“It’s not something I’ve explored”: Daniel Dae Kim Wants Avatar: The Last Airbender to Return for Season 2 That Just Might Put Him Up There With Mark Hamill
Avatar: The Last Airbender has become more than just a beloved children’s show. Netflix is attempting to capitalize on the existing fandom with a live-action adaptation of the show. With the first season already streaming on Netflix, the studio has renewed the show for seasons two and three as well.
The stars of the series are excited to return on screen in character. Gordon Cormier, who plays Aang, has already expressed his enthusiasm for the same. Another actor who can’t wait to be back is Daniel Dae Kim.
Daniel Dae Kim’s Thoughts on Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2
The talented actor Daniel Dae Kim plays Lord Ozai in the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. His filmography includes a variety of roles and personalities from wholesome characters to shady and manipulative ones that cross the line more often. In Avatar: The Last Airbender, even Kim agrees that Ozai is the most villainous character he has ever played.
While Mark Hamill voiced the character in the Nickelodeon cartoon, Kim has to fully emulate the character with his every expression, bringing forth that domineering streak. In an interview with GQ, the actor recalls a brief exchange with the Star Wars actor,
“We’ve never met, but we actually had a nice little Instagram exchange because he saw an interview answer that I gave regarding him. He saw a clip and said thank you, so I responded and said it was all true. I have a lot of respect for him, not just as Luke Skywalker, of course, but he’s one of our greatest voice actors.”
Hamill’s ability to just use his voice to create a fearsome Lord Ozai was commendable. Now, the mantle is with Kim to take the character to another level and tap into the madness of world domination. Even though he has not worked on a character as deluded and single-minded as Lord Ozai, Kim couldn’t be more excited to get started. He said,
“A descent into madness sounds like juicy territory for an actor, and it’s not something I’ve explored before on screen. Should we be lucky enough to get a season 2, I look forward to those conversations. Nothing is inevitable in this business and in this industry climate, but there seems to be a lot of excitement about it.”
As Lord Ozai, Kim brings a fierce quality to the role, portraying the character’s desire to dominate the world. He is not scared of massacres and will not let anyone stand in the way of his goal. Fans can’t wait to see the actor infuse more volatility into his character in upcoming seasons.
Also Read: Avatar: Casting of Ozai Might Imply Storyline Changes In The Last Airbender
Lord Ozai’s Deranged Plans in Avatar: The Last Airbender
What makes Lord Ozai a unique character is how fixated he is on achieving his goals. World dominion is on top of his goals, something he will do no matter what the cost. From hurting people to wiping out entire nations with genocide, Lord Ozai is clear on his priorities. To prepare for his role, Kim recalls going to the bottom of Lord Ozai’s trauma and origin story to understand what made him like this.
He further shared how he explored Lord Ozai’s lineage and ambition for the throne. Being a second child, he had to go beyond the usual to shine the spotlight on his unmatched talents. Another aspect that differentiates Hamill’s Lord Ozai from Kim’s version is the way they have been portrayed.
In the cartoon, we see suspense build-up only to learn about him later on. However, in the live-action show, Kim’s Lord Ozai is shown immediately, positioning him as the villain from the get-go. This gives Kim a chance to distinguish himself from Hamill and bring more menace to his character.
