Netflix's live-action adaptation of the celebrated Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender has found its Fire Lord Ozai in Daniel Dae Kim.
Kim, who is known for his roles in Hawaii Five-O, Lost, and the Divergent movie series, will play the powerful tyrant Ozai who leads the Fire Nation, as reported by Deadline. Firelord Ozai is the father of Prince Zuko, who is desperate to win his father's approval by hunting down the Avatar, Aang.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a reboot of the 2005 animated series of the same name. Gordon Cormier will play the Avatar, who is also the titular last airbender, being the sole survivor of the Air Nomads. Dallas Liu has been cast as Zuko. Also already cast are the Water Tribe sister and brother, Katara and Sokka, who team up with Aang to help him on the path to his destiny. These two will be played by Kiawentiio and Ian Ousley, respectively.
It was previously reported that production on the show was seeking additional actors for several major roles, including Fire Lord Ozai. The casting call required a man with a physical description that Kim matches, and described the character as a CEO of a major corporation who stops at nothing to gain more power, and holds his children up to an unrealistically perfect standard.
Other major roles, including those of Ozai's devious daughter the Princess Azula and his brother Iroh, who acts as a mentor to Zuko, do not yet have their actors announced.
The series is being headed by showrunner Albert Kim, who is also serving as executive producer and writer. Kim is known for his work on Sleepy Hollow and Nikita. Joining him on the creative team are executive producers Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore, Michael Goi and co-executive producer Roseanne Liang. Jabbar Raisani is set to direct an episode, as well as Goi and Liang.
Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender doesn't yet have a release date. All three seasons of the original series are available to watch on Netflix US now, as well as all four seasons of its sequel series Avatar: The Legend of Korra and the 2010 live-action film based on the franchise, titled The Last Airbender.
Source: Deadline