Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action star, Dallas Liu, is opening up about the pressure of starring in the series as Zuko. Avatar: The Last Airbender is an ambitious project that Netflix has undertaken to create a live-action TV series based on the beloved animated show that ran from 2005 – 2008. The series is truly starting to take shape, especially now that Netflix announced Avatar: The Last Airbender’s cast. Leading the cast will be Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, and Dallas Liu as Zuko.
Liu is a young actor on the rise, best known for his role in Tekken, PEN15, and Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings. Liu has made great strides as an actor and, despite his tender age, he has already appeared in a Marvel film and in an Emmy-nominated TV series. However, portraying Zuko in the Avatar live-action series will be, by far, the biggest role he has tackled yet. Since the animated series premiered, Zuko has shone through as one of the obvious fan favorites and one of the more complex characters. Considering Dev Patel’s miscasting as Zuko in the only other Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action adaption, the stakes are high to get Zuko right this time around.
Related: What Happened To Avatar: The Last Airbender’s Original Aang Voice Actor?
In an interview with ComicBook, Liu opened up about the pressure surrounding his casting as Zuko. Liu first spoke on the pressure surrounding the live-action project as whole. While he has faith in the project, he understands it is no small undertaking to try to reboot a series that was so beloved by fans. Meanwhile, the fact that he is portraying one of the show’s fan favorites, Zuko, is quite nerve-wracking for him as he feels the pressure to perform especially well for his character. Check out Liu’s full statement below:
I mean, because it is such a beloved show I feel like there is some pressure to do a great job and not that I’m doubting anyone or the project at all, but this is the biggest project and the biggest role that I’ve been able to take part in now, especially leading with a character like Zuko, who’s so complex and one of, if not the favorite, one of the favorites of the show with his fire bending and his history. I mean, he’s such an incredible character and he has one of my favorite character developments in all of the animated series. So, I mean, I’m just as much of a fan of Zuko as everyone else is. So I mean, obviously I’m excited because this is like a dream, but at the same time, it gets a little nerve-wracking. You know? To do a good job, and I mean, at the end of the day I can only do what I’m capable of, but I hope that people enjoy my performance.
Liu’s feelings towards portraying Zuko are quite understandable. Attempts at rebooting the Avatar: The Last Airbender have been scarce, and M. Night Shyamalan’s adaption badly missed the mark. Meanwhile, translating a previously animated film to live-action is difficult in and of itself, considering the attachment that viewers formed to the characters. However, so far, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series seems to be heading in the right direction, considering the casting choices were done with respect to the original characters’ ages, ethnicities, and archetypes. In this manner, Liu already bears some likeness and relatability to Zuko. Meanwhile, his acting career and martial arts skills further prove that he is capable of taking on the role.
The pressure that Liu feels regarding Avatar: The Last Airbender is also representative of his dedication to the project. Liu himself is an Avatar and Zuko fan and has demonstrated quite thorough knowledge of the series. The fact that he feels pressure to do well, demonstrates his understanding of how important the series is for viewers and of the complexity of Zuko. In addition to this, the sneak peak Liu shared of quoting Zuko’s fan-favorite line was further proof that he has potential for the role. It remains to be seen how Liu will ultimately pull off Zuko in the Avatar: The Last Airbender series, but for now, he is demonstrating an understanding of the show and character that bodes well for his portrayal.
More: Avatar: The Last Airbender Upcoming Movies’ Animation Change Is A Mistake
The Pokémon Company recently revealed Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ boss battles will pit players against noble Pokémon, particularly strong monsters corrupted by a mysterious power. While the game’s primary objective is to complete the Hisui region’s Pokédex, players are also tasked by the Galaxy Expedition Team with stopping the noble Pokémon’s rampages.
With its open world and new catching and combat systems, Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a significant departure from other Pokémon games in the series. Players are responsible for capturing and documenting the Pokémon of the ancient Sinnoh region, known as Hisui, and along the way, they’ll unravel the mystery of Arceus and confront Pokémon enraged by an unknown force.
Related: Pokémon Legends Arceus’ Basculegion’s Origin Story Is Really Dark
Having “received a mysterious blessing,” according to the Pokémon Legends: Arceus website, noble Pokémon are much more powerful than other monsters in the region. The only confirmed noble Pokémon so far is Kleavor, a Bug/Rock-type evolution for Scyther with axe-like appendages. Wyrdeer, the new evolution for Stantler, is also featured with Kleavor on the game’s website. That said, the site says only “Some [blessed] Pokémon, known as nobles, are particularly powerful, while others are said to willingly assist the people of the region,” which seems to imply the rideable Wyrdeer is not a noble.
