a voice that sounds a lot like the renowned actor Jackie Chan. He famously voiced Chan in the animated series named after the icon, which ran from 2000 until 2005. He also voiced the Cabbage merchant in the original Avatar animated series.
Other actors involved in the project include Nathaniel Arcand as Chief Arnook, Princess Yue’s father, Momona Tamada as Ty Lee, Meegwun Fairbrother as Avatar Kuruk, Thalia Tran as Mai, Hiro Kanagawa as Fire Lord Sozin, Ruby Iskandar as Lt. Jee, Irene Bedard as leader Tagoda, Joel Oulette as the loyal Hahn, C.S. Lee as Avatar Roku, and Ryan Mah as Lt. Dang.
With this talented and diverse team, Netflix seems to have hit the jackpot with the upcoming Avatar series, as one of the complaints levied against the first live-action was the whitewashing of the cast.
Published: Sep 28, 2022 08:04 am