Netflix has rounded out the cast of its upcoming live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” with 20 new additions including George Takei, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Arden Cho and Danny Pudi.
Playing characters in the Water Tribe are Amber Midthunder (“Prey,” “Roswell”) as Princess Yue, the compassionate spiritual leader of the Northern Water Tribe; A Martinez (“Cowboy Bebop,” “Ambulance”) as Pakku, the veteran waterbending master of the Northern Water Tribe and a fierce defender of their traditions; Irene Bedard (“Pocahontas,” “The Stand”) as Yagoda, an empathetic healer who serves as a role model for her tribe’s female waterbenders; Joel Oulette (“Trickster,” “Ruby and the Well”) as Hahn, a strong and skilled warrior with an unwavering loyalty to his tribe; Nathaniel Arcand (“Heartland,” “FBI: Most Wanted”) as Chief Arnook, father to Princess Yue and the respected leader of their tribe; and Meegwun Fairbrother (“Burden of Truth,” “Mohawk Girls”) as Avatar Kuruk, a previous Avatar with a haunted past.
Cho, Ambudkar and Pudi all play Earth Kingdom characters, with Cho (“Partner Track”) as June, a tough and persistent bounty hunter known for her ruthless efficiency; Ambudkar (“Ghosts,” “World’s Best”) as King Bumi, the ancient and mercurial ruler of the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu; and Pudi (“Community,” “Mythic Quest”) as the mechanist, an eccentric inventor and engineer who’s doing his best to raise his son in a war-torn world. Also in the Earth Kingdom are Lucian-River Chauhan (“Encounter,” “Heartland”) as Teo, the idealistic and high-flying son of the mechanist; and James Sie (“Stillwater”) as the cabbage merchant, a long-suffering vegetable vendor in Omashu.
Actors playing Fire Nation characters include Momona Tamada (“Secret Headquarters,” “The Baby-Sitters Club”) as Ty Lee, an energetic and upbeat teen and one of Princess Azula’s best friends; Thalia Tran (“Raya and the Last Dragon,” “Little”) as Mai, an unflappable and deadpan teen who, along with Ty Lee, is one of Princess Azula’s closest allies; Ruy Iskandar (“Yes Day,” “Benders”) is Lt. Jee, the first officer of Prince Zuko’s ship; Hiro Kanagawa (“Altered Carbon,” “The Man in the High Castle”) as Fire Lord Sozin, the ruthless and ambitious previous ruler of the Fire Nation and grandfather to Fire Lord Ozai; C.S. Lee (“Dexter,” “Warrior”) as Avatar Roku, a wise and benevolent past Avatar from the Fire Nation; François Chau (“The Expanse,” “American Gigolo”) as the Great Sage, the venerated spiritual leader of the Fire Nation and guardian of Avatar Roku’s shrine; and Ryan Mah (“The Good Doctor,” “Snowpiercer”) as Lt. Dang, Commander Zhao’s second-in-command.
Takei (“Star Trek,” “Resident Alien”) joins the Spirit World voicing Koh, an ancient, predatory spirit. Randall Duk Kim (“John Wick,” “Kung Fu Panda”) will voice Wan Shi Tong, who appears in the form of a giant owl and is also known as the Spirit of Knowledge.
Previously announced cast members include Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Zuko, Elizabeth Yu as Azula, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Iroh, and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai.
“Avatar: The Last Airbender,” a live-action adaptation of the animated Nickelodeon series of the same name, is executive produced by showrunner Albert Kim, Rideback’s Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore, and Michael Goi. Directors include Goi, co-executive producer Roseanne Liang, Jabbar Raisani and Jet Wilkinson.
(Pictured, left to right: George Takei, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Arden Cho, Danny Pudi)
