ELIZABETH YU TALKS AZULA: EMPATHY, EVIL, AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN

BY IRVIN RIVERA

PHOTOGRAPHER: JOSEPH ADIVARI, FASHION DIRECTOR: ANDREW PHILIP NGUYEN, MAKE-UP ARTIST: CHRISTOPHER MILES, HAIRSTYLIST: CARINA TAFULU, LOCATION: GM STUDIO DTLA

Elizabeth Yu is making waves with her captivating portrayal of Azula, the firebending, fiercely ambitious princess in Netflix's "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Sitting down with Elizabeth, it’s clear that her journey to embodying Azula is as intriguing as the character herself. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that growing up half-Asian in New Jersey prepared me to play a firebending-evil-princess,” she laughs, “But it was on the Avatar set that I truly connected with my cultural background.” As Elizabeth dives back into preparing for the next season, her excitement is palpable. "The sheer excitement of finally getting to step back into that world is all I need to fulfill my creative outlet," she shares with a radiant smile.

Elizabeth’s connection to Azula goes beyond the surface, drawing from personal experiences to breathe life into the character's ambition and perfectionism. "I see a lot of myself in Azula, especially her drive to be the best," she reflects. Her deep empathy for the misunderstood princess has influenced her views on good and evil. “Actors often say that playing 'evil' characters is about understanding them. I have a deep, deep love for Azula and sometimes forget she’s so ‘evil’,” Elizabeth confides. Her journey with Azula has also been a mirror to her own life, revealing raw moments of vulnerability and strength. "There’s a scene in episode five where Azula is running a firebending routine, and I was just as exhausted and critical of myself. That raw moment made it into the show, and it’s a true piece of me in her." Elizabeth Yu’s portrayal of Azula is not just a role; it’s a testament to her resilience and passion for authentic storytelling.

Earrings: MARIE MONSOD, Top: ALABAMBA BLONDE

Hi Elizabeth! How are you? Thank you for your time! What’s keeping you creative and busy nowadays?

I’m doing well! Thank you so much for having me be a part of all this. I’m currently starting to prepare for the filming of the next season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, so the sheer excitement I’m feeling of finally getting to step back into that world is all I need to fulfill my creative outlet.

Let’s chat about Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender. How did your upbringing and cultural background influence your approach to acting and your portrayal of Azula?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that growing up half-Asian in New Jersey would help prepare me to play a firebending-evil-princess (lol), BUT I will say, it wasn’t until I started working on the Avatar set that my real connection with my cultural background started. When working on the show, I got to work with people I grew up watching and that’s when the real questions about what this all means to me started.

What personal experiences do you draw from to connect with Azula’s complex character?

I think a huge part of what makes Azula who she is, is how heightened the stakes are for her, which definitely makes it a little more interesting when trying to relate what she goes through to my everyday life. I think two things I CAN relate to her on are- her ambition and her perfectionism. I see that a lot in myself, especially when it comes to acting.

CENTER Top: ESTHE, Corset: FASHION DRUG BY ANAHIT, Skirt: BEEOMBI, RIGHT Ring: JAGGED HALO

How has playing Azula impacted your view on good and evil in characters and in life?

I think the number one rule with actors when playing “evil” characters is that they are just misunderstood. I have a deep, deep love for Azula and oftentimes, I actually forget that she’s so “evil”! That’s what makes our show and the original series so incredible. The fact that every character, no matter their background or choices, can be sympathized with. Acting teaches me about empathy every day.

What did you learn about yourself while preparing for and portraying Azula?

When I got the opportunity to audition for the show I was at a very similar place in my life. I hadn’t booked any acting jobs after hundreds of auditions, and it was starting to really get to me. I was at this sort of burnt-out point with my career. Which is exactly where we find Azula in the later seasons of the original show. So, this lead up to her beating herself up, working ten times as hard as normal, feeling like she’s not-good-enough state we met her in in our first season was very similar to where I was before booking. So, you can imagine that the gratitude is not lost on me when it comes to being a part of this amazing show.

LEFT Dress: KENNETH BARLIS, Earrings: DE LIGUORO, CENTER Corset: FASHION DRUG BY ANAHIT, Skirt: BEEOMBI, Ring: JAGGED HALO

Can you describe a moment on set where you felt particularly connected to Azula’s character?

