Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Series Casts Amber Midthunder As Yue, A Familiar Cabbage Merchant, And More
By now, those of you reading this site have no need to be reminded of the greatness of Nickelodeon's animated "Avatar: The Last Airbender" series — we've written as much in detail time and again, after all. The elemental story of Aang and his friends joining together to battle the evil of Fire Lord Ozai is the stuff of legend, having gained countless fans during its original airing on Nickelodeon and in the years since. Although that viewership is exactly the demographic most leery about any further adaptations of that story, especially in live-action, Netflix is nevertheless forging ahead with their own spin on the classic tale (even after the poorly-received news that the Netflix series had parted ways with the show's original creators over "creative direction").
But one way to win fans back is to further flesh out the already-impressive cast with even more big names and fan-favorites — including bringing back at least one notable member of the voice cast from the beloved series.
That's right, folks, the real news here is that actor James Sie, the original voice actor of Cabbage Man, is back and ready to sell his veggie wares while having his livelihood ruined over and over again. But as Netflix announced through their Netflix Geeked social media account, he'll also be joined by several notable additions to the cast in "Prey" star Amber Midthunder as Princess Yue, "Community" actor Danny Pudi as a character known as The Mechanist, the legendary George Takei as Koh, and more. Check out all the details below!
Avatar: The Last Airbender rounds out the cast
There's no question that Nickelodeon's "Avatar: The Last Airbender" will forever remain the gold standard ... but it's difficult to outright dismiss Netflix's attempt at a retelling of this story, thanks to the sheer strength of its cast (not to mention the streamer's huge ambitions for the franchise). In addition to the notable big names joining the cast, fans will undoubtedly be interested in knowing that several other major characters have found their actors, as well.
Arden Cho ("Partner Track") will play June, the relentless bounty hunter that Netflix describes as "tough and persistent" and "known for her ruthless efficiency" (along with her whip and fearsome shirshu steed). Momona Tamada ("Secret Headquarters," "The Baby-Sitters Club") has been cast as Ty Lee and Thalia Tran ("Raya and the Last Dragon") as Mai, two of the constant companions to the villainous Princess Azula (previously announced to be played by Elizabeth Yu). And the role of King Bumi, described as "the ancient and mercurial ruler of the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu" who might be the wackiest character in the entire show, will be played by the noticeably young and attractive (and not wacky-looking at all!) Utkarsh Ambudkar ("Ghosts," "World's Best").
Midthunder's Princess Yue appeared in the original series as a key member of the Water Tribe, while Pudi's Mechanist is an Earth Kingdom inventor whose creations play a pivotal role later in the story. Takei's formidable Koh (known by the official title of Koh the Face Stealer) brought a dose of spiritual horror into "The Last Airbender," which feels perfect for an icon like George Takei. And the fervent following that has sprung up around Sie's Cabbage Man speaks for itself.
This new version of "Avatar: The Last Airbender" will premiere on Netflix on a to-be-announced date.