Avatar’s Paul Solar-Hyung Lee needs to geek out with the followers of the long run

Paul Solar-Hyung Lee was already an enormous Star Wars nerd lengthy earlier than he performed captain Carson Teva in The Mandalorian, The E book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. However portraying Teva took issues to the subsequent stage and put him able to share his ardour for sci-fi with different followers in a approach that he may solely dream of rising up as a Korean-Canadian child obsessive about Return of the Jedi.

Lee spent loads of time in entrance of the tv in his early life, and whereas he couldn’t all the time see individuals who appeared like him and his household, he may lose himself within the fantastical worlds of movies like Ghostbusters and Again to the Future. Characters like Carson Teva have been instrumental in making Star Wars — as soon as an overwhelmingly white movie franchise — really feel extra consultant of its huge, multicultural fan base. It’s not misplaced on Lee how a lot it might have meant for him to usually see Asian actors portraying dynamic, multifaceted folks on-screen, which is a part of why he jumped on the alternative to hitch Netflix’s new live-action Avatar: The Final Airbender adaptation.

Once I sat down with Lee lately to speak about his flip as Avatar’s Iroh, he informed me that as excited as he was to land the position, it additionally got here with a sense of accountability each to followers and to his fellow solid members — lots of whom are a lot youthful, up-and-coming actors — due to how particular an expertise they have been about to embark upon. You may see a few of that sense of responsibility on-screen within the quiet depth of Lee’s Iroh, a flamethrowing warrior turned pacifist, who is likely one of the many individuals looking for the long-lost Avatar. However Lee defined that he wouldn’t have been in a position to ship such a strong efficiency have been it not for his co-stars and their willingness to take a few of his knowledge to coronary heart.

This dialog has been edited and condensed for readability.

I used to be chatting with Dallas Liu just a few weeks in the past, and he was telling me about how highly effective a studying expertise it was to work with you each when it comes to being scene companions but additionally your sharing recommendation about management, which actually caught with me. As an actor who’s spent a lot time speaking in regards to the significance of seeing different Asian actors in main roles, what was it like so that you can step into this type of mentorship position for the subsequent technology of younger, up-and-coming Asian performers?

It’s a humbling and large honor, but it surely’s additionally one thing that I take fairly significantly as a result of I by no means actually had these mentors in my profession as I used to be shifting up. I had just a few within the theater world, however there have been only a few in movie and TV who I may lean on or ask for recommendation. I feel when certainly one of us wins, we should always all win, and so I’m doing my half to make sure that I can go alongside no matter expertise or information that I’ve to the subsequent technology to assist them on their journey — to assist them really feel much less remoted but additionally to offer them that recommendation on the way to carry your self as an expert on set. 

Dallas — it’s not like he was working round preening or one thing. He was so devoted and so passionate in regards to the work. However the one factor that I wished to let him know was that we have been there collectively. Like, it’s not simply you on an island, performing by your self. I’m right here to assist and assist you. You’re right here to do the identical factor for me. We’re on this scene collectively, and so it is sensible if we work collectively. He’s spoken about this, however he had it in his thoughts that he form of wished to isolate and provides himself that sense of Prince Zuko being alone. And I assumed, “Nicely, that’s fascinating, and you’ll completely play with that concept.” However the actuality is, we’re going to be spending months collectively, and I discover that the stability between work and private life is sweet to a sure extent. 

However on the identical time, you’re going to make your self depressing your complete shoot in case you isolate your self from everyone else since you suppose it’s going to boost your work. Everyone wins when the communication and assist are clear and once we’re on the identical web page. My job as an older actor is to share with him as a lot of the information that I’ve been in a position to accrue from my experiences that he needs. I’m not going to attempt to shove it down his throat and say, “Come over right here and let me train you a lesson.” It was all the time little light issues, and it actually translated to the connection between our Zuko and Iroh.

Lots of people got here to the brand new Avatar with an concept of who these characters are due to the previous present, however I wished to listen to from you: Who’s your Iroh? What concepts about his inside self did you need viewers eager about as they watched your efficiency in season 1?

I’ve been fortunate sufficient to play characters for whom household may be very, essential — Mr. Kim from Kim’s Comfort is likely one of the larger examples. And there have been parts of Iroh that I may actually simply relate to, simply as a father determine. I needed to do loads of rising up once I had my sons, and I feel the identical is true of Iroh. I wished to faucet into that entire concept of your perspective shifting due to your life altering in such a big approach. The place you suppose you need one factor, after which one thing occurs in your life that turns you in your head, and also you notice that the issues that you just’ve been chasing — the issues that you just’ve been informed that you just have been going to do — out of the blue aren’t practically as essential as you thought they have been. 

That type of transformation is what drew me to Iroh. He’s a person who was groomed to be the subsequent Hearth Lord and was usurped in some ways by his power-hungry youthful brother, however he additionally suffered an incredible loss together with his son Lu Ten being killed in battle. Shedding Lu Ten actually reframes who he’s and what he needs in life. And Iroh sees loads of himself in Zuko. He sees compassion, love, and an incredible depth of feeling but additionally the vestiges of his personal son and somebody who may use the form of steering that he wanted when he was at that age. 

Have been there any inner discussions between you, Dallas, and (showrunner) Albert (Kim) about whether or not displaying audiences this deeper dynamic between Zuko and Iroh early within the present may rub folks the improper approach?