Each noble is protected by a human warden, tasked with making offerings of food and water to the nobles and keeping their territories safe. Four Pokémon Legends: Arceus wardens have been revealed so far: Mai, Iscan, Lian, and Arezu. Unfortunately, a “strange phenomenon” is driving the noble Pokémon into a frenzy, and the wardens seem unable to stop it without the player character’s help. When frenzied, noble Pokémon glow yellow and grow in size, making them even more intimidating.
Using Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ active combat system, players must throw balms made of the nobles’ favorite foods to calm the rampaging Pokémon. It appears the boss fights will play out in a series of rounds. Players will alternate between battling the noble with their own Pokémon, weakening it and sending it into a daze that prevents it from moving or attacking, and throwing more balms to calm it, with progress represented by a yellow bar at the top of the screen.
Fans won’t know if all of Pokémon Legends: Arceus’ tradition-breaking will come together to make a compelling game until they can finally play it. For now, though, noble Pokémon add another factor of uniqueness to the Hisui region, separating it from Sinnoh’s shadow.
Next: Every Rideable Pokémon Confirmed For Legends: Arceus So Far
Pokémon Legends: Arceus will be released on January 22, 2022, for Nintendo Switch.
Disney’s Lilo & Stitch was a real hit for the company and has remained a very popular movie within Disney’s incredible library. The 2002 movie is all about family and its importance, which is something that is very easy to connect with, and because of the plot, this movie brings out a lot of heartfelt emotion at points.
RELATED: 5 Reasons Lilo Is The Best Character (& 5 Reasons Stitch Is Better)
Of course, that is all well balanced with the fun science fiction elements and the comedy that is often brought by Stitch causing chaos. However, at its core, this is a movie about family, about sticking together through the tough times, and with that Disney delivers some of its best quotes about family throughout.
Updated on September 29th, 2021 by Mark Birrell: Disney’s Lilo & Stitch is a movie that’s all about ohana (family) and whether it’s from Lilo, Stitch, Nani, Bubbles, David, or even more villainous characters like Dr. Jumba, the dialogue is always giving some interesting insights into the idea of family. The best quotes from Lilo & Stitch are impactful for all members of the family, young or old, and each of them deserves to be noted and remembered.
When it comes to Lilo & Stitch, there’s no doubt that this is the most iconic quote, with this actually being one of the most memorable lines of any Disney movie. This quote is a very heartfelt one, as it’s all about not leaving others behind and the true importance of family sticking together.
It’s something that connects with a lot of people and the emotion that is shown from any of the numerous characters throughout this movie that they say this line serves to make it the film’s most heartfelt.
While the classic Ohana line is one that most people know and is often thrown around as a catchphrase from this movie, this quote from Stitch himself has even more heart and impact. Because he’s an alien who primarily causes nothing but carnage and destruction, hearing Stitch talk in this way really shows the impact that Lilo and her family have on him.
Stitch is able to learn the values of what a family means more than any character within this movie, and when he admits it is his family, there is a really strong emotional moment. It’s great to see Stitch in this light, and the fact that it pushes that a family being a little broken isn’t a problem is a great message that a lot of people can appreciate.
Full Quote: “Our family’s little now, and we don’t have many toys… But if you want, you could be a part of it. You could be our baby, and we’d raise you to be good.”
Lilo has to accept a lot of hard truths throughout the movie about the position that her family is in now, and she knows that it’s only small and isn’t perfect. However, when she explains the situation to Stitch, it really is a heartfelt moment.
She opens up about the fact that they don’t have much, which is because Nani is working hard just to keep them in their home. However, she still welcomes Stitch and invites him to be in the family, which is heartbreakingly sweet.
While Stitch does cause Nani and Lilo a lot of problems throughout the movie, by the end, he proves himself to be the ultimate pet and someone that both the sisters love dearly. They want to keep him and he wants to stay, but the Grand Councilwoman has other ideas and plans to take him away.
