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natlacentral · 10 hours

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#natla #atla #avatar the last airbender #netflix avatar #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #ian ousley #interview #sag awards #other social #king asante #Youtube

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natlacentral · 14 hours

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danieldaekim This one’s a special shoutout to our stunt team and especially my scene partner @dallas_liu. Watching him do his thing, both as a fighter and an actor, would make any dad proud - even Ozai.

#natla #atla #avatar the last airbender #netflix avatar #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #dallas liu #daniel dae kim #bts #instagram #cast social #Instagram

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natlacentral · 18 hours

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pnemiroff Had the honor of making my PaleyFest LA debut with the lovely and hugely talented team behind Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender! Can’t wait to keep the convo going next week at @CalgaryExpo!

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #dallas liu #paul sun hyung lee #arden cho #ian ousley #kiawentiio #gordon cormier #jabbar raisani #elizabeth yu #albert kim #other social #instagram #paleyfest

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natlacentral · 1 day

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arden_cho Can you believe this only took seconds 🤯

#natla #atla #avatar the last airbender #netflix avatar #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #bts #cast social #arden cho #Instagram

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natlacentral · 2 days

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Netflix Avatar Star Gets Candid on the Show’s Critical Reviews (Exclusive)

One of the stars behind Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender got honest about some of the reviews critics gave the show.

Fans were extremely excited ahead of the live-action series' release, especially since everything about the project looked so accurate to the original series.

Sadly, when Avatar finally aired, the reception to it was lukewarm. Critics were vocally disappointed by many aspects of it—though parts of it got constant praise, such as the performances from Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Dallas Liu as Uncle Iroh and Zuko.

The show currently sits at a 60% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 73% audience score.

[ Avatar Netflix Season 2: Dallas Liu Reveals His Big Hopes for Upcoming Episodes (Exclusive) ]

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Gets Honest About Critical Reception

Avatar: The Last Airbender star Paul Sun-Hyung Lee shared his honest thoughts with The Direct at Paleyfest 2024 about the reviews the Netflix series received when it was released.

Lee admitted he "was actually really surprised at how critical some of the outlets were towards it:"

"That's a really good question. There was the gamut of responses that I was expecting, like, I was hoping that fans would really dig it. I was actually surprised at how critical some of the outlets were towards it. It was almost like--and I'm biased, I'm biased, because you know, I'm part of it."

"It looked like some of those reviewers just had already made up their minds beforehand," the actor continued:

"But from my point of view, it looked like some of these reviewers just had already made up their minds beforehand, based on everything that they heard instead of the actual, like actually watching the show. And they were ready to just pick it apart. Whereas the fans really sort of embraced it. And were like, I don't know about this, I'm cautiously optimistic. But the majority of them really enjoyed it."

Lee explained how people should "approach different things with different sets of expectations," a mentality "that’s good for anything in real life:"

"And I think that's what we need to do is just sort of approach different things with different sets of expectations, in a sense, and not to prejudge and make up our minds before you have a chance to view anything. And I think that's good for anything in real life, is to really have an open mind, go in, experience it, instead of going, 'I'm going to judge this,' instead of, 'I'm going to watch this, and I'll see.' And then I will be critical or I will, you know, be judgmental, or whatever. But that's all you ask for in life. It's like not to be judged before the work is shown."

"It’s one of those things that have to grow," Lee noted, adding that it’s "very rare that something is pitch-perfect right out of the gates:"

"And I'm really impressed with the fan community for doing and embracing that. It was really kind of going well; it wasn't perfect, but we really did enjoy it. And then, at the end of the day, that's all you want. And we're learning, too. So, it's one of those things where things have to grow. It's very, very rare that something is pitch-perfect right out of the gates, right?"

When it comes to fan reception, Dallas Liu told The Direct how he "love[s] seeing just how stoked everyone is on the bending effects:"

"I'd say, like, I love seeing just how stoked everyone is about the bending effects in our show. I think Jabbar [Raisani] and his team really nailed that part of like, what everyone loves about the original."

Producer Jabbar Raisani revealed it is "the fan reception to the show" he's most proud of:

"I mean, really, the fan reception to the show, right? Like, we tried to make this thing that felt like the animated series, had the heart and soul of the animated series, but lived in breath in a live-action world and people responded to that. That was a very challenging thing to actually do."

