With the recent debut of one of the greatest cartoon shows ever made, Avatar: The Last Airbender‘s live-action version on Netflix, the show is once again making headlines. With overall positive reviews, the live-action has gained traction and has also been greenlit by Netflix for second and third seasons. Arden Cho, who plays the villain June in the series, is among the cast who absolutely loves her job as much as the audiences are enjoying the visually stunning show.
How Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender Made Arden Cho’s Dream Come True
For all the ATLA fans, June needs no introduction. But for the unversed, she’s the shirshu rider, a ruthless bounty hunter appointed by Prince Zuko to capture the Avatar. An intricately written character who is in fact pure mystery, not one to follow rules but to carve her own path, in short, a complete bada**. Although not one of the main villains in the series, June still manages to steal the spotlight.
Similarly, Arden Cho, portraying June in Netflix’s live-action series, is absolutely living under the character’s skin with no complaints, so much so she admitted this opportunity to be her dream come true. In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, the actor delved deep into her experiences of being June, she explained,
“I literally tell people, it made me be like, This is all I want to do. I just want to go on shows and be villains. Even though June’s not even really a villain. Maybe that’s what’s more fun about it; She doesn’t consider herself bad guy. She’s just existing and doing what she needs to do.”
She then elaborated on being on the show and collaborating with such amazing talents. The actor was practically gleaming with joy and had nothing but praises to sing. As she said,
“There was so much care for all the characters and all the actors on the show. It took a long time for us to get in all the hair, the makeup, the wardrobe. I mean, I can’t even get dressed as June on my own. When everyone loves a project, it just creates such a fun environment. The leads are so young but so humble and so happy to be there. They’re so adorable. It all made it such a fun experience.”
While this was a dream come true moment for Cho, she didn’t take it too seriously. Instead, she chose to have fun and experiment with her role, and it beautifully translated onto the screen as well. Even though her character didn’t have many scenes in the first season, her presence certainly did leave a mark, and audiences can anticipate something significant with her character in the upcoming seasons.
Will June Make a Comeback in Upcoming Seasons? What Can Fans Expect?
Although her appearances in the first season were minimal, if the show follows the animated series, the character appears in Book 3 after the first one. However, the Netflix show has been taking some liberties when it comes to June. It’s evident that in the first season of the live-action show, June is portrayed in a slightly different light compared to the Nickelodeon series, potentially hinting at her shouldering heavier responsibilities in the seasons to come.
For instance, she was even given a one-on-one scene with Aang. This suggests that the Netflix series could be a platform where the character’s role becomes even more significant. Arden Cho has already become a fan favorite since her debut. Therefore, it’s reasonable to speculate that the character might return sooner than expected, possibly with even bigger responsibilities.
From working for Zuko and chasing the Avatar to her conversation with Aang in the cave during episode six, the character’s direction in the Netflix show remains uncertain, which makes it all the way more exciting. It would certainly be intriguing to see how June influences both sides.
The character cannot be categorized as 100% evil and rather resides in a gray area, prioritizing money to move forward in society. Her complex morality certainly adds further depth to the narrative, blurring the lines between good and bad. This could open up new portals for her character to become even more nuanced. Fans can’t wait to see what the showrunners have in mind for her.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season One is streaming on Netflix.
