The live-action Toph star shares that the Earth-bender will not be quite the same character in Netflix’sAvatar: The Last Airbenderadaptation. WithAvatar: The Last Airbenderseason 2 in development, the show is preparing to introduce a variety of new characters to its roster. That includes Kelemete Misipeka as the Boulder, Crystal Yu as Lady Beifong, and Miya Cech as Toph. They will take up their roles alongside returning cast members Gordon Cormier (Aang), Dallas Liu (Zuko), Kiawentiio (Katara), Ian Ousley (Sokka), and other stars.The release date has not yet been announced.
In an interview withPacific Rim Video Press, Cech spoke about major changes to Toph’s character, including that shewill be a much older character. While she will still be “spunky” and will call Aang “Twinkle Toes” as often as ever, she will not be quite the same as her 12-year-old counterpart. Check out Cech’s quote below:
“She’s a little bit older so she’s not a little kid anymore. She is still that same spitfire, spunky character who gets to call a certain character ‘Twinkle Toes’. I think there are going to be a lot of things that the fans are going to remember from the animated series anda lot of things that are brand new.”
What The Toph Changes Mean For Netflix’s Avatar
Everyone Needs To Be Aged Up
Netflix’sAvatarhas alreadyearned some criticism for its season 1 changes. Having fewer episodes than the animated show meant that the character development and narrative progression needed to be crunched.Avatarseason 1 earned divisive reviewswith a 60% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 71% Popcornmeter score. That largely came from key criticisms of unnecessary changes and poor pacing. The show’s faithfulness earned more respect and positivity, so changing Toph’s character change could spark serious division.
Toph being older also indicates that the other characters may be aged up.
Still, this character change may not be a serious issue for the show. As long as Toph retains her general personality and “spunky” nature, the character should maintain everything that made her so beloved in the original series.She will remain a classic representation for viewerswith disabilities, even if she is aged to better matchthe otherAvatarcharacters. Toph being older also indicates that the other characters may be aged up. That could help to avoid the issues that Netflix’sStranger Thingsfaced with its actors aging out of their roles.
Our Take On Toph’s Changes
They Were Necessary For A Live-Action Adaptation
One of the challenges of any live-action adaptation is casting the right actors. Unfortunately, casting a head-strong 12-year-old is not quite as easy as in voice acting. On top of getting the character right, these projects also have to comply with child labor laws, so it makes far more sense to cast an older actor. In this case, Cech is 17 years old, which works better for the show and even allows the show to feel more realistic in a live-action setting. While this slightly deviates from the original, the older Toph makes more sense for Netflix’sAvatar: The Last Airbender.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Cast
Avatar: The Last Airbender follows a young boy, the Avatar, who embarks on a quest to master the four elemental powers. Tasked with saving a world engulfed in war, he must confront a relentless adversary determined to thwart his mission.
