Internationally acclaimed Filipina actress Dolly de Leon and Filipino-American actor Jon Jon Briones are set to appear in the next two seasons of Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
On Tuesday, May 20, 2025, the casting of Dolly and Jon Jon was announced via the show’s Instagram page, marking a major win for Philippine representation in global entertainment.
The caption read, "Welcome the new faces joining the cast of Avatar: The Last Airbender in Seasons 2 and 3."
DOLLY AND JON JON'S ROLE
Dolly is among the Season 2 newcomers and she will portray a dual role, twin sisters Lo and Li, designated Fire Nation elders who serve as Princess Azula’s royal advisers.
Read: Dolly de Leon's 2023 Global Success
Jon Jon is set to play Piandao, a master swordsman and key member of the secret society, the White Lotus.
Dolly is the first Filipina to receive a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globe Awards and the 76th British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) for her performance in the satirical black comedy film Triangle of Sadness.
Read:
- Dolly de Leon nominated for Golden Globe
- Dolly de Leon nominated for Best Supporting Actress at BAFTA 2023
In addition to these nominations, the actress won Best Supporting Actress from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and received the Breakthrough Performance Award at the Middleburg Film Festival.
Read: Dolly de Leon wins best supporting performer in LAFCA
While Jon Jon is best known for his work on The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018), Ratched (2020), and West End revival of Miss Saigon in 2014, for which he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Other Cast Members of Avatar: The Last Airbender Seasons 2 and 3
Also joining the series are Filipino-Canadian actor Gordon Cormier, who plays Aang, the show’s lead character; Dichen Lachman as Yangchen, the Avatar who represents the Air Nomads; and Terry Chen as Jeong Jeong, a former fire nation admiral and master firebender.
The cast also includes Lily Gao as Ursa, the mother of Prince Zuko and Princess Azula, and wife of Fire Lord Ozai; Tantoo Cardinal as Hama, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe; and Madison Hu as Fei, a new character introduced in Seasons 2 or 3 of the live-action series.
Read: Avatar 2 Earns $1.7B Worldwide
Avatar: The Last Airbender is based on the beloved Nickelodeon animated series and has quickly become one of Netflix’s most-watched new titles.
The series premiered on February 2024, and was renewed in March 2024 for its second and third seasons.
Meanwhile, the filming for the second season was recently wrapped up, while the production for season 3 has already started.