There’s a short second of her within this montage in episode five where she is running a firebending routine and that day on set they had me run the routine over and over. I kept messing up and getting more and more tired and, again, beating myself up over it not looking “perfect” enough. So, the short moment of her pressing her eyes together in disappointment is a short second of me breaking character. That’s the thing that bonds her and I together and I’m so happy a raw moment like that was captured and made it into the show.

Dress: KENNETH BARLIS, Earrings: DE LIGUORO

How do you handle criticism and fan reactions, especially when they challenge your interpretation of a beloved character?

I cherish every interpretation of all the bits and pieces of our show. We are so gifted to have fans that care so much and have put such deep thought to who the people we’re playing are and I would never tell anyone that their rendition is incorrect. I too share the deep passion and connection to the show and am a fan myself, so I welcome all the fan theories, conspiracies, analyses, character-breakdowns, etc. I find them all so interesting!

How do you balance maintaining authenticity to the original animated series with bringing your own unique perspective to Azula?

I mean, the cartoon Azula is described as “perfect” and “flawless”, I could not be farther from either of those things. I think that that’s what makes live-action interesting, is seeing the HUMAN side of these beloved characters and what they would be like in a more realistic light. I love getting to play into that side of her because it is the very opposite of her original description. It opens the door for nuance and unsaid truths that couldn’t be made possible with animation.

Can you share a time when you felt empowered by playing Azula, both as an actress and as a person?

I think something so cool about her storyline is that it’s a commentary on women in power. I could be biased, but I think that if the roles were reversed, she’d be looked up to in the way that Patrick Bateman and Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is. Kind of joking, kind of not.

She’s the only woman in the fire nation royal family, now that her mother is gone, and I think that that definitely shows with the amount of pressure she’s under to be “the best” and the way she’s interrupted to be so much more evil than Zuko is at the beginning. Again, this is all coming from an Azula-sympathizer, hahal.

What role does representation play in your career choices, and how important is it for you to be a part of diverse storytelling?

I’m so grateful to be a part of stories that both lean into Asian empowerment (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and ones that barely even mention that side of myself (May December) which, in its own way, is empowering. It’s a part of who I am, so it will always be a prideful part of my career and dictate what stories I feel pulled to. I have very little control of it, and I couldn’t be more moved by that fact.

What are your thoughts on the importance of Asian representation in Hollywood?

Not a very individual opinion, but if people want to tell stories that represent the world we live in or that relate to wide audiences then they need to cast as such. Growing up, I could count on my hands the amount of Asian characters I had to look up to. It warms my heart to know that I have so many AAPI sisters in this industry now who are absolutely crushing it and we’re widening the range for little Asian kiddos to be able to identify with many different characters.

LEFT Top: ALABAMA BLONDE, Skirt: RAMSTI, Earrings: MARIE MONSOD, CENTER Hat: ALABAMA BLONDE, Dress: HA LINH THU

How do you keep your passion for acting alive, especially during difficult times or when facing setbacks? What future projects or types of roles are you most excited about exploring, and why?

I think a lot of the time people forget that acting is art and that artists don’t just wait for a job to create but are in a constant state of creativity that ebbs and flows. I have a new-found love of writing that has held me over between jobs. I also live in NYC, so I try to see Broadway shows as much as I can. That’s what made me want to act, so it’s so important to me to be reminded of that.

I want to do anything and everything. I’m very grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given, but I have a deep feeling that I’m only getting started!

How do you handle the pressures of being a role model, particularly for young Asian American girls who see themselves in you?

I have two little Asian sisters back at home and the idea that they get to see shows like Avatar, that are filled with representation, makes me teary-eyed. I understand how important it is, but there isn’t a great amount of pressure because I know that just being myself is the exact definition of what representation is.

What’s a popular life advice you hear a lot that you don’t agree with? Why?

Huh, you stumped me with this one. I’d have to get back to you on that. I’m still young and there’s still so much I haven’t learned yet, it’s very rare that I reject advice when I’m always looking for some, haha!

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

Hopefully one day, my life will be exciting enough to write a book about it! I love reading autobiographies of the people I look up to, so that’s definitely a goal of mine. Isn’t it a goal for everyone?