Arden Cho, the actress who plays June, shares how she has been "really happy to see everyone enjoying and loving the show:"

"I think I'm really happy to see everyone enjoying and loving the show. And there's just so many different things that are being noticed. And yeah, I think I knew people would love this because everybody's working hard on it. And it's such a loved story to begin with. I'm so excited to be a part of it. But yeah, I think what I'm enjoying the most is sort of seeing the response to all the kids and everything and just the world [of Avatar]. I love the world... The world is so fun; it's so fun to be a part of it."

[ Avatar Star Dallas Liu Explains Zuko & Katara's Rivalry In Live-Action Show (Exclusive) ]

Letting Avatar: The Last Airbender Find Its Footing

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee has a point—countless shows have grown exponentially in quality as they went on. Some just take time to find their footing.

With Season 1 in the wild and audiences giving plenty of feedback, the creative team has every chance to improve upon the foundation they’ve already built. They don't even need to worry about whether they will be able to finish the story.

If Netflix can knock the next two seasons out of the park, there is a good chance fans can expect even more stories to be told in that universe. Maybe one of the upcoming new adult Aang movies could get an adaptation or even the Legend of Korra.

#natla #atla #avatar the last airbender #netflix avatar #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #paul sun hyung lee #dallas liu #jabbar raisani #arden cho #article #the direct #paleyfest

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natlacentral · 2 days

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felisha.tolentino Shot for @netflix / the cast of Avatar the Last Airbender

#natla #atla #avatar the last airbender #netflix avatar #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #dallas liu #ian ousley #kiawentiio #elizabeth yu #gordon cormier #other social #instagram #photoshoot

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natlacentral · 2 days

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'It's Gonna Suck': Avatar Netflix Star Prepares Fans for Season 2's Zuko & Iroh Conflict (Exclusive)

An actor from Netfix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series teased one "heartbreaking" arc that seasons two and three have in store.

For many, one of the best part of Netflix’s live-action remake of the beloved Nickelodeon series was the performances behind beloved characters Iroh and Zuko, played by Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Dallas Liu.

The dynamic between the two brings the duo from animation into live action, and their bond feels authentic. Sadly, as close as those two are, in Book Two of the animated original, there is a notable break between them, leaving them both on their own.

With Season 2 right around the corner, fans should start prepping to go through that very same heartbreak.

[ Avatar Netflix Season 2: Dallas Liu Reveals His Big Hopes for Upcoming Episodes (Exclusive) ]

The Inevitable Conflict Between Uncle Iroh and Zuko

While talking with The Direct at Paleyfest 2024, Avatar: The Last Airbender actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee shared how he is not looking forward to the big fracture between Uncle Iroh and Zuko.

"It’s gonna suck so hard," the actor noted regarding being separated from his usual scene partner Dallas Liu; though he made sure to point out how it will no doubt be "really good storytelling:"

"It's gonna suck so hard because I'll be alone. No, I mean, that's one of the lovely things about our story arcs is the fact that you see them together at first, you establish that, and then really good storytelling is putting people through conflict... And so having them separate is going to be heartbreaking, but at the same time, really, really great storytelling to see what they're like apart from each other. And so that's something I'm really, really looking forward to. And yeah, I'm gonna miss him."

Dallas Liu previously expressed a similar sentiment to The Direct in a separate interview, where he explained how close both he and Lee got during the filming:

"And I'm thankful for Paul because he was so supportive when I was feeling stress and worry, in the same way, that I think Uncle Iroh would care for Zuko during those times. And so what was going on in real life and behind the scenes sort of played out on camera really well."

Liu mentioned in that same past interview how he can only assume the split between the two characters will "feel real:"

"I can only assume that it'll feel real. All of my scenes in this series have been with Paul. So to not work with him in those scenes is hard because, for me, he feels like the backbone. That relationship is truly why I think the chemistry between the two of us is why those scenes feel so strong."

At Paleyfest, Liu told The Direct that for Season 2, he is actively hoping for "a strong Zuko" storyline:

"I'm hoping for like a strong Zuko alone. Like, I'm hoping I'm hoping for that. And I'm hoping for Lee from the tea shop, going on his little date. That was cute."

The actor also expressed how both he and Elizabeth Yu (Azula) "would kill it" in portraying the character’s intense sibling rivalry:

"Me and Lizzie were actually talking; we feel we would kill it. She did such a good job. I was so very impressed. Because I didn't, I wasn't on set the days that she was shooting. So, I didn't get to see our work until it came out. So I was really impressed."

Yu agreed, noting how "the sibling vibe" between the two of them "has definitely grown:"

"Yeah, I'm very excited. I feel like we've been spending so much time promoting the show, too, that the sibling vibe has definitely grown. So I'm super excited to see what that looks like on screen."