It seems like the two lead characters are set to be ripped apart, which is incredibly emotional within itself. However, when Stitch asks about saying goodbye, it demonstrates that the glimmer of something that she had been searching for at the beginning of the movie before sentencing Stitch to exile was there after all. The fact that he’s well-behaved, respectful, and considerate begins to convince her that Stitch can stay on Earth and be happy.
Stitch’s creator, the delightfully diabolical Doctor Jumba Jookiba, has some of the best quotes in Lilo & Stitch, not to mention some of the funniest also. When he’s introduced in the movie, he’s been captured and put on trial for his illegal monster experiments but he denies any wrongdoing.
RELATED: Lilo & Stitch Characters Ranked By Intelligence
As he tries to talk his way out of the situation by saying that he would never actually create something, Stitch is brought in and revealed with perfect comedic timing, leaving Jumba finishing his sentence with a hilarious addition that he wouldn’t make more than one.
The sister relationship between Lilo and Nani is the most emotional part of this movie. It’s a unique bond that makes them one of the best sister duos in movie history, with Nani doing her best by Lilo, while also dealing with the fact their parents are gone herself. This leads to them having a lot of arguments, as Lilo doesn’t make things any easier.
During one hilarious argument, Nani yells that she might get a rabbit instead of Lilo as it would be quieter and better behaved. However, when things calm down, Lilo brings up this cute and heartfelt comment, just reassuring herself about how much Nani truly does care for her.
One of the best characters in Lilo & Stitch is the tough-but-fair social worker Cobra Bubbles. When he and Lilo first meet, he gives her a card and tells her to call him the next time that she’s left alone. So Lilo, being true to her word, calls Cobra Bubbles when Nani leaves to secure a job and Jumba attacks her house to get Stitch.
Thanks to Bubbles’ odd name, this sentence is just funny by itself but it’s Lilo’s characteristic matter-of-factness that sells it as one of Lilo & Stitch‘s best quotes, with Lilo joyously giving the also-brilliant follow-up line “Oh good, my dog found the chainsaw.”
An often overlooked family dynamic from Lilo & Stitch–that is just as interesting as the others–is the one between Stitch and his creator, Jumba. Just about everyone other than Lilo is immediately terrified of Stitch throughout the movie and Jumba mistreats him too but his mistreatment comes from a place of understanding.
Jumba is a weird and maniacal guy himself, and he clearly put a lot of his own characteristics into Stitch. So, when he knows Stitch’s programming so well that he knows that Stitch will steal everyone’s left show just to presumably annoy them, it demonstrates the quirky bond that the two have. It’s also another brilliantly well-delivered line too, building up Stitch as a monster but reminding the audience that he’s oddly funny too.
This quote is both heartfelt and absolutely hilarious at the same time, which really sums up Lilo and the personality that she has. It comes after she explains that she was late to her dance practice because she was giving a fish named Pudge a peanut butter sandwich as she believes that he controls the weather. With no peanut butter in the house, Nani had initially suggested giving him a tuna sandwich, the idea of which makes Lilo yell out this memorable quote.
RELATED: The 10 Funniest Lilo & Stitch Quotes
Lilo speaks in a really mature manner here, dropping in the word abomination, which is very unexpected. But even though this quote showcases the comedic side of this movie, it also shows what a kind and caring character Lilo is at the same time.
When Lilo explains the death of her parents to Stitch, she shows incredible maturity which really helps to make her a terrific character. She turns things to Stitch and asks if he lost his parents, revealing she hears him crying on an evening, which she thinks is why he’s so angry.
It’s a really heartfelt and clever moment for several reasons. It shows that people act out in this manner when things are going wrong, and while Lilo projects this onto Stitch, it is also her own way of admitting that’s why she behaves the way she does to Nani at times.
Another aspect of Jumba that’s often overlooked is that he is, in many ways, technically a villain in a lot of the story yet doesn’t meet any of the typical villain fates of Disney movies. He’s redeemed by the end in a similar way to Stitch and sticks around to become a part of Lilo’s new family.
It’s a big turn from his introduction in the movie’s big sci-fi opening, where he’s sent down to prison as he screams that he actually enjoys being called an evil genius. But Jumba is always funny as an antagonistic force, his design is too cuddly for him to be truly scary and he just comes off as lovable, even in his most dastardly moments.
Part of what makes Lilo and Nani arguably Disney’s best sisters is that they grow together. During one emotional scene in Lilo & Stitch, the two of them have a real heart to heart in order to repair things. They discuss being a broken family, and Nani says sorry for shouting at her.
