Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon’s animated hit Avatar: The Last Airbender is still a little ways away, but the streaming giant has finally revealed who’s playing some of the show’s minor characters — including Princess Yue, King Bumi, and the fan-favourite Cabbage Merchant.
The world of Avatar is divided into four nations: the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. In addition to the Four Nations, some characters have the ability to visit a parallel dimension called the Spirit World. The reveal of the full cast gives us a look at the actors playing characters from these diverse locations who will cross paths with Aang, the main character, and his gang as they embark on the journey to master the four elements.
The new announced castings are as follows:
Water Tribe
- Amber Midthunder (Prey, Legion) 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 (Pochahontas, Smoke Signals) 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.
- Meegwun Fairbrother (Burden of Truth, Mohawk Girls) as Avatar Kuruk, a previous Avatar with a haunted past.
Earth Tribe
- Arden Cho (Partner Track, Teen Wolf) as June, a tough and persistent bounty hunter known for her ruthless efficiency.
- Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts, Free Guy) as King Bumi, the ancient and mercurial ruler of the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu.
- Danny Pudi (Mythic Quest, Community) as the Mechanist, an eccentric inventor and engineer who’s doing his best to raise his son in a war-torn world.
- Lucian-River Chauhan (Encounter, Heartland) as Teo, the idealistic and high-flying son of the Mechanist.
- James Sie (Jackie Chan Adventures, Stillwater) as the Cabbage Merchant, a long-suffering vegetable vendor in Omashu. Sie is reprising his role as the Cabbage Merchant, having voiced the iconic meme character in the original animated series.
Fire Nation
- Momona Tamada (Secret Headquarters, One: Thunder God’s Tale) 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) as 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 of 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.
- Ryan Mah (The Good Doctor, Snowpiercer) as Lt. Dang, Commander Zhao’s second-in-command.
Spirit World
- George Takei (Star Trek, Resident Alien) as the voice of Koh, an ancient, predatory spirit. Takei previously cameoed in the original animated series as a Fire Nation warden.
- Randall Duk Kim (Kung Fu Panda, John Wick) as the voice of Wan Shi Tong, who appears in the form of a giant owl and is also known as the Spirit of Knowledge.
These new additions round out the show’s cast of newcomers and established actors, which includes its four leads: Gordon Cormier (The Stand) as Aang, Kiawentiio (Anne with an E) as Katara, Ian Ousley (13 Reasons Why) as Sokka, and Dallas Liu (PEN15) as Zuko.
Other previously-announced cast members include Elizabeth Yu (All My Love) as Azula, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Kim’s Convenience) as Iroh, Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-0) as Fire Lord Ozai, Maria Zhang (All I Ever Wanted) as Suki, Tamlyn Tomita (Cobra Kai) as Yukari, Yvonne Chapman (Kung Fu) as Avatar Kyoshi, Casey Camp-Horinek (Barking Water) as Gran Gran, and Singapore’s own Lim Kay Siu (Phua Chu Kang) as Gyatso.
Netflix has yet to announce a release date for the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender project just yet, but it does seem to be off to a good start with a diverse cast of stars. Here’s to hoping that it’ll do the original series justice, and give it the redemption that it deserves.
Edwin is a seasoned raconteur with a lifelong passion for video games, comic books, movies, and more. He thrives on captivating stories and immersive world-building, with a soft spot for adorable monsters.
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