It Will Suck Missing Uncle Iroh and Zuko in Avatar Season 2

The split between Uncle Iroh and Zuko will undoubtedly be disappointing just as much for the audience as it will for the actors behind the scenes.

It is going to be hard to swallow the fact that fans will have to go almost an entire season (perhaps more) without them together.

Thankfully, there will be at least an episode or two with them still together when Season 2 starts.

While Uncle Iroh may play a smaller role in Zuko’s time on the show, at least there will (probably) be further exploration of his sibling rivalry with Azula. The first season didn't offer much in that regard, and the duo butt heads more than a few times in the animated show’s second and third seasons.

Season 3 will be particularly interesting, as, when it starts, Zuko is spending some time at home in the Fire Nation nice and comfy—a dynamic which hasn't been shown in live-action yet.

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #dallas liu #paul sun hyung lee #elizabeth yu #article #paleyfest

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natlacentral · 3 days

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pradnesh.prakash.official I am excited and thankful to be playing the role of young King Bumi in today’s Netflix release ‘Avatar - The Last Air Bender’. It’s an honor to work with Gordon portraying Aang and the rest of the amazing crew. Thanks to my wonderful agents and family.

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #pradnesh prakash #gordon cormier #albert kim #cast social #instagram #bts

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natlacentral · 3 days

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Hi Ian, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hey! Yeah, of course. I’m a 22-year-old actor & artist from College Station, Texas. I’m a huge fan of all things art, especially the medium of film & tv. I did martial arts most of my life growing up from the ages of 9-16; it basically consumed my life. I’m a 3rd degree black belt and world champion in Weapons; I still keep up on my training. I love to write all sorts of things from songs to screenplays to journal entries, my day truly isn’t complete without writing. My life is centered around my relationship with Jesus, which is where I find my rest, my strength, and my inspiration.

Congratulations on landing on one of the leading role in “Avatar: The Last Airbender”, how does it feel to be one of the main characters Sokka in this Netflix live-action adaptation?

Thank you so much! It feels amazing to play such a beloved and iconic character in this series. This is my first leading role, so it was a big responsibility, and I grew so much as an actor and a person in general. I loved the animated series growing up, so it was really surreal to be a part of this life action adaptation.

You mentioned that you are a huge fan of the original animated series, what traits have you noticed from that version (or the movie adaptation) of Sokka that you like? How have you thought of continuing those traits in your portrayal of the character?

Yeah, my goal with taking on the role of Sokka was to embody the soul of that character and translate who Sokka really is while bringing in the elements that come with making him a real-life person. He’s the meat and sarcasm guy with the boomerang, but he also has a lot of very complicated emotions coming up inside of him that he’s really never been able to face before. It was a really fun challenge to get to play with all of the layers of who he is. He masks a lot of what he’s going through with his humor which I think is true for a lot of funny people. Getting to find those little correlations from the animated character and connect him to a real, emotional human place was a big task but a very gratifying one to take on.

And is there anything new you have implemented in your interpretaion? If so, what is it?

I think the newness that comes from adapting an animated character is getting to let their human components shine through. Finding their vulnerabilities and how and when they let those show and why. Being human is being vulnerable, so just keeping their core and soul of what makes them who they are and enhancing their humanity.

In the series, Sokka tries to prove his leadership and value even without having special abilities. In the end, he becomes a hero in his own way. Do you somehow resonate with Sokka’s perseverance? Do you think these traits could somehow be an inspiration to you in your real life?

Absolutely, perseverance is a crucial component to anyone becoming truly successful in anything. I had many grueling times in my career before coming onto this show where I was very close to booking the “career defining role” that ended up going to someone else. If I hadn’t learned my love for the art and on my pursuit of the craft, I never would’ve gotten this dream opportunity.

Trained in taekwondo at a young age, did it help you in your working on your role this time?

All movement experience while working on a show with this level of action definitely helps. However, my character doesn’t have a whole lot of technical knowledge when it comes to fighting, so I had to learn how to look like I didn’t know what I was doing when it came to martial arts for Sokka.

The series seems to be very dynamic, and we assume that the performance is very physically demanding. Have you gone through some training before filming? What kind of preparation have you done for the role, both mentally and physically?

They put us through a six week long bootcamp where all four of us got to learn how to bend all four elements which was very fun but didn’t cater to my character because obviously Sokka can’t bend. I took that time to get as physically in shape as I could. On the mental component of prep, I outlined the arc for what Sokka goes through for the first 2 episodes and mapping it out so I could know exactly where I was emotionally and why in any scene. We block shot two episodes at a time, so it was important for me to get as familiar as possible with the material and have anchor points to allow me to get into the head, heart and body of Sokka wherever we found him on his journey.

