The undeniable positive regarding Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender is that no matter how it turns out, there’s surely no chance it’ll end up being any worse than M. Night Shyamalan’s woeful blockbuster that comfortably ranks as one of the worst movies of the 21st Century, if not all-time.
That being said, it’s only been 24 hours since the streaming service revealed the first look at its next great fantasy hope at this year’s TUDUM, and the controversy has already started. In this instance, questions are being asked about Sokka actor Ian Ousley and his ethnicity, with conspiracy theories arising that he lied about being of indigenous origin.
Now, the 13 Reasons Why alum’s management have said he’s indigenous, mixed-race, and a Cherokee tribe member when his casting was first announced, but the internet being what it is, people ended up demanding answers for themselves. A few months ago, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and Cherokee Nation were reportedly asked to comment on the matter being the three tribes recognized by the federal government, only for all three to say that Ousely is not a member.
While both the actor and his representatives maintain their original stance, social media has naturally been inundated with furious responses voicing dismay at his involvement, with Twitter’s favored “guilty until proven innocent” stance arguably in play.
If the creative team were happy to have Ousely play Sokka in The Last Airbender given their mission statement to portray “Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people” as per showrunner Albert Kim, then maybe it’s wiser to give him the benefit of the doubt until definitively told otherwise.