Zuko RECAST!
As revealed in a Variety Speaks article, Zuko has been recast as Dev Patel! I, for one, was surprised by this.
Dev Patel, from what I've heard, is an amazing actor. I know that Slumdog Millionaire was praised by many nation wide, and that it can only mean good things for Zuko's role. I didn't have much faith in McCartney's acting ability--I don't think anyone did. He's a thousand times better than the previous choice for the role.
But...What do you think this means for Mai's actress? For the rest of the Fire Nation, for that matter? Will a nation of lighter skinned people now become darker skinned--closer to the Water Tribes than anything else--because Shyamalayan says so? I didn't realize it at first, but the fact that Zuko is Indian will have implications for Ozai, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Ursa, and others. You can't have a dark skinned prince in a land of light skinned (though obviously Asian) people. Though perhaps they'll have an assortment of dark and light skinned people. As pointed out below, Mai's uncle is very dark skinned himself.
Dev Patel, from what I've heard, is an amazing actor. I know that Slumdog Millionaire was praised by many nation wide, and that it can only mean good things for Zuko's role. I didn't have much faith in McCartney's acting ability--I don't think anyone did. He's a thousand times better than the previous choice for the role.
But...What do you think this means for Mai's actress? For the rest of the Fire Nation, for that matter? Will a nation of lighter skinned people now become darker skinned--closer to the Water Tribes than anything else--because Shyamalayan says so? I didn't realize it at first, but the fact that Zuko is Indian will have implications for Ozai, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Ursa, and others. You can't have a dark skinned prince in a land of light skinned (though obviously Asian) people. Though perhaps they'll have an assortment of dark and light skinned people. As pointed out below, Mai's uncle is very dark skinned himself.