Avatar The Last Airbender
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW CASTING ADDITIONS TO “AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER”
Netflix announced that Chin Han, Hoa Xuande, Justin Chien, Amanda Zhou, Crystal Yu, Kelemete Misipeka, Lourdes Faberes and Rekha Sharma have joined the cast of the upcoming second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which is currently in production in partnership with Nickelodeon. New cast members include:
Chin Han (Mortal Kombat, Skyscraper) plays “Long Feng”
Hoa Xuande (The Sympathizer, Top of the Lake: China Girl) as “Professor Zei”
Justin Chien (The Brothers Sun, The Great Leap) as “King Kuei”
Amanda Zhou (Spinning Out, The Handmaid’s Tale) plays “Joo Dee”
Crystal Yu (Doctor Who, Good Omens) plays “Lady Beifong”
Kelemete Misipeka (Sons of Thunder, ) plays “The Boulder”
Lourdes Faberes (The Sandman, Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre) as “General Sung”
Rekha Sharma (Yellowjackets, Battlestar Galactica) as “Amita”
They join previously announced Miya Cech as “Toph” alongside returning cast Gordan Cormier as “Aang,” Kiawentiio as “Katara,” Ian Ousley as “Sokka,” Dallas Liu as “Zuko,” Elizabeth Yu as “Azula,” Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as “Iroh,” Daniel Dae Kim as “Fire Lord Ozai,” Momona Tamada as “Ty Lee,” and Thalia Tran as “Mai”
Logline: A live-action reimagining of the beloved Nickelodeon animated series following Aang, the young Avatar, as he learns to master the four elements (Water, Earth, Fire and Air) to restore balance to a world threatened by the terrifying Fire Nation.
Executive Producers: Christine Boylan, Jabbar Raisani, Dan Lin, Ryan Halprin, Brendan Ferguson, Albert Kim
#FIRSTLOOK: “AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER” SEASON 2 BEGINS PRODUCTION | MIYA CECH CASTING
Today during the Geeked Week Live event in Atlanta, Netflix announced the start of production of Season 2 for Avatar: The Last Airbender and Revealed Miya Cech Will Portray Fan-Favorite ‘Toph’.
Tudum.com Quotes from Executive Producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani
On the start of production:
“We’re looking forward to working with all of our actors again and digging into the deeper, more complicated relationships that develop as their journey continues in Season 2. We are going to show the real-world versions of iconic scenes from the original, and explore some of the stories that the animation didn’t. Mainly — we’re looking forward to seeing our gang all together again.”
“We’re going to challenge our characters with more complex and nuanced obstacles as they navigate a more tactile world. Just as the animated series matured and progressed, the live-action will also take these characters and worlds and grow them.”
On Miya Cech’s (photo above) casting:
“We make a point of reviewing submissions separately and after countless tapes, we both had the same reaction … Miya is our Toph! Miya is a brilliant performer who knows how to precisely balance the sarcastic sense of humor, stubbornness, and vulnerability that is Toph Beifong. Her physicality and emotional dexterity really put her in a class of one.”
Tudum.com Gets to Know New Cast Member Miya Cech
Miya Cech will star in Season 2 as Toph, a master earthbender who was born blind and trained to feel and sense the world around her.
Cech is already training for the role of Toph. “I’ve been in boot camp for about a week and a half now and still have a lot of work to do, but it’s super fun. I have some martial arts experience. I have a great instructor who I take private classes with back home in Northern California, and he keeps me in shape when I’m not working. I also have some dance experience from when I was younger that has been very helpful as I learn about Toph’s movements.” Cech will also work with a producer and consultant who is blind and a professional from the blindness community, to make sure the blindness community is represented appropriately.
For Cech, playing Toph is a chance to honor her heritage. “I personally am of Chinese and Japanese American descent and I’m so excited to represent my Chinese heritage in Toph Beifong,” she says. “One of the most incredible aspects of this show is the diversity of the Asian cultures in the ATLA world. Even though the universe is fantasy, it feels like every culture is represented in some way and tied to the history and traditions of that culture or country. Just a few years ago, you might have seen one or two of these actors in a show or movie, but on this show we are all able to represent this world together and work together and collaborate. It’s really amazing and a gift as an actor.”
About Avatar: The Last Airbender
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.
#SPOTTED: SIMU LIU IN TORONTO HEADLINING 2024 CCYAA CELEBRITY CLASSIC
The 2024 CCYAA Celebrity Classic capped off a day of fun-filled activities, including a food and shopping bazaar, FRESH FEST and a youth variety show, YOUTH JAM.
