How to Get Cast on Netflix’s ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’

Albert Kim’s live-action show is based on the critically acclaimed 2005 Nickelodeon animated series from Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. (The series was previously adapted into “The Last Airbender,” a 2010 film from M. Night Shyamalan.)

The story is set in an Asian-inspired world that’s divided into four nations: the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Some people are “benders,” meaning they’re gifted with the ability to manipulate a given element. In each generation, a chosen one who has the ability to bend all four, known as the Avatar, is tasked with maintaining peace between the nations and bridging the divide between humans and the Spirit World.

The series begins 100 years after the Fire Nation set out to conquer the world, in the process wiping out the Air Nomads—the society in which the next Avatar was destined to emerge. The chosen one disappeared after the invasion, leaving the world with no one to restore balance among the four nations.

That all changes when two siblings from the Southern Water Tribe, waterbender Katara (Kiawentiio) and budding warrior Sokka (Ian Ousley), find the missing Avatar: a young Air Nomad named Aang (Gordon Cormier) who has been frozen inside an iceberg for the past century. He and his friends travel the world on a quest to help Aang master each bending discipline in time to defeat the evil Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But they’re hounded by the exiled Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), who’s determined to capture the Avatar and get back into his father’s good graces.

Season 1 features a mix of industry newcomers and veterans, including:

• Gordon Cormier as Aang
• Ian Ousley as Sokka
• Kiawentiio as Katara
• Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko
• Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai
• Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh
• Ken Leung as Commander Zhao
• Elizabeth Yu as Azula
• Yvonne Chapman as Kyoshi
• Maria Zhang as Suki
• Tamlyn Tomita as Yukari
• James Sie as the Cabbage Merchant
• Casey Camp-Horinek as Gran Gran
• Ruy Iskandar as Lieutenant Jee
• Lim Kay Siu as Monk Gyatso
• Momona Tamada as Ty Lee
• Thalia Tran as Mai
• A Martinez as Master Pakku
• George Takei as Koh

Four CDs cast the series, including Anya Colloff (“Fresh Off the Boat”) and Michael V. Nicolo (“Party Down”) of Colloff/Nicolo Casting, PoPing AuYeung (“The Meg”), and Tiffany Mak (“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies”).

Nicolo told the SAG-AFTRA Foundation that whether you’re auditioning in-person or via Zoom, it’s important to ask any questions you may have before you begin. “You want to make sure you’re getting those questions answered so you can give the best performance possible,” he explained. He added that casting directors want to see your unique take on a character. “Bring a part of yourself to these roles. Really make it your own; really own the character and make it your own to stand out from the rest.”

Kim says that creating the show was a passion project for him, as his daughter got him hooked on the animated series when it debuted on Nickelodeon. “This was a world that drew from Asian cultures and legend, which is a rarity to this day, and something I appreciated as an Asian-American father,” he told Netflix. “That my daughter was able to see characters who looked like her onscreen was more than just entertaining. It was a gift.”

However, he was hesitant when the streamer approached him about helming the series. “The more I thought about it, the more intrigued I became,” he said. “VFX technology has advanced to the point where a live-action version can not only faithfully translate what had been done in animation—it can bring a rich new visual dimension to a fantastic world. We’ll be able to see bending in a real and visceral way we’ve never seen before.”

Kim was committed to casting actors who reflected the heritage of the roles they play. “Our byword has been ‘authenticity’—to the story, to the characters, to the cultural influences,” he explained. “Authenticity is what keeps us going both in front of the camera and behind it, which is why we’ve assembled a team unlike any seen before: a group of talented and passionate artists who are working around the clock to bring this rich and incredibly beautiful world to life.”

In early March, Netflix renewed “Avatar: The Last Airbender” for two more seasons. While the show isn’t currently casting, we think the process will likely be similar to Season 1’s. Last year, the team released a number of open calls using fake names to keep the characters a secret, including Chief Red Crow, Grace, Henry, Anaya, Brother Rain, and Dakota. 

