Unveiling Avatar Kyoshi: Yvonne Chapman's Epic Journey in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender

[00:00:00] Thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged.

[00:00:13] Oh my gosh, no thank you for having me.

[00:00:15] Exciting ties I've been following you for a little while now and in the last few days

[00:00:18] I've been watching all the clips we've posted everything.

[00:00:19] How's your life in the last two or three days with everything with Avatar, the last

[00:00:23] air of Ben or Netflix?

[00:00:25] Exciting.

[00:00:26] I mean, I'm not going to lie.

[00:00:27] It was very nervous as we all were when it was released.

[00:00:30] You're like hopefully everybody likes it but the response has been overwhelmingly positive

[00:00:35] so we're thrilled and to finally see it all come together.

[00:00:40] I've only seen the first episode when I was at the premiere and now I'm seeing the whole

[00:00:44] thing and yeah, it's been great.

[00:00:47] So I get to watch it with everybody else.

[00:00:49] It's really fun.

[00:00:50] Hey, I watched the first two episodes.

[00:00:51] I want to take my time with it because sometimes I love binging shows but sometimes you just want

[00:00:56] to take your time with them to it's just to enjoy it.

[00:00:58] Oh, absolutely.

[00:00:59] And sometimes you binge and then you're like, okay now I've got to restart because there's

[00:01:02] stuff I missed.

[00:01:03] Right.

[00:01:04] I always call it like the mole-licin jump.

[00:01:06] Like if I'm really into something I won't come up for any air or light so then by the

[00:01:10] time I'm done it's like I don't know where I have anymore but anyway.

[00:01:14] Exactly.

[00:01:15] We're going to jump into the show in a little bit more but I was doing some research on

[00:01:18] you.

[00:01:19] I need to know really quick.

[00:01:20] Your journey to the acting world from finance to acting.

[00:01:23] What happened?

[00:01:24] We'll be getting to that kind of a job.

[00:01:26] No fair question.

[00:01:29] So I was working in emerges and acquisitions for company over in Calgary where I'm born

[00:01:35] and raised.

[00:01:37] Love my coworkers, love the job.

[00:01:39] It wasn't anything about that but I always really had a love for acting since I was young

[00:01:46] and I was in a course called the CFA.

[00:01:51] For those who know it's like it is really grueling studies schedule so I was working during

[00:01:57] the day studying at night and studying on the weekend.

[00:02:01] And then as a stress relief I decided to take another course which was an acting class.

[00:02:07] So I set aside one evening and I started going back into acting because I'm like I just

[00:02:12] need something creative.

[00:02:13] This is so a lot for me right now and I just need something for myself.

[00:02:17] Something different.

[00:02:18] And then I just really fell in love with it.

[00:02:20] Really fell in love with it to the point where I was like you know what, I can't get

[00:02:23] it out of my head.

[00:02:24] I'm going to take the leave of absence.

[00:02:26] I'm going to pack up my car, go to Vancouver on a whim and see what happens.

[00:02:30] And yeah, I'm very, very lucky.

[00:02:34] Yeah.

[00:02:35] It was great about your career too when I was doing a little more research.

[00:02:37] Like you've done acting, writing, producing, directing.

[00:02:40] It's like so many hats.

[00:02:42] Like is there like a favorite that you like the most out of all those or it's just a little

[00:02:46] bit of everything?

[00:02:47] I mean acting always, that's always going to be I think my number one love.

[00:02:52] I really love directing.

[00:02:54] I got to direct a couple shorts and thankfully got to shadow direct on Vancouver as well.

[00:02:59] They were really gracious with that.

[00:03:01] I love what I love about directing is like you're kind of there from cradle to grave of

[00:03:05] the show in the creative process and really helping the story from the visual perspective

[00:03:11] of trying to craft that is great.

[00:03:13] So I would love to do more of that in the future.

[00:03:16] And the writing and producing just come along with it, you know, I love writing too.

[00:03:20] Producing to be honest is not my favorite but it's a job that you see, Bajan and I really

[00:03:25] admire those who are very, very, very good at it.

[00:03:29] Now that you've had a little bit of taste, a little bit of everything now, is there

[00:03:31] like a certain goal that you want to hit someday or a certain role that you want to try

[00:03:35] to get your hands on?

[00:03:36] Ooh, you know, it's interesting when there's so many answers to that.

[00:03:41] Yeah.

[00:03:42] Because there's so many things I would love to play.

[00:03:46] Sometimes as an actor though, you just kind of feel like man, there's so many things

[00:03:49] I've gone out for that I would love to do but ultimately it's not my decision not at this

[00:03:54] point anyway.

[00:03:55] I mean, it'd be great to get to a point where I can actually see and choose certain projects

[00:04:01] I want to do but right now it's I'm hoping that I'm invited to collaborate with people.

