Avatar: The Last Airbender has shared our first look at Toph Beifong.
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| Nickelodeon |
Avatar: The Last Airbender knows what the fans want and that is Toph Beifong. When Netflix brought its live-action adaptation of the series to life, fans were ready by the end of book one to meet the fabled bender. With the announcement of Avatar: The Last Airbender season two and three, casting for Toph got underway, and now we have been given our first look at the girl. Netflix has found its own Toph, and you can see her in action thanks to a special clip.
As you can see below, Avatar: The Last Airbender season two has posted a special teaser in honor of Geeked Week. The event, which culminated with a live event in Atlanta tonight (Sept. 19), kickstarted with its reveal of Toph. While our first look at the earth bender is short, we can see Toph using her iconic moves in a forested area. As usual, her shoes are off so Toph can better feel the earth, and the strikes she takes to the ground is nothing short of intense.
The Geeked Week event also included special appearances by Avatar: The Last Airbender cast members Dallas Liu and Ian Ousley.
Who is Playing Toph Beifong?
If you are not familiar with Toph Beifong, well – you are missing the greatest piece of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The character was teased in Book One as Aang began tapping into the Spirit World, but we do not meet Toph in full until Book Two begins. The earth bender is one of the strongest in the land, and Toph's personality is just as gruff. Her dry wit and levelheaded strategies made Toph a favorite with fans years ago. And though she is blind, Toph uses her lack of sight as a gift in battle.
Oh, and who is playing Toph? It is none other than actor Miya Cech who has starred in the first season of Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark? revival, "The Carnival of Doom", and The Astronauts, as well as The Darkest Mind and Rim of the World.
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| (Photo: Netflix) |
In Nickelodeon's original animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender positioned Toph as a teacher for Aang, and her tough love transformed the air bender into a stronger fighter. Her difficult relationship with Sokka and Katara blossoms into something genuine. Plus, no one gives better zingers to Zuko than the blind earth bender. Netflix has its work cut out in bringing the girl to life, but this teaser is rather promising.
When Does Avatar: The Last Bender Season 2 Premiere?
Clearly, the team behind Avatar: The Last Airbender is gearing up for season two, and this new footage proves as much. We know the show is back in production, so Netflix will hopefully have more updates on hand for the series. The first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender covered a lot of ground in introducing its leads and complex world, but book two is where things get serious.
While Aang trains harder than ever, Avatar: The Last Airbender season two will pit his growth against the Earth Kingdom. The nation is in the midst of war, and cities like Ba Sing Se will take our heroes for a loop. With Zuko still on Aang's trail, tensions will flare in season two. So while we don't know when Avatar: The Last Airbender will return with its new episodes, this teaser has fans more eager than ever for its comeback.
Official Netflix press release:
START OF PRODUCTION + CASTING NEWS
Meet Toph, played by Miya Cech in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2. #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/3GFQ0geQEK
— Netflix Geeked (@NetflixGeeked) September 20, 2024
Today during the Geeked Week Live event in Atlanta, Netflix announced the start of production of Season 2 for Avatar: The Last Airbender and Revealed Miya Cech Will Portray Fan-Favorite 'Toph'
Tudum.com Quotes from Executive Producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani On the start of production: "We're looking forward to working with all of our actors again and digging into the deeper, more complicated relationships that develop as their journey continues in Season 2. We are going to show the real-world versions of iconic scenes from the original, and explore some of the stories that the animation didn't. Mainly - we're looking forward to seeing our gang all together again." "We're going to challenge our characters with more complex and nuanced obstacles as they navigate a more tactile world. Just as the animated series matured and progressed, the live-action will also take these characters and worlds and grow them."
On Miya Cech's casting: "We make a point of reviewing submissions separately and after countless tapes, we both had the same reaction ... Miya is our Toph! Miya is a brilliant performer who knows how to precisely balance the sarcastic sense of humor, stubbornness, and vulnerability that is Toph Beifong. Her physicality and emotional dexterity really put her in a class of one."
Tudum.com Gets to Know New Cast Member Miya Cech
Miya Cech will star in Season 2 as Toph, a master earthbender who was born blind and trained to feel and sense the world around her.
Cech is already training for the role of Toph. "I've been in boot camp for about a week and a half now and still have a lot of work to do, but it's super fun. I have some martial arts experience. I have a great instructor who I take private classes with back home in Northern California, and he keeps me in shape when I'm not working. I also have some dance experience from when I was younger that has been very helpful as I learn about Toph's movements." Cech will also work with a producer and consultant who is blind and a professional from the blindness community, to make sure the blindness community is represented appropriately.
