Cast Photo for Netflix's AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER with Uncle Iroh, Commander Zhao, and Gyatso Casting Revealed
Netflix has released a photo of the cast from Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series. The photo was released as the series started production in Vancouver. They creative team is collaborating with Pixomondo Virtual Production, which is an Academy Award and Emmy-winning visual effects studio that is described as "one of the biggest" virtual productions in North America.
The people in the photo include Gordon Cormier as Aang, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Zuko, Kiawentiio as Katara, Executive Producer Lindsey Liberatore, directors Jet Wilkinson and Jabbar Raisani, Showrunner, executive producer and writer Albert Kim, Executive Producer and director Michael Goi, Executive producer and director Roseanne Liang, executive producer Dan Lin.
Albert Kim had this to say about the start of production, "We're thrilled to start production on this incredible project, and we're especially excited to work with the technology-benders at PXO to create the wondrous world of Avatar: The Last Airbender using the most advanced techniques available to filmmakers anywhere in the world."
It was also announced that Paul Sun-Hyung Lee has been cast as Uncle Iroh, Lim Kay Siu as Gyatso, and Ken Leung as Commander Zhao. Here are the details for each character:
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim's Convenience, The Mandalorian) will play Uncle Iroh, “a retired Fire Nation general and the wise and nurturing mentor to his hot-headed nephew, Prince Zuko.”
Lim Kay Siu (he/him; Anna and The King, Nightwatch) will play Gyatso, “a kind and caring Air Nomad monk who is the guardian, father figure and best friend to Aang.”
Ken Leung (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Industry) will play Commander Zhao, “a scheming and ambitious Fire Nation military officer who's eager to leverage an unexpected encounter with a desperate Prince Zuko to advance his personal goals.”
The cast also includes Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hellboy, Always Be My Maybe) who is set to play the character Fire Lord Ozai. Here’s a previously released synopsis for the film.
The Last Airbender takes place in a fantasy world, home to humans, fantastic animals, and supernatural spirits. Human civilization is divided into three pre-industrialized nations, the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and the Air Nomads, and one industrialized nation, the Fire Nation, capable of manufacturing various kinds of machines. Within each nation, an order of men and women called 'Benders' have the ability to manipulate their native element.
These Bending arts combine a certain style of martial arts and elemental mysticism. The Bending types are Waterbending, Earthbending, Firebending, and Airbending. In each generation, one person is capable of Bending all four elements; this is the Avatar, the spirit of the planet manifested in human form. When the Avatar dies, he or she is reincarnated into an unborn baby native in the next nation in the Avatar Cycle, which parallels the seasons: winter for water, spring for earth, summer for fire, and autumn for air.
While legend holds that the Avatar must master the elements in order, starting with their native element, this can sometimes be compromised when the situation requires it. Learning to bend the element opposite one’s native element is extremely difficult because opposing Bending arts are based on opposing fighting styles and doctrines.
Are you excited about this live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series?