Fans of the original series scoured the casting notices to guess which characters matched the descriptions. One rumor that made the rounds on Reddit predicted that a call for Tibetan and Mainland Southeast Asian performers of all genders (with a note that male performers must be comfortable shaving their heads) meant the team was searching for actors to play Airbenders. 

While we wait for notices to pop up, check out our main casting page or this roundup of similar gigs for the latest acting opportunities.

Disappear into your character. Tamlyn Tomita, who plays Yukari on the series, is a veteran actor who’s starred in projects including “The Karate Kid Part II” and “The Good Doctor.” But even she’s messed up in the audition room. “I’ve made some harsh mistakes, but it’s all learning,” she told Daily Actor. “And they’re funny stories to tell after I come home and crash into the couch with my little pint of ice cream and say, ‘Oh, I should’ve done this.’ But then it’s a lesson learned.” 

She has a unique recommendation to make yourself stand out. “As an actor, what I try to do is…completely transform myself internally. This is an old-school lesson I learned from my mentors way back when: Try to walk into the room as the character—because a lot of these writers, directors, and producers don’t have a lot of time to get to know you as the actor, as the person, and then see you turn on the character. They’d just rather see you turn on the character and walk in. It’s a little bit more efficient for me.”

The actor told the Vancouver Sun that it’s all about keeping your eyes, ears, and heart open to the process. “Your instincts will guide you, so just listen to your gut. Be kind and be on time, and you’ll have a most joyous time,” she said.

Always say yes to work. A Martinez (Master Pakku), who broke out on the classic soap opera “General Hospital” and has recently worked on series like “The Bay” and “Dark Winds,” says that any gigs you can land or classes you can take will help you hone your craft. 

“The most important thing any actor can do is to find a way to work,” he told the Nerd Element. “No matter what you have to do, find a way, whether you’re getting paid or simply attending classes regularly and getting yourself up in front of your peers—or booking professional gigs, if you’re far enough along. You’ve got to be doing it to grow, and you’ve got to be doing it to be seen. And if you’re fortunate enough to get a legitimate flow going, it’s your responsibility to honor and nurture it.

“The great breakthrough for me in the journey was coming to realize that it’s about every bit of the work, even though most of what I get to do never escapes the auditioning process,” he continued. “But I can still address those auditions with the same commitment to preparation I’d assign to a role that was going to be witnessed by millions. 

“Even if it’s just two people or a handful of people in a casting office, an audition constitutes an opportunity to deliver something memorable in the moment—and treating it as such means that you’ll be likely to get back in that same room in front of those same casting people when your name comes up again.”

Have the courage to speak up: As an advocate for the Asian American community, Kim (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-0”), who plays Fire Lord Ozai, has spent his entire career advocating for diversity in the entertainment industry. 

“There are a lot of cultural elements to why we behave the way that we do,” the actor told Esquire. “But the point is, people won’t know you have a problem until you let them know that there’s a problem. And I think it’s very easy for us, historically, to be overlooked and [hear people] say, ‘Oh, don’t worry about Kevin. Don’t worry about Daniel. He’s fine. Look, he’s just working quietly over there.’ So, you know, one of the lessons I learned in my industry is that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. And that’s not to say that everyone needs to be a pain in the ass, but we need to find that courage.”

Stay positive. George Takei (Koh) made a name for himself in the 1960s as Sulu on the original “Star Trek.” In the years since his breakout role, the actor has become a vocal advocate for both the Asian American and LGBTQ+ communities. Despite his personal struggles, Takei keeps something his father told him close to heart. “I think being optimistic is ensuring your success,” he told Time. “If you start out saying, ‘I’ve got this problem’ or, ‘I’m angry at that,’ you will not succeed. My father said, ‘Be confident [in] who you are, but also work hard to be the best that you can be.’ ”

He told Parade that “life is a constant learning process.” And even though he’s 86, he doesn’t see himself slowing down anytime soon—an attitude you can adopt no matter your age. “I have a grandmother who’s celebrated 104 birthdays, and I intend to beat that, as I’m very competitive,” he said. “That’s the spirit that one has to have: always competition, always learning and always advancing, in age as well as in life.”