I’ll be flailing over the Avatar: The Last Airbender cast for the foreseeable future.
So it’s no surprise that when Netflix announced they’d be making a live-action TV series based on the iconic Nickelodeon show, fans began to wonder who would be cast.
A reimagined, live-action “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series is coming to Netflix!
(ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴀʀᴛ ʙʏ Jᴏʜɴ Sᴛᴀᴜʙ)
@netflixqueue / Via Twitter: @netflixqueue
Well, Netflix just unveiled who will be playing Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko, and not to be dramatic, but I love them all already.
Aang, our fearless and fun-loving Avatar, will be played by Gordon Cormier
Nickelodeon / Netflix
Before snagging the lead role in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Gordon is best known for Gabby Duran & the Unsittables, Netflix’s Lost In Space, and the new Turner and Hooch TV show. He also recurred on Stephen King’s adaptation of The Stand in 2020.
Katara, our determined waterbender, will be played by Kiawentiio.
Nickelodeon / Netflix
Kiawentiio is probably best known for starring in the final season of Netflix’s hugely popular series Anne with An E. She can also be seen in the film Beans and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls. You’ll also be able to hear her voice talents in an upcoming episode of Marvel’s animated series What If…?
Sokka, everyone’s favorite resourceful and goofy older brother, will be played by Ian Ousley.
Nickelodeon / Netflix
When he was younger, Avatar: The Last Airbender actually inspired him to get into Taekwondo, a passion he’s been pursuing since he was 9 years old. In terms of acting, Ian notably played Robby Corman in 13 Reasons Why, appeared opposite Elizabeth Olsen in Sorry For Your Loss, and he’s had roles on Young Sheldon, Big Shot, and Physical.
And Zuko, the most complex firebender around, will be played by Dallas Liu.
Nickelodeon / Netflix
Before we catch Dallas as Zuko, you’ll be able to see him in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings alongside Simu Liu, Awkwafina, and more. In terms of TV, he’s appeared in numerous projects like PEN15, where he played Maya’s older brother. Dallas can also be seen in episodes of No Good Nick, Legendary Dudas, CSI: Cyber, Bones, and more.
Here’s a group shot of the cast, just so you can see what they all look like together (and because I got emotional when I saw it).
Netflix also released the creative team behind Avatar: The Last Airbender. Albert Kim, who previously worked on shows like Sleepy Hollow and Nikita, will be taking on the role of showrunner, executive producer, and writer.
Speaking about bringing Avatar: The Last Airbender to life in this live-action series, Albert said he began watching the show with his daughter when she was younger and he was immediately “sucked into the world and characters.”
“It also wasn’t lost on me that this was a world that drew from Asian cultures and legend, which is a rarity to this day and something I appreciated as an Asian-American father. That my daughter was able to see characters who looked like her on screen was more than just entertaining. It was a gift.”
While casting, Albert wanted to be authentic, saying he was excited that this live-action show would “establish a new benchmark in representation and bring in a whole new generation of fans. This was a chance to showcase Asian and Indigenous characters as living, breathing people.”
Nickelodeon
The core cast is made up of Asian and Indigenous actors, who are all excited to bring not only these characters to life, but showcase their own stories.
“Authenticity is what keeps us going, both in front of the camera and behind it, which is why we’ve assembled a team unlike any seen before — a group of talented and passionate artists who are working around the clock to bring this rich and incredibly beautiful world to life.”
In terms of the plot of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Albert assures fans that the live-action show will not “change things for the sake of change.”
Nickelodeon
He continued, saying, “Netflix’s format meant we had an opportunity to reimagine a story that had originally been told in self-contained half-hour episodes as an ongoing serialized narrative. That meant story points and emotional arcs we’d loved in the original could be given even more room to breathe and grow.”
“I didn’t want to modernize the story, or twist it to fit current trends. Don’t get me wrong. We’ll be expanding and growing the world, and there will be surprises for existing fans and those new to the tale.”
While we’ll have to wait a little while until we can finally watch the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series, I cannot wait to see this cast in action and fall in love with their takes on these beloved characters.
What do you think of the cast so far? Are you excited to see this show come to life on Netflix? Tell us everything in the comments below!
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