The fun took place last night at Mattamy Athletic Centre, drawing another star-studded who’s-who in talent including Jeremy Lin, Dominique Wilkins, Gordon Cormier, Jason Williams, Olivia Cheng, Julie Kim, The Brothers Sun stars Justin Chien and Sam Li, plus MANY more!
So wonderful seeing Simu and The CCYAA committed to the amazing work they do for our youth across the GTA! The way Simu always smiles when he sees me. So proud of him!
Some snaps:
An overview of events yesterday’s events:
CELEB CLASSIC 2024
BASKETBALL GAME (MAIN EVENT)
Watch a Hollywood actor, an NBA legend, your favourite YouTubers and more lay it all on the court for a good cause. Catch rival matchups, fierce competition and hilarious beef in this epic game you won’t want to miss.
Coaches: Dominique Wilkins and Jack Armstrong
FRESHFEST
Come experience FreshFest, a curated collective of Toronto’s leading Asian-owned businesses. From Chefs and makers to community leaders and supporters, FreshFest is the place to taste, sip, shop and play.
Vendors:
EAT
The Alley
Bungkus
PAI
Hong Shing
A-Sha x Super Noodle Company
Chef Suman Ali
Namwan
EATABLE Popcorn
Sisters & Co
Gushi Japanese Street Food
Roselle Desserts x Steven Tran Chocolates
DaanGo Cake Lab
SHOP
SoleStop
Chronic Ink
Osume
KayTran Eyewear
Dim Sum City
Banana Games & Hobbies
Jollybeast
Tuft Theory
Hey Fun Market
Mindzai
Kalamansi Collective
Pin Boy Fresh
Styll
Akira
draa
Arcadia Puzzles
ArtketGoods
Bowl Cut Paper Goods
YOUTH JAM VARIETY SHOW
A high-energy, family friendly show featuring performances and celebrity appearances inspiring the next generation to dream big and break barriers.
Learn more here.
(Photo/video credit: CCYAA/Mr. Will Wong)
#FIRSTLOOK: “AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER” RENEWED FOR SECOND AND THIRD SEASONS
Since the show’s Netflix debut on February 22, Avatar: The Last Airbender has reigned as the #1 English TV show with 41.1M views in just the first 11 days. The series was #1 in 76 countries and in the top 10 in 92.
The buzz for Avatar: The Last Airbender continues to heat up on social media where on TikTok, the #AvatarTheLastAirbender hashtag generated 1B global views in the series’ first seven days of release.
More here.
Episode counts and details for seasons 2 and 3 will be shared at a later date.
About AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER SEASON 1
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is a live-action reimagining of the award-winning and beloved Nickelodeon animated series. Albert Kim (Sleepy Hollow, Nikita) serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Jabbar Raisani (Lost in Space, Stranger Things) and Michael Goi are executive producers and directors alongside directors Roseanne Liang (also a co-executive producer) and Jet Wilkinson. Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Aladdin) and Lindsey Liberatore (Walker) serve as executive producers from Rideback.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Episodes: 8 episodes x 1 hour
Executive Producers: Albert Kim, Jabbar Raisani, Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore on behalf of Rideback, Michael Goi
Starring: Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu, Ken Leung, with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Daniel Dae Kim
Directors: Michael Goi (101, 102), Jabbar Raisani (103, 104), Roseanne Liang (105, 106), Jet Wilkinson (107, 108)
Writers: Teleplay by Albert Kim and Michael Dante DiMartino & Bryan Konietzko (101), Joshua Hale Fialkov (102), Christine Boylan (103), Keely MacDonald (104), Gabriel Llanas (105), Teleplay by Emily Kim & Hunter Ries and Bryan Konietzko, Story By Ubah Mohamed and Bryan Konietzko & Michael Dante DiMartino (106), Audrey Wong Kennedy (107), Albert Kim (108)
Music By: Takeshi Furukawa
Filming Locations: British Columbia
#INTERVIEW: “AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER”
By Mr. Will Wong
Animated Nickelodeon series AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER left behind a legacy that is remembered to this day with a devout following. Lasting 2005-2008, the Series is now re-imagined in the live-action format, ready to be unleashed on Netflix later this month!
