Streaming giant Netflix is about to release a live-action version of a popular manga Avatar: The Last Airbenderbut the newly released trailer is already causing upset for not featuring enough “dark-skinned” actors.
For those who don't know, the original manga series from 2005 to 2008 featured a character with the ability to magically control earth, wind, fire, and water, who set out to stop the evil “Fire Nation.” It depicts the story of an Asian boy. To take over the world. The series is based on Chinese and Japanese culture, Buddhism, but also features other tribal communities. For example, the Water Tribe is based on Inuit culture in the original comic series.
The 2010 Paramount live-action film, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, was criticized by social critics for “whitewashing” many of its characters and not casting enough ethnic actors in key roles. It was criticized harshly. Now, with the release of the first trailer for Netflix's handling of the property, some are making similar complaints.
according to Yahoo Newsmany on social media have attacked Netflix's effort for not having the Water Tribe characters played by dark-skinned actors.
In particular, detractors point to Water Tribe's two main characters, brothers Sokka and Katara, played by Ian Owsley and Kiawentio Tarbell, respectively. The actors are told by the Awakenings that their skin color is too light. This is despite both actors claiming Indigenous heritage in real life.
https://twitter.com/Rebel0fReality/status/1749908682089832825
Not only is he whitewashed, he lacks the cockiness and charisma that makes Sokka's sarcasm so likable. https://t.co/GPrgC3sfSz
— Taylor Goethe | 🍉 (@InspectorNerd) January 23, 2024
They remind me that not only did they cast a ton of settlers in Indigenous roles, but they completely erased Inuit casting when Water Tribes was primarily based on their culture. https://t.co/sfyBAWHWXl
— 💤 (@bangingmyhead) January 24, 2024
I'll admit that the trailer for Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender is pretty good (I'll forever be wary of animated adaptations, thanks to a certain director), but I'm not sure if the Water Tribe has skin. Why is it so difficult to cast black characters? 😭 #last airbender
— Tahira Sequeira (@TeeSeq) January 24, 2024
When I look at live-action Natives, I notice that they are almost always several shades lighter than the source material. Marvel did this too.
— Luna Targaryen (@lunalewinsky) January 24, 2024
Many fans also believe that when original cartoon series creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko stepped down from production on the Netflix series, citing “creative differences,” the production was bad from the beginning. I noticed that there was an atmosphere.
“Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar has the potential to be a good movie. It could be a show that many people will enjoy,” DiMartino wrote after leaving the show. “But what I can be sure of is that whatever version ends up on screen, it's not what Brian and I envisioned or set out to create.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Hustonor truth social @WarnerToddHuston
