Miya Cech talks about portraying the witty Toph Beifong in S2 of Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender
Netflix recently released a season 2 teaser for the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender, previewing the continuing trials and adventures of the “Gaang” — as well as a new addition to their legendary team.
Miya Cech (The Astronauts, Marvelous and the Black Hole, BEEF) plays the loveably sardonic and headstrong Toph Beifong, a blind earthbending prodigy who becomes Aang’s teacher and friend. She joins Aang (Gordon Cormier), Katara (Kiawentiio), and Sokka (Ian Ousley) in their quest to end a century-long war and restore balance to a divided world.
While filming season two in Vancouver, Jaenna Calingasan spoke to Cech for Cold Tea Collective about her upcoming role in the adaptation of the popular animated series.
Miya Cech shares love for her character “Toph” in Avatar: The Last Airbender
Toph is a much-anticipated new addition to the live action series.
Cech, who is a fan of the original series, deeply admires Toph. “She is so independent and such a strong person,” she said. “I really resonate with her strength and her ability to stand fully in herself.”Toph is beloved not only for her wittiness, but also her emotional growth.
The timelessness of the original animated show is often attributed to its thorough character development. While the story is driven by Aang’s heroic journey, character-specific episodes highlight the heartbreaking, complex, and courageous journeys of Katara navigating grief, Sokka building confidence, and Zuko confronting his dysfunctional family and troubled past.
In the animated series, Toph’s emotional arc unfolds when she joins Team Avatar. Growing up stifled by overprotective parents who underestimated her power, Toph initially remains stubborn, independent, and unwilling to cooperate with Aang, Katara, and Sokka. It is only through helping her friends — and allowing herself to be supported in the process — that she evolves into a loyal teammate who embraces her newfound family.
“I’m really loving that there are writers and showrunners that are making sure that she has a very unique journey, and more than one that she had in the animated series,” she reflected. “We get to see her form relationships and come out of her shell.”
See also: Yvonne Chapman embodies the iconic Avatar Kyoshi in Avatar: The Last Airbender
Miya Cech’s career journey prepares her for taking on role in next season of Avatar: The Last Airbender
Now 18 years old, Cech has an impressive acting career. She has starred in fantasy and sci-fi films and shows with “found family” ensembles similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as The Darkest Minds (2018), Rim of the World (2019), and The Astronauts (2020-21).
When asked about her most challenging role to date, Cech reflected on her time acting in Marvelous and the Black Hole (2021), where she portrayed Sammy, a troubled girl grieving her mother’s death.
“I’ve never had that experience of losing a loved one, especially a mother,” she said. “That was probably my most challenging role emotionally in figuring out where those emotions come from and how to translate them.”
Like Sammy, Toph confronts conflicting emotions about her own family and newfound friends. From these prior roles, Cech has learned to represent what happens to the character prior to her onscreen appearance — a skill that will allow her to embody Toph and her unique story.
“Backstory is a big part of it. It has really influenced how I approach characters now,” said Cech.
Miya Cech’s portrayal of the fan favorite earthbender will take center stage in the upcoming seasons of Netflix’s live action Avatar: The Last Airbender. I am confident that Cech’s skills and imagination will imbue live action Toph with depth, charm, and humanity.
At the time of the interview, Cech was in the middle of filming crucial scenes for season two.
“I’m having the most fun of my entire life,” she said excitedly.
The next season is set to release in the first half of 2026. In the meantime, viewers can watch the first season and catch up on our coverage with Yvonne Chapman, Dallas Liu and Maria Zhang.
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