Synopsis:
The four nations – water, earth, fire and air – once lived in harmony, only to undergo upheaval. Hope lies in Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — who realizes his destiny as the next Avatar. He and others in the Southern Water Tribe embarks on a journey to save the world from the tyrannical Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim), all while Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas James Liu) is in pursuit of them. AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is not only about the journey, but the many personalities Aang and his allies encounter along the way.
We were thrilled to partake in a virtual press junket with the Cast of this exciting new Series, which happened to be filmed here at home in Vancouver. Joining us were:
Ian Ousley (“Sokka”)
Kiawentiio (“Katara”) – CANADIAN
Dallas Liu (“Crown Prince Zuko”)
Lizzy Yu (“Azula”)
Ken Leung (“Commander Zhao”)
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (“Uncle Iroh”)
Daniel Dae Kim (“Fire Lord Ozai”)
The Cast are asked what the orignal Nickelodeon series meant to them, including the Lead Actor Gordon Cormier, who happens to be Canadian.
Cormier: “Yeah, no, I didn’t actually watch it before I booked the role. But after I figured out what the show was, I started watching it and binging it, and then really fell in love with my character, with the TV show, and since then, I’ve seen it about 26 times. So, people could say I like the show.”.
Kiawentio: “Yeah, I grew up with the show, so I wish I had a moment that was like when I first discovered it. But it was just kind of like always in my life. I was born like after it came out, so [laugh], so yeah, but I have older siblings that would watch it too. So, it was just kind of like always a part of my life growing up. And then rediscovering it later when it was put on Netflix and just falling in love all over again.
Ousley: “The Last Airbender was something that I did watch as a kid before landing the role. And it is actually a huge reason why I started participating in martial arts. And as you guys know, like, you know, there’s a lot of bending sequences and, you know, a lot of the bending styles are influenced by real life martial arts styles. So, just beiing able to be a part of this has been a privilege.”.
The Cast, including veterans Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-0) and Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience) are asked about their experiencing ‘bending’ on-camera and attending bootcamp for it. The method of Martial Arts, based on the Baguazhang style, involves smooth coiling and uncoiling actions, employing dynamic footwork, throws, and hand techniques
Leung: “Well, I mean, we didn’t see what it would look like until, you know, [laugh] until afterwards. So, I mean, for me, it was more about a kind of concentrated energy. And it was this choreographed motion. So, it was, I mean, it was that. It was like a choreographed, you know, it was choreography.
Cormier: “Oh, okay. What was the boot camp like? It was incredible, personally, for me. I was really high energy, or I am real high energy person. No lie there. But it was really exciting for me personally because I also really enjoyed the Martial Arts part of it. And I had so much energy. Like it would be so easy for me to go on and on and on, run forms back to back to back to back, and just wire work was incredible. So, I had a really good experience with boot camp.”.
Kim: “Can I just say that, you know, all these young actors here, they were running around, doing their scenes, prepping their work as actors, and then in between set ups, they were coming into the stage where they had the stunts set up and pads and all the stunt people were waiting there. So, there was very little down time for everybody. Their work ethic was exemplary. They were taking time that they didn’t have to be there and wanting to make things right. And that was really impressive for us OGs to see.”.
Lee: “Man, that was humbling. It was humbling because, and props to the entire stunt team, the coordinators, the fight choreographers. They really brought it and for me, it was an intensive like two or three week process where I had to go in and they would video, they would record each session on an iPhone.”.
“And I had to learn how to move, how to breathe properly. I’d have to stretch, which is something that become harder and harder as the days go by, right? And so, we’d be working these scenes and then we’d work out the choreo and we’d run it and they’d tape it and I’d go okay. And in your brain, you’re thinking I look really good. And then you watch the playback and you go, oh, no, I do not look as good as I think I am. And so, the patience of the team was tremendous. And when you feel you have that level of support, and from every source we felt we were fully supported. Like that’s what I loved about the experience was they worked with us tirelessly and they were always available if we wanted to do extra. Because they wanted us to succeed, and they knew the bending has to look right. In this world, for it to be believable, you have to do it right. And I love that commitment to detail. And as a performer, you don’t wanna let people down, either.”
“And it also helps when you have a prodigy who’s doing all the heavy lifting in all the sequences to just sort of like lean back and watch him do his magic. And all of them really, it is a tremendous privilege to see them do their thing. And it’s gonna be wonderful when the rest of the world gets to see them do their thing.”.
The Cast also are asked about the resources and inspirations used in bringing their characters to life in live-action.
