“I’ve seen the show 26 times!” : Which Netflix Avatar actor prepared by watching a cartoon?

That’s right, Avatar is finally available on Netflix. This live-action adaptation takes us back to a world that was once at peace. But everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and destroyed the Air Nomads in their first maneuver to conquer the world. As the current incarnation of the Avatar slowly emerges, the world loses hope. However, hope is born again like a light in the night when Aang, a young air nomad – and the last representative of his people – emerges from the slumber to claim his rightful place as the new Avatar.

“It was the only thing I looked at”

It was the young Canadian Gordon Cormier who was chosen to give his qualities to the young hero. He was only 11 years old at the time of filming, but he had the heart to pay homage to the cartoon. For this, he did not hesitate to watch the 2005 series again and again.

“I didn’t know the series when I was chosen. But by the time we started production, I had already seen it 26 times or more. It was the only thing I watched. I got up in the morning, watched the episode, went to the set to play Avatar. I would come home and have an episode. I studied my script, then martial arts, and then I watched a bit before bed.”

A rather remarkable dedication, which did not go unnoticed by the fans from the beginning. His portrayal of Aang stood out to many viewers. While some bemoaned the adaptation’s overly serious side, the young actor was still insufferable on set, as he explains in the interview above:

“We searched the whole world and found you”

In 2018, Netflix announced the creation of an Avatar the Last Airbender series. After the disastrous film adaptation of a few years ago – which was accused of being whitewashed – so the choice of actors was very important. Then began the long casting process, complete with secrecy, as Gordon Cormier also revealed:

“I didn’t know which show I was auditioning for. The character’s name was Allen, he was 12 years old. They called me back and said, “We searched the world, we didn’t think we’d find what we were looking for until we found you. Do you know what role you auditioned for? It doesn’t exist. You are Aang, the last pilot from the Avatar series. I started crying and told them that they changed my life.”

If it succeeds, Avatar could be the start of a big adventure for the actor and the rest of the team. The animated series lasted for 3 seasons and included 61 episodes.