These actors from Netflix's live-action series Avatar: The Last Airbender learnt martial arts because of the cartoon

It's been a full-circle moment for two cast members of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender — from beginning their martial arts journey after watching the cartoon to being cast for the live-action series.

During a Feb 15 press conference, 22-year-old Dallas Liu, who plays Prince Zuko and practises karate, shared: "Avatar: The Last Airbender was something that I watched 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, there's a lot of bending sequences and a lot of the bending styles are influenced by real-life martial arts styles. So, just being able to be a part of this has been a privilege."

Ian Ousley, who plays Sokka, caught the reruns of the original Avatar cartoon on Nickelodeon while growing up, and added that "it was a big reason" why he started martial arts.

The 21-year-old taekwondo black belt joked that he wished he could remember the specific day he started watching the cartoon series "like on June 23, 2007" but he recalls growing up with it and doing martial arts because of it.

"And then obviously when it got put on Netflix in 2020, I was like, 'I guess this is what we're doing,' you know, 'cause we're in Covid-19. So I re-fell in love with the show after that."

Among the younger cast members, which includes Kiawentiio Tarbell (who plays Ian's onscreen sister Katara) and Lizzy Yu (playing Zuko's sister Azula), it was only Gordon Cormier, who plays the titular Avatar and last airbender Aang, who didn't watch it while growing up. However, he made up for it by binge-watching it "about 26 times" since booking the live-action role.

The live-action cast rounds out with Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Fire Lord Ozai and watched the original cartoon with his children and Paul Sun-hyung Lee, who plays Uncle Iroh.

Ken Leung, who plays Commander Zhao, didn't know of the series beforehand and thought it would be James Cameron's Avatar, asking: "So, am I gonna be blue?"

'It is a huge responsibility'

Being in the live-action remake of a popular children's show comes with its own pressures, and Ian found himself "shaking in his dang boots" while preparing for the show.

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The actors weren't told what they were auditioning for, and after he realised he was playing Sokka, he was overcome with "so many emotions".

"We all prepped really hard for it, but I felt like I maybe tensed up, just 'cause of the pressure," he said.

But he felt it was "almost like a life lesson in a way", teaching him that "in art, you're vulnerable".

"When you get to let go is when you get your best performances, is when you get your best relationships."

Kiawentiio, 17, said: "It is a huge responsibility, and I feel like we all felt that way. And this cartoon, this story, this universe really does deserve a well-done and well-thought out live-action series.

"And I feel like that's what we all were trying to do, especially with the writers and everyone else that's a huge part of the making of this show.

"We were all like such huge fans. So, I feel like that played a huge part in paying homage and doing it justice, you know?"

"In that way, it was actually an opportunity, because fans had experience with previous iterations of this source material," Daniel, 55, said.

"And so, the fact that we were able to do it in 2022 with newer technology, with a cast that was authentic and true to the spirit of the original, is a real chance to do something different."

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEmlE9Ianuo&ab_channel=Netflix[/embed]

Avatar: The Last Airbender airs Feb 22 on Netflix.

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drimac@asiaone.com

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