Yu: “Well, obviously the original show. And I watched a lot of YouTube videos of the fans breaking down. And I think it was also important to note how the audience viewed these people. Yeah, and you know, we have the comics as well. I think that something I connected with Azula more profoundly with is this sort of place where she is where she’s a woman in power surrounded by a male dominated kingdom, you know. And I think that that struggle a lot of women can connect to and also the word being thrown around where, you know, she’s crazy or she’s insane. I feel like that is really telling for, you know, what women in power go through. And I think on our show, we sort of like stray away from that and kind of explain further into who she is and where she’s coming from. Yeah. I think I pull a lot from myself to be able to connect with her because it’s so outlandish sometimes, she may be doing.”.
Liu: “Similar to Lizzy, I also did a deep dive into YouTube analysis videos. But I really think our source material was research in itself. Every time we got scripts and things like that, because there are a lot of similarities, but also many differences in our show. And so sometimes, you know, when the circumstances of our characters might slightly be different, I think it changes that character as well while maintaining the essence of what the original creators had in mind.”.
“And also at the end of the day, because we are making this live action adaptation, I don’t think anybody here would wanna do an impersonation of these characters, of an animation. I think we really did our best in making these people real and allowing for everything that was going on in the world to, you know, be grounded.”.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER arrives February 22, 2024 on Netflix.
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER”
Today we get a new Trailer for AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, arriving February 22, 2024 on Netflix.
About AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is a live-action reimagining of the award-winning and beloved Nickelodeon animated series. Albert Kim (Sleepy Hollow, Nikita) serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Jabbar Raisani (Lost in Space, Stranger Things) and Michael Goi are executive producers and directors alongside directors Roseanne Liang (also a co-executive producer) and Jet Wilkinson. Dan Lin (The Lego Movie, Aladdin) and Lindsey Liberatore (Walker) serve as executive producers from Rideback.
#FIRSTLOOK: “AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER”
We get a first look today at some new stills from AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER, coming to Netflix!
SYNOPSIS:
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope.
But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad — and the last of his kind — reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) determined to capture them, it won’t be an easy task. They’ll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER is a live-action reimagining of the award-winning and beloved Nickelodeon animated series. Albert Kim serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Jabbar Raisani and Michael Goi are executive producers and directors alongside directors Roseanne Liang (also a co-executive producer) and Jet Wilkinson. Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore serve as executive producers from Rideback.
Premiere Date: 2024
Episodes: 8 episodes x 1 hour
Executive Producer / Showrunner: Albert Kim
Executive Producers: Jabbar Raisani, Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore, Michael Goi
Cast: Gordon Cormier, Ian Ousley, Kiawentiio, Dallas Liu, Ken Leung, with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Daniel Dae Kim
#FIRSTLOOK: STREAM TUDUM 2023: A NETFLIX GLOBAL FAN EVENT
Taking place this past weekend in São Paulo, Brazil, TUDUM was Netflix’s biggest global fan event. This year it was live and in-person from Brazil! Favorite stars and creators from around the world showed-up for the exciting event full of Netflix news, exclusives and first looks.
Over 45 films, series and games were featured across the Netflix YouTube channel. Fans got a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most anticipated shows and films from around the world like Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, The Witcher along with looks into new series like One Piece, Avatar: The Last Airbender and 3 Body Problem. The event also debuted news from major blockbuster films like Extraction 2, Heart of Stone and more.
Stream the event here:
See also some of the Teasers unveiled at the event for some of the streaming service’s most exciting upcoming slate:
3 BODY PROBLEM
From the creators of Game of Thrones comes a stunning new blockbuster series unlike anything you’ve seen before. This is your first look at 3 Body Problem.
AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER
Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender live action series arrives 2024.
HEART OF STONE
Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Matthias Schweighöfer in HEART OF STONE. Only on Netflix August 11, 2023. Gal Gadot is Agent Rachel Stone, the only intelligence operative who stands between her global, peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable — and dangerous — asset, codenamed: The Heart.
OUTER BANKS S4
THE WITCHER S3
Watch an exclusive clip from The Witcher Season 3, featuring Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, and Joey Batey. beginning on June 29, 2023.
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE
Meet Marie-Laure and Werner in this #Tudum exclusive look at All the Light We Cannot See. Two teens, thrust against the backdrop of WWII share a secret connection that will become a beacon of hope in the darkest of times. Coming to Netflix, November 2nd, 2023.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
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