[00:04:05] And I'm always gracious and always grateful for that opportunity because I just I love

[00:04:09] it in any form really.

[00:04:11] I hope that doesn't seem like a cop out of the answer but it is truly how I feel.

[00:04:18] So yeah, I just hope I get to do more and more variety of different things.

[00:04:22] That's always kind of the dream I think for any actor.

[00:04:25] Any comedy that you want to try to hit because I've noticed like you've done more like

[00:04:30] serious roles and any action and everything little bit of that but about comedy.

[00:04:33] Have you thought about that?

[00:04:34] I would love to do comedy.

[00:04:36] I would love to do comedy.

[00:04:37] I think it's like one of the hardest things to do but it's so much fun.

[00:04:43] So if I ever get the chance to do that, yeah absolutely.

[00:04:46] One question I want to get in here real quick how was your time at Kung Fu?

[00:04:49] Because that was an amazing show.

[00:04:50] It was so good.

[00:04:52] It was so good and I miss all the whole team I miss and so so dearly but you know we

[00:04:59] had a really great three seasons together and it was it was a character that I will always

[00:05:04] love and I'm so thankful I got to play because her journey was nuts.

[00:05:09] It came in as like the villain who sees a one to add a hero to redemption and I'm

[00:05:15] yeah, it's always going to have a special place in my heart for sure.

[00:05:18] And what's great is how did good following too?

[00:05:20] There's always going to be a fandom in that show.

[00:05:22] Yeah, yeah, they were wonderful.

[00:05:23] There were so much fun to interact with but we were filming and

[00:05:26] and to talk with them as the episodes were airing.

[00:05:30] Right.

[00:05:30] So yeah, let's jump into the last airbender now.

[00:05:32] Really quick.

[00:05:34] How were you approached for this series?

[00:05:37] Michael approached me.

[00:05:38] Michael Goye.

[00:05:39] So he we worked together actually on Kung Fu and he's fantastic.

[00:05:45] He's fantastic so I really enjoyed working with him in his vision and then he was working

[00:05:49] on this show and he talked about Kyoshi and I was like yes,

[00:05:56] like there's no other answer that anyone should give other than a yes for that.

[00:05:59] So I'm just so thankful that he really championed me for this role because I love her.

[00:06:05] I love Kyoshi.

[00:06:07] That's amazing.

[00:06:07] Here he had a pen doubt.

[00:06:08] He wanted you for this role.

[00:06:11] Thankfully, yeah, that he saw me in the role, I guess from what we worked on together before and

[00:06:17] again, I'm just really grateful that you did because what a show and what a character.

[00:06:23] So what drew you to this role of Kyoshi?

[00:06:25] Especially going from like an animation to live action now.

[00:06:29] Well, I mean, as any fan of the original cartoon would say it's an incredible cartoon.

[00:06:37] It's wonderful.

[00:06:38] It's the story and the characters are rich.

[00:06:42] Kyoshi books are phenomenal.

[00:06:44] Like there's such good reads if anyone hasn't read them, I highly recommend it

[00:06:48] and she's a rich character with a really interesting story.

[00:06:53] So I mean, it's a no brainer, right?

[00:06:56] Right.

[00:06:57] It was funny to like I was doing a research on this character too and they said there's a lot of

[00:07:02] like there's kind of like a little spin off about her but not too much will you.

[00:07:04] Would you ever consider something like that with this character?

[00:07:06] Of course I would.

[00:07:08] I mean, I don't know if any of that would be in the plan.

[00:07:11] I know some fans have said that they would love to see that.

[00:07:14] I would love to see that as a fan of myself.

[00:07:17] Yeah, of course I would.

[00:07:18] Of course I would consider it.

[00:07:20] Now how did you prepare to play a role like this?

[00:07:24] So I rewashed the series because for me it was really important that she served that story

[00:07:30] and what needed to be done for what I call the era of Ang.

[00:07:33] It has to be about this and giving the credence and the attention deserved on the original

[00:07:43] book one, two, and three of how she was portrayed in that.

[00:07:46] I rewashed the books as well to really get a sense of her and understand what facets of her

[00:07:52] would serve best in this story of where she is coming from in her time with Ang.

[00:07:58] That's how I prepared for it.

[00:08:00] And then until that like going in and putting on the costume and the makeup really just

[00:08:05] sealed the deal for me, I mean it was so fun to actually step into the skin of who she is.

[00:08:12] And that's how I kind of figure it.

[00:08:14] You know the costume and the makeup is the skin of the character so that really just rounded it

[00:08:18] all out.

[00:08:20] How was the collaboration with Michael like did you have any input on the character?

