The Last Airbender star explains why he thought audition was for Avatar films

Avatar: The Last Airbender star Ken Leung has explained why he thought his audition was for the Avatar movies.

Speaking to Deadline during the show's red carpet premiere earlier this week (February 20), the actor detailed the show's vague audition process, which led him to believe he was involved in James Cameron's iconic movie franchise.

"First of all, the audition – you couldn't tell that it was for Avatar. So it was kind of disguised as a different project. And when I first heard it was for Avatar, I thought I was going to be blue," he said.

Netflix

"Looking back, I kind of love that I came in blank. When you come in, when you have ideas, you can kind of corrupt a pure process. When you come in blank, things will come into it that will inform your playing of it in a way that it might not if you came in with preconceived ideas."

The live-action remake debuted on Netflix on Thursday (February 22). A reimagining of the 2005 animated series of the same name, The Last Airbender follows the young Avatar as he tries to save a world threatened by the Fire Nation.

Leung, who plays Commander Zhao in the series, went on to reveal that he wasn't familiar with the original show.

"I didn't know the original at all. I mean, maybe it's an age thing? But I didn't know about it," he said.

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The Last Airbender also stars Gordon Cormier, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Daniel Dae Kim, Kiawentiio Tarbell, Ian Ousley, Dallas Liu and Prey actress Amber Midthunder.

"Aang, a young Air Nomad and the last of his kind, reawakens to take his rightful place as the next Avatar," reads the official synopsis of the series.

"Alongside his newfound friends Sokka and Katara, siblings and members of the Southern Water Tribe, Aang embarks on a fantastical, action-packed quest to save the world and fight back against the fearsome onslaught of Fire Lord Ozai."

Avatar: The Last Airbender is available to stream now on Netflix.