Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation is still a ways off, but fans can whet their appetite with some new information. Actress Yvonne Chapman, who will portray Avatar Kyoshi in the series, gave fans some new insight into the beloved character and her role in the live-action series.
As reported by Avatar News, the actress sat down with Cliche Magazine, where she spoke about her role in the upcoming fantasy/wuxia-inspired adventure. She was careful to emphasize that the show is still a work in progress, but also praised what she’s seen so far. “I’m really curious to see what it’s going to look like. Like everybody else, I’m kind of in the dark as well,” she said. “But I’m so excited to see it! The team is fantastic. Gordon Cormier, who plays Aang, is so lovely and so talented.”
Both Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel series The Legend of Korra, the first mainstream American children’s series to feature an LGBT+ lead, have become increasingly popular in recent years as its original fans re-examine the series. “The showrunners and creators have such a passion for the story,” Chapman says. “They were all fans of it growing up, so there is a great deal of respect for the source material, and they’ve kept in mind the audience that is going to be watching has grown up with the show. I think it’s going to be really great, and I can’t wait to see it.”
Fans can rest assured that the adaptation will treat Kyoshi with the mythical and wise aura she radiates in the original series. “She sometimes has a different perspective from the other Avatars,” Chapman explains. “She’s a very fierce person, and she is going to be able to guide Aang in what needs to be done in his circumstances. Kyoshi is going to be able to give Aang the advice that he needs to hear at the time that he needs to hear it.” Her words are in line with how Kyoshi is portrayed in the animated show: powerful, experienced, and willing to do what needs to be done.
The live action series has no official air date just yet, but fans are awaiting release news with bated breath. The franchise’s previous foray into live action was a controversial entry by M. Night Shyamalan back in 2010 that was widely panned (and faced accusations of whitewashing). Chapman’s words of assurance that the series is a faithful adaptation could potentially pacify skeptical fans, who are enjoying a new era of Avatar content, including a new animated series on the horizon.