However, Lilo cheers her up by making it clear that it’s their job to fallout, as they’re sisters and it’s what they should do. Their relationship dynamic isn’t clear-cut and Nani needs Lilo in her life as much as Lilo needs her.
Another of Jumba’s perfectly delivered lines of villainous comedy is one that he gives to Stitch after he gets the drop on him. Considering that it’s just been a very sad time for Stitch, the audience is hoping for a little sympathy from Stitch’s creator but he makes sure to emphasize that he cares about how much money he’s invested in Stitch, a classic bad dad trait.
Still, voice actor David Ogden Stiers as Jumba delivers the line with such impeccable comedic timing, without even stressing it for laughs, that it’s hard not to laugh, showing just how effortlessly the movie slips between emotional moments and comedic ones.
Prior to getting Stitch, Lilo really hits a low point which leads to her literally praying for a friend. It’s an emotional scene that showcases how lonely she is, especially since Nani is now really acting as her parent, rather than her sister.
It’s a tough scene and it adds real emotional stakes to the entire relationship between Lilo and Stitch because she is simply desperate for a friend to help her grieve and get over this tough spot in her life.
It’s impossible not to feel emotional when Lilo delivers this line to Stitch, especially considering she is looking at a picture of her parents as she delivers it. When Stitch is considering leaving, Lilo speaks openly with him, clearly upset about him possibly going, yet also accepting that it could happen.
The quote really hits home just how much she has lost within her young life though, with her having lost both of her parents. She desperately doesn’t want to lose anyone else, but the fact that she remembers everything at least gives her those memories, which provides some positivity to the moment.
NEXT: 10 Things We Know About A Live-Action Lilo & Stitch Movie
Choosing design themes in Animal Crossing: New Horizons can be difficult, but one of the best ways to carry any aesthetic throughout an island is to make use of the cutest villager house exteriors. Although there are seemingly endless design options in New Horizons, there are only a few buildings in the game. Of these, only player houses can be customized to fit in with the rest of the island’s décor. The lack of design choices for buildings like Resident Services or the Museum can feel limiting at times, but fortunately, players have many more options available when selecting villager homes, the most common buildings in the game. As many as 10 New Horizons villagers can live on an island at one time, each with their own house design. With almost 400 recruitable villagers in New Horizons, there are plenty of cute villager home options available, no matter the island theme.
There are a variety of motivations for selecting which New Horizons villagers should move to an island, with some players looking for a specific personality type or animal species. One of the most important details to consider for decoration purposes, though, is what the exterior of the villager’s house looks like. Each villager’s house in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is unique from the others, inspired by its individual villager in color and design. Their houses’ interior designs in New Horizons can change depending on items they receive or when they move onto the island. However, every villager’s house exterior will always be the same.
Related: Animal Crossing Design Ideas To Get Ready For Fall 2021
Outdoor decoration is such a large part of New Horizons, and villager house exteriors make a great source of inspiration for designing an island. The huge variety in house styles is created through different combinations of roofs, doors, textures, house shapes, and colors. There are so many details to choose from, but just as with the villagers themselves, some house designs are more helpful to certain themes than others. These Animal Crossing: New Horizons villager house exteriors are some of the cutest ones available in the game.
Diana is a deer villager in New Horizons with a clean exterior that’s elegant and regal, perhaps as a credit to her appearance-obsessed, snooty personality type. Although the stone-like texture makes the house feel warm and inviting, it is the smaller details that really make the house visually intriguing. The consistent arches and delicate design on the white iron grill door make Diana’s house a great option for players that want to bring a classier building to their island.
Drake, the lazy duck villager, has appeared in every Animal Crossing game since Animal Crossing: Wild World. His house’s exterior and interior have evolved subtly throughout the games, generally sticking to a camp/cabin aesthetic. In New Horizons, Drake has a beautiful pine or forest green house with brown, wooden trim and a wooden door. The earthy tones and accents on this house make it perfect for a natural or forest-themed New Horizons island, which Drake is sure to enjoy.
In New Horizons, Pekoe is a normal cub villager with a really cute home. The Eastern-style house has a great color combination of red, white, black, and gold. Pekoe’s window and imperial door have intricate designs, and her red lantern complements these details perfectly. Its unique shape with sharp edges makes this house a perfect option for a New Horizons island with a city aesthetic. Alternatively, Pekoe’s house would make the perfect addition to a more rural, traditional neighborhood as well, especially one that makes use of New Horizons’ many Asian-styled decorations.