For Cech, playing Toph is a chance to honor her heritage. "I personally am of Chinese and Japanese American descent and I'm so excited to represent my Chinese heritage in Toph Beifong," she says. "One of the most incredible aspects of this show is the diversity of the Asian cultures in the ATLA world. Even though the universe is fantasy, it feels like every culture is represented in some way and tied to the history and traditions of that culture or country. Just a few years ago, you might have seen one or two of these actors in a show or movie, but on this show we are all able to represent this world together and work together and collaborate. It's really amazing and a gift as an actor."
About Avatar: The Last Airbender
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The four nations once lived in harmony, with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping peace between them. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and wiped out the Air Nomads, the first step taken by the firebenders towards conquering the world. With the current incarnation of the Avatar yet to emerge, the world has lost hope. But like a light in the darkness, hope springs forth when Aang (Gordon Cormier), a young Air Nomad - and the last of his kind - reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar. Alongside his newfound friends Sokka (Ian Ousley) and Katara (Kiawentiio), siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim). But with a driven Crown Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu) determined to capture them, it won't be an easy task. They'll need the help of the many allies and colorful characters they meet along the way.
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From Tudum by Netflix:
Meet Toph! Miya Cech Will Star in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2
A powerful earthbender enters the fray.
There’s groundbreaking — or rather earthbending — news from the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender: One of the franchise’s most beloved characters has been cast.
Miya Cech will star in Season 2 as Toph, a master earthbender who was born blind and trained to feel and sense the world around her. Executive producers Jabbar Raisani and Christine Boylan tell Tudum there were “thousands upon thousands” of auditions submitted for Toph, but they both immediately knew that Cech was a perfect fit.
“We make a point of reviewing submissions separately and after countless tapes, we both had the same reaction ... Miya is our Toph!” they explain. “Miya is a brilliant performer who knows how to precisely balance the sarcastic sense of humor, stubbornness, and vulnerability that is Toph Beifong. Her physicality and emotional dexterity really put her in a class of one.”
Who is Toph?
Boylan and Raisani consider Toph one of their favorite characters from the animated series. “We love how her abrasively hilarious energy complements and clashes with the rest of the Gaang and can’t wait to see that dynamic come to life on set. She’s funny, she’s very smart about the world around her, and a very accomplished earthbender. Underneath all that, she’s got emotional layers we can’t wait to explore.”
Who is Miya Cech?
Cech, whose full first name is Miyako, is an actor who has appeared in Beef, Young Rock, and The Santa Clauses, as well as in the movie You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. While Cech has portrayed characters who share Toph’s dry humor and sarcasm, this role feels particularly special because “Toph is a completely unique character,” she tells Tudum. “No one is like her.”
For Cech, portraying Toph is also an opportunity to honor her heritage. “I personally am of Chinese and Japanese American descent and I’m so excited to represent my Chinese heritage in Toph Beifong,” she says. “One of the most incredible aspects of this show is the diversity of the Asian cultures in the Avatar: The Last Airbender world. Even though the universe is fantasy, it feels like every culture is represented in some way and tied to the history and traditions of that culture or country. Just a few years ago, you might have seen one or two of these actors in a show or movie, but on this show we are all able to represent this world together and work together and collaborate. It’s really amazing and a gift as an actor.”
So, what else should you know about Cech as Season 2 begins production? Here are five behind-the-scenes details you should know about Avatar: The Last Airbender’s newest cast member.
1. Cech is already training for the role of Toph. “I’ve been in boot camp for about a week and a half now and still have a lot of work to do, but it’s super fun. I have some martial arts experience,” she tells Tudum, adding, “I have a great instructor who I take private classes with back home in Northern California, and he keeps me in shape when I’m not working. I also have some dance experience from when I was younger that has been very helpful as I learn about Toph’s movements.” She will also be working with a producer and consultant, who is blind and a professional from the blindness community, to make sure the blindness community is represented appropriately.
2. Cech is a longtime fan of the animated series. “I grew up watching the animated series. I’ve always been such a big fan and probably watched it 10 times all the way through. Toph was always my favorite character, so as soon as the casting notice came out, I begged my team to please get me an audition,” she says, adding that she also loved Season 1 of the live-action series. “I have to admit that Gordon’s Aang made me cry several times. Now it’s completely unbelievable that I get to be part of this world too!”
3. Speaking of auditions, Cech had a slightly different experience than some of Season 1’s cast, who weren’t told which role they were auditioning for. “Unlike some of the actors in Season 1, I did know that I was auditioning for Toph, even though the audition material had dummy sides with different names and storylines. I had two taped auditions, a taped callback, and two in-person auditions with the casting team and producers, including a chemistry read with Gordon.”
