Avatar : The Last Airbender Film -- Casting!!

[OsGom]

Well It appears M. Night has chosen his cast for the much loved Nick series from a pile of young Caucasian actors. Well the fanboys are in an uproar as this goes against the Asian themed anime.

In the series Sokka & Kitara both appeared to be Inuit, Zuko appeared Japanese or Chinese and other characters were rendered or named in an Asian manner.

Now I think there are plenty of young up & coming actors of various ethnic descents to cast the necessary roles in this movie. And it is disappointing that M. Night (of all people) doesn't branch out and tap that young talent for this film.

On the other hand, this film is a fantasy, set in fantasy world. At know point in the series do they say these characters are Inuit, or Chinese or Caucasian. This gives license for filmakers to take great liberties in casting and translation of the story.

So while I wish the casting was more true to the series, I am not ready to write this project off as a failure already as some fanboys might want to do.

If someone can please post pictures of the proposed cast for me I would be eternally grateful.

 

[Sentinel X]

Yes...Ethnicity MATTERS to me...because Hollywood is a little to white (somebody had to say it ). I mean, if its not Will Smith people are afraid that a minority won't be able to do well in a summer blockbuster film.

They are constantly changing ethnicities of charecters to caucasian just so it'll do good with general audiences. And I've noticed this PARTICULARILY for the asian race...Hollywood seems really afraid to put an asian as the star of a hollywood blockbuster. So until they can get over the 'if its not white its not right mentality' ethnicity will always be a very important factor for me.

 

[GL1]

I, in contrast, have low expectations for Hollywood. I never for a moment expected them to find, must less cast Inuit or even Asian children. The show is written for and voiced by white kids, and that's what's going to happen.

Now where's the link to this casting? That would be very nice of you to post.

 

[GL1]

Link: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=51217

Info:

After an open casting call in Texas, Shyamalan discovered karate star Noah Ringer and offered him the part of Airbender's 12-year old hero, Aang, an Avatar with superpowers who must stop the Fire Nation from destroying the world. Twilight's Jackson Rathbone has been asked to play Aang's pal Sokka, while Nicola Peltz (Deck the Halls) will star as his sister Katara. Genial singer Jesse McCartney, meanwhile, is negotiating to play against type in the role of the Fire Nation's evil prince Zuko.

Pix:
Noah Ringer, "preteen," "Aang"
Martial artist discovered in a Texas open casting call, no further Information or pics.

Jackson Rathbone, 23 "Sokka"

Nicola Peltz, "10 - 14" "Katara"

Jesse McCartney, 21, in talks for "Zuko"

It may or may not be as good or bad as this:

 

[Timstuff]

You'd think that of all the directors out there, M. Night would not have had a "white washing" problem with the cast since he is himself of Indian descent. I guess that $$$ will always be the #1 factor when making movies like this though, no matter who the director is.

 

[I Am The Knight]

I know next to nothing about this show, but I've heard it's very good and am interested in this movie. Anyways, due to my Avatar ignorance/virgin-ness, I cannot be bothered by the race issue.

 

[Obsidian]

I am not looking forward to this anymore. The only casting I'm kinda alright with is who they cast as Sokka. The rest are....

 

[BloodyWolverine]

I wonder who will play General Iroh. Hopefully its Sammo Hung

 

[OsGom]

I wonder who will play General Iroh. Hopefully its Sammo Hung

That would be an awesome choice if Zuko isn't played by jessie McCartney.

 

[DorkyFresh]

casting caucasians in ethnic roles has always bothered me....unless that person is Robert Downey Jr.

needless to say i find the casting of Sokka and Katara ridiculous.

 

[Jolie_Desastre]

Rathbone is pretty talented and a character actor so i have no big problem with his casting but definitely, definitely not sure on the rest.


the only chops i've seen from McCartney is from Law and Order SVU.

 

[xwolverine2]

i agree sokka was cast nicely despite his ethnicity and age..

mark hamil for firelord! lol

 

[Jolie_Desastre]

Oh man just picturing Hamil...

 

[Doctor Jones]

McCartney as a badass?

Oh. No.

 

[terry78]

Eh, just put some yellow makeup on them a la Tropic Thunder and everyone will be happy.

 

[dawnster15]

While it is a bit of a letdown that they couldn't cast actors that were the ethnicity of the actors on the show, as long as these actors can pull off the roles why should it matter?

I doubt anyone casting the film went into auditions with the mindset of "Ok we've got to cast characters that are Inuit and Chinese today right? Alright let's make sure these kids are white as snow" So unless the call sheet specifically called for only Caucasian actors it's sorta messed to condemn M. Night for not casting according to ethnicities.

Maybe the actors he chose fit the characterization present in the script and he chose the most fitting, we won't know until the film comes out I guess.

 

[xwolverine2]

Oh man just picturing Hamil...

he can play an asian

 

[Jolie_Desastre]

he can play an asian

i just said i was picturing him

 

[EdRyder]

Maybe the actors he chose fit the characterization present in the script and he chose the most fitting, we won't know until the film comes out I guess.

Ya know, I was just ranting about the entire child actor issue around here the other day. Given my love for the show and all its greatness Id normally declare these choices bunk and the project on whole as a suckfest.Ill hold back the sucktitude and give Shyamalan a chance for the time being. Because he knows you can line read child actors.Something adult actors hate.
However ,as soon as I catch a whiff of Shark boy and Lava girl on this ,I let the hate spew.

 

[louiebling$]

S now your gonna base the legitimacy of the film and deem it "sucky" becuase of the cast??? Hello this film might be the most closest to source adaptation we will ever get. The ****ing creators of the show are helping M night write the script and are with him doing storyboards and have even told him to cut stuff out of his first drafts because it was too much,plus they will be on the set as advisors and are heavily involved witht he production of the film and are ACTUALLY involved with the film unlike most adaptations these days.

 

[EdRyder]

S now your gonna base the legitimacy of the film and deem it "sucky" becuase of the cast??? Hello this film might be the most closest to source adaptation we will ever get. The ****ing creators of the show are helping M night write the script and are with him doing storyboards and have even told him to cut stuff out of his first drafts because it was too much,plus they will be on the set as advisors and are heavily involved witht he production of the film and are ACTUALLY involved with the film unlike most adaptations these days.

Cmon man, I said normally I would.If it wasnt Shyamalan, and the folks involved with the show werent on board , I would declare it sucky.

And for the record,yeah,If the cast sucks I deem a film sucky! Since when is that somehow strange or wierd???

 

[SatEL]

Yes...Ethnicity MATTERS to me...because Hollywood is a little to white (somebody had to say it ). I mean, if its not Will Smith people are afraid that a minority won't be able to do well in a summer blockbuster film.

They are constantly changing ethnicities of charecters to caucasian just so it'll do good with general audiences. And I've noticed this PARTICULARILY for the asian race...Hollywood seems really afraid to put an asian as the star of a hollywood blockbuster. So until they can get over the 'if its not white its not right mentality' ethnicity will always be a very important factor for me.

.............................................

 

[BloodyWolverine]

Well if gonna american make it Iroh then should be played by Brandon Gleeson and The Fire Lord Jeremy Irons.

 

[xwolverine2]

i would have agreed about jeremy irons when he was younger and extremely fit... like in Die Hard3. but not now.

Brandon Gleeson would make a great Iroh

christopher loyd - king bumi!