Avatar: The Last Airbender Star Thought They Were Auditioning for James Cameron’s Avatar

When it comes to Avatar: The Last Airbender, it has long been a struggle to make sure that fans don’t confuse it with the popular story of the Na’vi. James Cameron isn’t just planning on continuing the film franchise with multiple sequels, but the filmmaker is even going to escalate the confusion by introducing a Na’vi “Fire Nation” of its own in the future. In a hilarious twist of fate, not only have fans sometimes been confused with the two franchises sharing the same name, but a star of Netflix’s live-action adaptation did the same.

A major difference that this new live-action adaptation takes on is focusing more on the Fire Nation. In Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, the likes of Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee are introduced far earlier than the source material, along with a closer look at Fire Lord Ozai and how he ran his kingdom with an iron fist. One particular actor playing a significant role in the Fire Nation was mistaken regarding which Avatar he would be a part of.

Avatar Vs Avatar

Ken Leung describes his take on Commander Zhao as a “hero in his own mind”. When asked if he was familiar with Avatar: The Last Airbender, the actor states that he wasn’t familiar and admits he thought he was joining the Na’vi world, “When I first heard it was for Avatar, I thought I was going to be blue. Looking back, I kind of love that I came in blank because when you have ideas, you can corrupt a pure process. When you come in blank, things will come into it that will inform your playing of the part in a way that it might not have if you came in with preconceived ideas.” 

ComicBook.com recently reviewed Netflix’s live-action adaptation, noting that while the new take on Aang’s world has its strengths, it also has its fair share of weaknesses, “While the first season of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender makes story changes, the rest of the adaptation is incredibly faithful to the original series. From its bending choreography to its costuming, Netflix spares no expense in making sure the story’s Asian and Indigenous roots are seen. The world of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender feels lived in and the visual effects of the series are second to none. But even with these wins, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender is not without flaws.”

Which Avatar universe do you prefer? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of bending.