Daniel Dae Kim is the reason why Avatar: The Last Airbender feels like a serious series rather than a mundane fantasy one. With Netflix bringing out the big guns, Daniel Dae Kim has been cast in the role of Fire Lord Ozai in Avatar: The Last Airbender, and boy are we scared!
Boasting a serious look, Dae Kim is everything that a real-life Fire Lord Ozai would possess. From having an incredible body to the perfect hair, what makes Daniel Dae Kim’s Ozai even more charming is that the actor was inspired by real-life politicians to play the role of the tyrant in the Netflix series!
Daniel Dae Kim Was Inspired By Real-Life Politicians To Play Fire Lord Ozai!
Fans of the original animated series know that Fire Lord Ozai was not just a simple ruler but a hardened and disciplined warrior. With a dark past to his name, Ozai banished his own son from the Fire Kingdom after becoming emperor.
As per the series, there has been some politics involved in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Well, Fire Lord Ozai has dwelled in these dark roads before and has oftentimes, solved his problems via politics. In a recent interview with RadioTimes, Daniel Dae Kim, who portrays the role of Fire Lord Ozai in the Netflix series, talked about how he was inspired to play the role.
“What was really interesting to me about Ozai was a couple of things. One was his role as a father. As one myself, and as someone who has tried to guide two children – two boys, in fact – the choices that Ozai made were the start for me in exploring the character. What were his intentions? Where did they go wrong? What does he want for this character? What, in the end, does he really want from Zuko?”
He further continued,
“I started there and I also explored his own sense of ambition – why does he want to throw this world out of harmony? Why does he want to throw it out of balance so much? What is the source of this desire to conquer the entire world? I looked to our politicians and our political situation to start that exploration.”
And he did portray a flawless impersonation of Fire Lord Ozai. Daniel Dae Kim’s physique was so impressive that Elizabeth Yu, who portrays the role of his on-screen daughter, Azula, was also terrified of him!
Daniel Dae Kim’s On-screen Daughter Was Also Terrified of Him!
Azula and Fire Lord Ozai are a pretty strong pair in the lore of the Avatar verse. Well, Elizabeth Yu, the actress who portrays the role of his on-screen daughter, was terrified to act alongside Dae Kim during the initial days of shooting!
“It was crazy, I mean [he’s] an absolute legend, insane. Knowing that he’s going to play your dad is is so nerve-wracking, and then you get there and he’s so much taller than me and so muscular and I’m just there trying to be myself and also super nervous – so I think that also helped my character be nervous around him! It was an absolute dream.”
With a recent release date of 22nd February, Avatar: The Last Airbender received a rating of 7.3/10 on IMDB and an average of 60% on Rotten Tomatoes. The iconic series is currently available to stream on Netflix around the world.
