Avatar: The Last Airbender star acted like a real-life Uncle Iroh to Dallas Liu: 'Whatever wisdom I could impart'

Actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee took his role as Uncle Iroh on Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender so seriously that he practically became a real-life Uncle Iroh to the younger stars on set.

During an Emmys FYC panel with the stars, moderated by Entertainment Weekly's Gerrad Hall, Lee spoke about the "sense of stewardship as an older, more experienced Asian actor" on set and the responsibility it comes with.

"Because I was the old guy, he leaned on me a lot in terms of asking for advice," Lee said of Prince Zuko actor Dallas Liu. "He was very open-minded listening to me ramble on about my experiences. So in a lot of ways, there’s that sense of stewardship as an older, more experienced Asian actor — especially because there’s not a lot of us around out there — and so whatever wisdom I could impart on any of these fine, young people, I try because I think that’s a responsibility of someone who’s been through the muck."

These "fine, young people" includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, the last living airbender of this fantasy world and the next Avatar, a reincarnated being with the power to harness all four elements to bring balance to the land. It also includes Kiawentiio as Katara, a waterbender who helps Aang on his journey to master the elements; Ian Ousley as Katara's brother Sokka; and Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula, Zuko's more sinister sibling.

"With Dallas, it was that desire to protect and to nurture, and that just translated itself into the work," Lee continued. "We had a wonderful relationship off screen and on screen, and I think it did show."

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Cormier, Kiawentiio, Ousley, Liu, Yu, and stunt coordinator Jeff Aro joined Lee on the panel, which was part of Netflix's FYSEE: Your Favorite Obsession event at Sunset Las Palmas Studios in Los Angeles.

"The one thing in particular that was challenging was probably the costume," Liu remarked of his martial arts training. "A lot of the Fire Nation and even the Water Tribes, their costumes are so heavy and there are so many thick layers of leather — I was ripping through pants every fight. They had doubles on standby ready to go all the time."

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 1 is available to stream on Netflix. The series has already been renewed for both season 2 and season 3 in order to fully adapt the main story arc of the Nickelodeon animated cartoon.

Watch a clip from the panel above, and the full conversation below.