Could you tell us something interesting happened during the filming? Anything fun that we don’t know from behind the scene?

The way we filmed the Appa scenes were really interesting and weird because the whole bottom half of Appa, including the face, are fully CGI so we would hop on this huge 15 – 20ft animatronic and a crew of like 10 guys would surround the creature and manually pull and push the Appa rig up and down to make it look like we were flying.

For you, what are the most enjoyable things throughout this whole experience?

The family that I’ve made with the cast. The four of us have really become like siblings and have grown up for the past 3 years together. It’s by far been the biggest gift getting to work on this show that I’m really proud of and grateful for.

Now let’s talk about your entrepreneurship. You founded a clothing line, KALÓ SOIL, together with two of your pals. What inspires you to start this brand?

Kaló Soil is a passion project and a creative outlet for me and the guys. It was really great for me to put my hands to another passion of mine during the actors strike. At Kaló we’re all deeply influenced by our faith, so our goal is to glorify God through the art of fashion.

How did you step into the world of repurposing vintage clothes into unique new fashion pieces?

At Kaló Soil we have a large collection of curated vintage, which is how the company started. We were wholesaling vintage and needed a show room to work out of and display the pieces we’ve accumulated. When I joined the company with Ryan Sullivan and Hunter Baker, we integrated our “Made-in-house” products which are our original designs hand sewn and sourced In LA. We still sell curated vintage alongside our own pieces online and in-store.

During the preparation of the physical store, you guys helped a homeless contractor (or maybe an interior designer you would say?) by accommodating him in the upcoming space and let him design the furniture in the store. This is indeed a benevolent act. What encourages you to do so? Could you tell us more about the backstory and about the collaboration?

We met our friend Quinn while moving into our storage space near Skid row in DTLA and hired him to help us source products for the furniture and interior design section of the store. He’s a great guy and we’ve learned a lot from him. He has an amazing eye for the unusual which is something that all of us at Kaló really admire and value.

Are there any future plans for Ian Ousley? Both for his acting career and his fashion entrepreneurship?

The plan right now is to go back for the next two seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender and pour my heart, soul, sweat and best efforts into the process of serving the project to make it the best it can possibly be. I’m about to start filming another project this summer that I’m very excited to dive into and share with all of you. A huge desire of mine is to direct, so I’m hoping to get my own short film shot before we start filming the show again. However, I’m mostly just trying to stay centered and focused on maintaining my relationship with the arbiter of peace, truth and life. That relationship between Jesus and I, above anything I could do in my career, is my ultimate goal and purpose.

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #ian ousley #interview #photoshoot #les hommes publics #cap 74024

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natlacentral · 3 days

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OH COOL they made a breakdown of the work we did on Netflix's Avatar. I can talk about it now, whew

I helped on the sequence shown here with Aang's meltdown at the temple :)

Here's my shot!

i did work on some other stuff shown. just other animators picked up the work too so i cant take full credit ^^

whether you like the show or not. it was cool to work on and one of the most unique challenges ive faced yet

#*reblog #bts #rodeo vfx #crew social #youtube

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natlacentral · 4 days

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fks_designs A true warrior 💚 a closer look at Suki from line drawing to final look 💚 a lot of very talented people helped make this vision come to life 🙏

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #farnaz khaki sadigh #bts #maria zhang #suki #crew social #instagram

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natlacentral · 4 days

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Nerd Reactor's John interviews the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender including Gordon Cormier (Aang), Kiawentiio (Katara), Ian Ousley (Sokka), Dallas Liu (Zuko), Elizabeth Yu (Azula), Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Uncle Iroh) and Arden Cho (June).

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #gordon cormier #kiawentiio #ian ousley #dallas liu #elizabeth yu #paul sun hyung lee #arden cho #albert kim #interview #paleyfest #red carpet #Youtube

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natlacentral · 4 days

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youtube

#natla #atla #netflix avatar #avatar the last airbender #netflix atla #avatar netflix #atla netflix #arden cho #elizabeth yu #paul sun hyung lee #dallas liu #ian ousley #kiawentiio #gordon cormier #jabbar raisani #albert kim #paleyfest #arambulo live #Youtube

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natlacentral · 5 days

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Sorry if this is out of line but may I request gifs for suki saying im not just any warrior I'm kyoshi's warrior? It's something I think was actually so well done and a delight to see added in the live action.

Sure! I'll put that on my to-do list <3

#askbox #anonymous

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natlacentral · 5 days

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