Zuko and Iroh’s relationship is de facto certainly one of progress and development. Within the authentic E book One, you don’t see loads of this details about the 2 of them early on. You’re imagined to see Zuko as this indignant man chasing workforce Avatar and Iroh as this type of bizarre man who’s all the time joking. However you don’t know why this previous man is so dedicated to his prince. You don’t discover that out till E book Two, when the depth actually drops in, and that’s why it was such a deal with to get to do that in our season 1 by making a scene that didn’t exist within the animated sequence. Cerebrally, folks knew and spoke about it — that bond between Iroh and Zuko. However its origins had by no means been explored on-screen that approach, and I feel we benefited tremendously from that as a result of we have been giving viewers one thing new to observe that they couldn’t fairly examine to one thing else. 

We’re residing by this actually poisonous, bizarre time the place the very ideas of range and cultural specificity are being handled like they’re antithetical to the creation of fine artwork, whether or not it’s TV exhibits, films, or video games. I don’t actually need to ask you why that’s improper however, fairly, how has Hollywood’s push for range — and it’s a comparatively small push within the grand scheme of issues — enriched the leisure trade?

I’m biased as a result of I’ve straight benefited from it, however I’ve all the time believed that illustration completely does matter. My dad and mom have been immigrants who needed to work continuously, and so the tv was my babysitter. And once I’m watching TV and films and the one folks I see who appear like me or my household are outsiders or objects of ridicule, it teaches you at a really younger age that you just and your tales don’t matter — that your loved ones is bizarre, and it makes you not need to be like them. For a piece of my youth, I grew up not eager to be Korean. I didn’t need to communicate Korean or eat Korean meals. I simply wished to slot in and have lunch like everyone else. I simply wished to belong. The unlucky tail finish of that’s that I missed out on loads of issues due to these emotions. I don’t communicate Korean anymore, and dropping the flexibility to talk my native tongue is certainly one of my greatest regrets as a result of that connection turns into increasingly of an element as my dad and mom become old.

I remorse not embracing my heritage and dropping out on the richness of all that it may have afforded me. Now, in case you translate that to these days, I feel having range and inclusivity and correct illustration in movie and TV has been nothing however a boon as a result of, if nothing else, BIPOC artists on-screen and off are lastly being given the alternatives to inform and be part of their very own tales. You’re seeing contemporary views, listening to new voices, and assembly new expertise. And in case you’re telling new narratives as a substitute of getting the identical meal repeatedly and once more, that’s a win for audiences as a result of you possibly can love steak and potatoes, however there are a thousand alternative ways you possibly can put together them.

With The Mandalorian, The E book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and now Avatar, you’ve develop into part of these big franchises once they’re actually working to seize new generations of followers for whom these exhibits are going to be foundational items of the canon. That is type of a callback to my earlier query about mentorship, however what accountability do you suppose older followers have when it comes to welcoming newcomers into the fold?

I feel it’s essential for them to comprehend that, years in the past, once they began, they have been in the identical place. It’s essential to be sort, light, and to each hearken to and feed into that pleasure by giving newcomers — if they need it — slightly little bit of background. Nerding out with anyone over one thing that they’re completely into but additionally new to is my favourite a part of fandoms. Like folks discovering the Beatles for the primary time, and you’ll simply counsel, “Oh, in case you suppose that is out-there, it is best to hearken to among the stuff from once they have been indie, after which once they took a flip.” That’s the enjoyment of all fandoms, actually. 

However it’s additionally incumbent for us older followers to recollect how that point in an individual’s relationship to artwork that’s new to them is treasured, and we owe it to others to not be gatekeepers or to be judgmentally harping on about, “Nicely, again in my day, we had actual TV, music, and films.” This can be a totally different period. I had by no means actually thought-about that, however you’re proper — for lots of people, exhibits like The Mandalorian shall be their core reminiscences of Star Wars, not the unique trilogy. They grew up watching Grogu, and he’ll be their anchoring level. There’s pleasure there, and we older followers have a accountability to do not forget that as a result of, greater than anything, true fandom is sharing your love, not judging. It’s about increasing, rising, and studying. And in case you’re not having fun with it, why are you a fan? I don’t see how one can name your self a fan in case you’re centered on being miserly simply hoarding each scrap of data, as a result of then, if you die, it dies. You need this to go on, proper?

It doesn’t occur within the authentic cartoon till season 3, however in concept, would you get — forgive me — jacked to offer us jail exercise Iroh?

A number of the first issues I noticed have been folks posting the GIFs of Iroh doing the one-arm push-ups and pull-ups whereas consuming jail meals. The transformation is simply… he doesn’t even look human anymore. I’m like, “Okay, how does he do this on jail meals, initially?” We haven’t actually mentioned that with manufacturing but. Daniel Dae Kim appears to suppose that I may do it, and he needed to get reduce in season 1 for the Agni Kai scene. However that’s DDK; he’s a wonderful specimen to start with, so I joke that he in all probability simply needed to do three push-ups, and he was prepared. Dallas, too, he’s in his prime and has been doing martial arts since he was 4 years previous. However I’m in my 50s. I’ve had a really comfy life.  

I harm my ribs from sneezing as soon as, so I’ve been joking that, with the entire developments in VFX and CGI, I can put on a inexperienced T-shirt. If he’s not working round for the entire season like that, muscle shirts are acceptable as effectively. We’ve bought a improbable costume division. Or they may do what they did with Ryan Reynolds in Free Man and simply type of digitally paste my face onto some actually jacked bro dude. However no matter comes down the pipe, I’m actually wanting ahead to the problem.