4. As is becoming tradition with this series, Cech was tricked when she found out she was cast in the series. “A couple of days after the chemistry read with Gordon, casting asked me to do ‘one last’ Zoom callback with the stunt coordinator. I had never had a stunt callback before, so I actually asked my martial arts instructor to do Zoom with me the night before to get in shape. It turned out that there was no callback. They called to say I had booked it. I was in such shock that I think I just started crying.”
5. Even Cech doesn’t know what Toph’s full aesthetic will look like just yet. “I haven’t actually seen Toph’s costume yet. I truly can’t wait to see it and wear it for the first time. However, we have tested some looks for her iconic hairstyle. Just seeing my ‘Toph do’ was surreal.”
Check back for future updates on Avatar: The Last Airbender.
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More from Tudum by Netflix:
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 Officially Kicks Off Production
Aang’s journey continues.
The war against the Fire Nation is far from over. Back in March, Netflix announced that Avatar: The Last Airbender has been renewed for Seasons 2 and 3, which will conclude this epic story. Now that process commences: production has begun on Season 2 — and Toph has been cast.
“We’re looking forward to working with all of our actors again and digging into the deeper, more complicated relationships that develop as their journey continues in Season 2,” executive producers Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani tell Tudum. “We are going to show the real-world versions of iconic scenes from the original, and explore some of the stories that the animation didn’t. Mainly — we’re looking forward to seeing our gang all together again.”
Keep reading below to find out everything you need to know about the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
What is Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 about?
The EPs are keeping details about Season 2 close to the vest, but they did tease that we will see more of the Earth Kingdom.
“There’s no war in Ba Sing Se,” they explain, referencing a line from the original animated series. “For the Gaang, fans can expect more brilliant plans from Sokka [Ian Ousley], even more masterful bending from Katara [Kiawentiio], Appa and Momo to be as fluffy as ever, and Aang [Gordon Cormier] to learn a new bending form (or two).”
In general, Raisani and Boylan are excited about building on the strong foundation of Season 1. “We’re going to challenge our characters with more complex and nuanced obstacles as they navigate a more tactile world,” they continue. say Boylan and Raisani. “Just as the animated series matured and progressed, the live- action will also take these characters and worlds and grow them.”
But with a new season comes the opportunity for fresh faces.
What new characters will be introduced in Season 2?
At Netflix’s Geeked Week 2024, it was announced that Miya Cech will join the cast as Toph, a master earthbender.
What happened in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 1?
A live-action reimagining of the acclaimed Nickelodeon animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender follows Aang, a young boy who’s the titular Avatar –– which means he’s the only one capable of mastering all four elements (air, water, fire, and earth). In Season 1, Aang wakes up after a 100-year slumber to discover he’s the only surviving Aairbender. The world is being threatened by the imperialistic Fire Nation, which wiped out every other airbender and is working to subjugate the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes. With the help of his newfound friends Katara, a waterbender, and her brother Sokka, Aang sets off on a journey to restore balance to this fractured world.
Aang and his companions achieve a Pyrrhic victory in the Season 1 finale. Sure, they were able to stop the Fire Nation — led by Prince Zuko (Dallas Liu), his uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee), and Commander Zhao (Ken Leung) — from destroying the Northern Water Tribe, but it was merely a distraction from the larger war. Miles away, Zuko’s sister, Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu), conquered Omashu, one of the two Earth Kingdom cities that had managed to stave off the Fire Nation until now, and took King Bumi (Utkarsh Ambudkar) prisoner. As if that wasn’t devastating enough, a mid-credit scene reveals that Sozin’s Comet, a rare cosmic event, is on the horizon, which can’t mean anything good for our heroes.
“I thought it was really clever of the writers to end Season 1 in that way, because you want to get a sense that the universe of the show is expanding with every season,” Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Zuko and Azula’s ruthless father, Fire Lord Ozai, told Tudum in February. “And they really did a good job of that with that cliff-hanger and also created a sense of urgency and time.”
“Always leave the audience wanting more,” Lee added. “I just had chills seeing Lizzy as Azula. You’ve got King Bumi in shackles, and it’s just like, ‘Oh, there’s so many cliff-hangers.’ I was like, ‘Oh, I want to shoot Season 2, 3 right now.’ ”
Thankfully, he’s getting his wish.
Keep checking back here for more information about what’s to come for the Aang gang. In the meantime, you can watch the cast’s adorable audition tapes [here].
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Originally published: September 20, 2024.
Original source: ComicBook.com; H/T: Reddit; Netflix press release courtesy of TheFutonCritic.com; Additional source: ComingSoon.net.
