Netflix’s live-action adaptation for Avatar: The Last Airbender has revealed another cast member. Hawaii Five-0 star Daniel Dae Kim has been confirmed for the role of Fire Lord Ozai, the leader of the Fire Nation and the main antagonist of the series.
Fire Lord Ozai is the ruthless leader of the Fire Nation who plots to bring the whole world under his control and capture the Avatar. He is also the father of Prince Zuko, whom he banished from the Fire Nation. In the animated series, Ozai was voiced by Star Wars star Mark Hamill.
The announcement that Kim has been chosen to play as Ozai came in on Wednesday, November 3, via Deadline, and it looks like many are happy with the casting decision. Avatar Twitter has been active recently, hyped to see Kim portray the evil Fire Lord.
daniel dae kim as fire lord ozai in the live action of avatar has me squealing pic.twitter.com/ew6hvNcZjR
— ⁸✢⁷ bri 🪐 MATT DAY 🥳 (@namijuana) November 3, 2021
ohoho daniel dae kim as fire lord ozai??? sexy ozai is all I've ever wanted pic.twitter.com/Uei3gNwIms
— hijinkery ♥️🏴 (@hijinkery_) November 4, 2021
AND WHY IS MY TIMELINE NOT GOING CRAZY OVER THE FACT THAT MY FAVOURITE DILF DANIEL DAE KIM WILL BE PLAYING FIRE LORD OZAI IN THE LIVE ACTION A:TLA ON NETFLIX???
GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER, MY DUDES. pic.twitter.com/BKk8RUTKta
— RK800 ( Karlach's Version ) ☻ (@kierankegaard) November 4, 2021
Me about both animated Ozai & Daniel Dae Kim. https://t.co/4CYciWl8Ed pic.twitter.com/dXchZS9fQS
— Luciano, But They Ghostwrite (@Lucianowrites) November 4, 2021
Daniel Dae Kim is gonna be Fire Lord Ozai in the live-action series adaptation of Avatar!!!!!!!!! Stoked!!! 🔥 Just remembered he voiced Hiroshi Sato in Legend of Korra! pic.twitter.com/WG7VClyZWm
— bella ☁️ (@dialbforbella) November 3, 2021
So Daniel Dae Kim is Fire Lord Ozai? How the hell am I supposed to hate that man looking like that?!
— chris khut (@chriskhut) November 4, 2021
haven’t been able to stop thinking of Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai I am SWEATING pic.twitter.com/8QSnfAaBYU
— kate heceta-arellano (@kamharellano) November 4, 2021
I'm still holding my breath the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender will be ok with the original creators out but Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai gives me hope! Love him ❤️ https://t.co/mfe0MgXDXi
— Shifu Shirley (@thestressbender) November 4, 2021
Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai is just *chefs kiss*
— Linky / Dom (@LinkyYT) November 3, 2021
Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai!!!! The hype train has left the station! I repeat! THE HYPE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION!! https://t.co/1uaqQl39Ts
— Abe Minus One (@AbrahamE405) November 4, 2021
Fun fact: Daniel Dae Kim’s role as Ozai in the live-action actually isn’t his first encounter with the franchise. The actor has voiced other characters in the series — General Fong in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Hiroshi Sato, Asami Sato’s father in the sequel series The Legend of Korra.
Other cast members who have been revealed are Filipino-Canadian child actor Gordon Cormier (Aang), Dallas Liu (Prince Zuko), Kiawentiio Tarbell (Katara), and Ian Ousley (Sokka).
The upcoming live-action series will be released on Netflix. Michael Goi is at the helm as director of the series, directing alongside Roseanne Liang, Jabbar Raisani and Jet Wilkinson. The series is executive-produced by Albert Kim, Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore and Goi. Albert Kim is also the writer for the adaptation.
The creators of the animated series, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, were originally working with the team for the live-action adaptation as producers and showrunners, but the two left the production last year due to creative differences.
The original Avatar: The Last Airbender was an animated series that aired on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. Aside from the upcoming live-action adaptation, Avatar: The Last Airbender had a live-action film adaptation directed by M. Night Shyamalan in 2010, but a lot of fans weren’t happy with it.
With the franchise’s history of having a live-action film adaptation that tanked, along with the departure of the original creators from the upcoming adaptation’s production, some fans are unsure of how the Netflix live-action will fare. But some fans are also still hoping that the Netflix live-action series will be the adaptation that will finally do justice to the beloved Avatarverse.