Related: ACNH Tips For Making Your Island More Welcoming To Visitors & Villagers
Étoile is a normal sheep villager who was introduced to New Horizons a year after the game’s release. As of now, she can only be invited to join an island through her amiibo card, but her house is definitely one of the cutest ones available. Étoile’s design is based on the Sanrio characters Kiki and Lala from the Little Twin Stars series. Kiki and Lala are often depicted with blue and pink hair respectively, which explains the pastel pink and pale-blue coloring of the house’s exterior. Étoile’s New Horizons home would fit in well with a fairycore theme or an island with a colorful and whimsical aesthetic.
In New Horizons, Ed is a smug horse villager. He is vivid blue in color with a bright yellow mane and tail, which starkly contrast with his mostly white house. Aside from its aqua tile roof, this home is a blank canvas with clean lines. Its sleek design would look great anywhere on anisland, whether placed on a high cliff or on an New Horizons beach by the ocean. This home can be adapted to fit almost any island theme, especially if players gift Ed with a wreath to brighten up his front door.
One of the most visually unique and long-standing villagers in the Animal Crossing series is Tangy, the peppy cat. Her house mimics her orange and green coloring, which itself mimics citrus fruit with a leaf attached on top. The white trim gives it a crisp feel, complementing the other bright colors well. Tangy’s house would be perfect for a tropicore island, especially during the New Horizons summer season when the grass is the brightest green. Adding palm trees, fruit-themed furniture, or bright flowers around Tangy’s house would make it pop even more.
Related: Animal Crossing’s Best Design Tricks With Glitches
In New Horizons, Ava is a normal chicken villager with a unique house. This house’s geometric design is carried throughout the square, boxy building with its brick accents and the designs on the window and door. The red bricks match the curved shingles on the roof very well in color and style, bringing the whole design together. Ava’s house is very neutral and the brick accents would stand out in any environment, making it a great addition to any New Horizons island.
Pancetti is a snooty pig villager in New Horizons. Although her house is fairly standard with few notable details, it is the interesting color palette that immediately draws the eye. The muted mustard yellow, burnt-orange exterior with mahogany trim highlights the unexpected blue of the house’s simple door perfectly. Pancetti’s house would look beautiful in a cozy, autumnal theme, especially when the leaves are most colorful in ACNH’s mid-to-late fall season. There are so many cute villager home exterior designs available in Animal Crossing: New Horizons that are sure to inspire creativity for many seasons to come.
Next: Why Animal Crossing’s Brewster & The Roost Cafe Update Is A Big Deal
Coldplay and BTS have finally released the music video for their new collaboration, ‘My Universe’.
READ MORE: Coldplay and BTS’ new song ‘My Universe’ is a celestial ode to unity, hope and the power of love
The clip, helmed by iconic music video director Dave Meyers (who recently worked on Ed Sheeran’s MV for ‘Shivers’), stars the two bands as outlaws trying to bring back music in an alternate universe where it is forbidden.
The joint single was released on September 24, and was co-written by both bands alongside Swedish hitmaker Max Martin. The song is also the second single to be lifted from Coldplay’s forthcoming studio album ‘Music Of The Spheres’ following their hit comeback song ‘Higher Power‘.
Meanwhile, ‘My Universe’ is BTS’ fourth single of 2021, following their Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles ‘Butter’ and ‘Permission To Dance’. Earlier this year, the boyband also released the Japanese-language track ‘Film Out’, from their compilation album ‘BTS, The Best’.
Over the past week, the two bands also released a documentary titled Inside My Universe, which chronicles the making of ‘My Universe‘. They also unveiled an acoustic version of the single, as well as a ‘Supernova 7’ remix.
Coldplay recently performed ‘My Universe’ at the New York leg of Global Citizen Live over the weekend. While BTS were not physically at the concert, the group were featured as holographs on a backdrop while Martin sung in both English and Korean.
In other BTS news, the South Korean boyband are set to hold their first in-person concerts for the first time in two years, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.The septet are set to bring their upcoming online concert ‘Permission To Dance On Stage’ live to Los Angeles, California this November and December.
The post Watch Coldplay and BTS’ epic music video for ‘My Universe’ appeared first on NME.
