Avatar: The Last Airbender launches casting call for Toph

Netflix Avatar: The Last Airbender is looking for an actor to play the beloved Earthbender, Toph.

The show, a live-action adaptation and remake of the beloved 2005 Nickelodeon animated series, debuted on Netflix in February and was renewed for two more seasons less than a month later, after receiving relatively mixed reviews.

On Tuesday, casting director Jenny Jue posted in X a casting call for the role of Toph, who is described in the post as a “mid-teens, blind, female, Asian” character (Toph was 12 years when she was first introduced in the original animated series). According to the casting call, filming is expected to take place in the fall of 2024.

Teresa Huang, the show’s supervising producer, said in a post on X that she and the team “are determined… to find a young Asian actress who is truly blind or has low vision.” She encouraged people who know someone with experience in dance and/or martial arts to forward their information, even if they have never performed before.

See more information: How Avatar: The Last Airbender is a love letter to Asian and indigenous cultures

A user on X he responded to Huang’s post, introducing herself as administrator of the Disabled Voice Actor Database, a directory of voice actors with disabilities. She offered to share the database with Huang, who responded by asking her to send the information to Jue.

Fans were thrilled with the news, with many praising the show for its authentic and inclusive casting efforts.

“This is so exciting!” one user said, in a to respond to Huang’s post on X. “As a visually impaired person, I am so happy to see the commitment to authentic casting remaining strong. I can’t wait to see who plays her in the series.”

“This will get me to watch the show for real,” said another user in one to respond to Huang’s post on X. “I appreciate your efforts.”

Anyone interested in being considered for the role should email DTCOpenCall@gmail.com with a recent photo, resume or one-paragraph biography, as well as name and phone number, the casting call said. Applicants are also encouraged to share any experiences they may have with blindness or low vision if they feel comfortable doing so.

Receive alerts on the biggest breaking news here