[00:08:23] Like certain things to add or take away from the book or the old series or vice versa with him?

[00:08:30] What's really lovely is that the, I mean I talked to Albert as well as showrunner

[00:08:34] and he had a really lovely chat with me right before we started the series and we discussed

[00:08:39] how she would be coming in, what should be looking like.

[00:08:43] He was great.

[00:08:44] Like they're just so open to collaboration and on the day it was kind of like just feeling

[00:08:48] in the moment of what felt right for the situation and what Aine would need to hear at that time

[00:08:54] given the pressure of what was happening to Kyoshi Island at the time that we were talking

[00:09:00] and what would really propel him to do what he needs to do.

[00:09:04] So that's how we kind of came to the decision of what how Kyoshi would be presented, you know as a

[00:09:09] first run for episode two.

[00:09:12] So Kyoshi, you know, what's great about her is like to her strength we said earlier wisdom.

[00:09:17] I wrote some things down here for you like a problem solving.

[00:09:20] Like what did you like about her qualities?

[00:09:22] The portrayal of this character?

[00:09:24] There's so much.

[00:09:24] I mean it's, I mean honestly I could go on for a long time because in the books too it really

[00:09:31] shows her from her characterization is really fleshed out there but it goes from her being,

[00:09:37] you know, from a house girl servicing in the mansion to how she develops when she finally learns

[00:09:44] that she is the avatar to her her crazy I guess introduction to Avatar Hood.

[00:09:49] She had to do and go through a lot of turmoil in order to understand where what her role was as

[00:09:57] the avatar and then she had a lot of like great people that came into her life. I don't

[00:10:05] want to spoil the books for me.

[00:10:06] I don't want to go through the story.

[00:10:07] She just really wanted to read it because it's so great but in all of that like sorry the question

[00:10:16] was in preparing for the role again?

[00:10:18] Yeah, like how did you like the what did you like about her qualities of this character?

[00:10:22] Yeah yeah I mean it's all of it because there's so many fast to start she's a well

[00:10:27] fully realized you know human being in the story and there's this idea of her too

[00:10:34] of how she was as the avatar that I really wanted to honor as well.

[00:10:39] So for me that was that was what I really grabbed onto for her.

[00:10:43] This avatar has a huge fandom now any pressure trying to bring this character to life like

[00:10:48] do there was a certain thing going through your head like I don't want to scream this up

[00:10:52] you know that type of thing?

[00:10:53] Yeah, it's not in yes and agreement because look I'm a fan of it too and I don't want to screw it up.

[00:11:00] I definitely don't want to screw it up for anybody else and I know that everybody works so hard

[00:11:08] to get it you know right into honor what it was for the for the original series so

[00:11:15] I think everybody came in with so much passion and so much respect

[00:11:19] for the for the original cartoon and the source material that none of us wanted to screw it up so

[00:11:26] yeah there's definitely those nerves there for sure.

[00:11:29] We talked about spoilers and I know we don't want to give out too much but like is there a particular

[00:11:32] scene or moment in this series a six out to you that means to you a lot?

[00:11:37] Ooh it's an episode two episode two was great with you and I'll tell you.

[00:11:41] Thank you thank you so much um this is going to sound funny but like I die

[00:11:49] every time I see Aupa.

[00:11:51] So cute like I just like I have like that aggression cue where I just want to read to the screen

[00:11:56] and give them a big hug um seeing those animals come to life has been really really cool and

[00:12:04] honestly like I'm I'm bingeing trying to binge the show right now I'm at episode uh five

[00:12:10] right now in the middle of it um so that's a question I think I'll have to come back and answer

[00:12:15] at some point because I need to give that more thought and and see the whole thing.

[00:12:20] Have you had any feedback from like fans about this character?

[00:12:23] Have you heard what have you heard so far the last 24 hours?

[00:12:26] I mean thankfully so far they seem really happy.

[00:12:29] So that was like a huge like whoo out of my chest um yeah so I'm really thank thank god

[00:12:37] it's you know um but yeah I mean I really have to give a huge thanks to just everyone at the

[00:12:44] full team they they really are so supportive of trying to stay as true as we could um again to

[00:12:53] to what who and what the characters are um and they really brought it all together it was a

[00:12:58] two-metre for sure. Was uh most of the stunts your work?

[00:13:02] Yeah actually yeah except for like the big you know wire poles that you know I didn't do any of

[00:13:09] that uh that was my wonderful wonderful stunt double um but yeah it was fun to be able to kind of

[00:13:16] just do the swirling and to know that all the elements were going to be there.

[00:13:20] Awesome amazing I don't want you yet so we can't give out too much I want people I want people to come

[00:13:24] in to watch this so uh now what's next for you know any other projects you'd like to tell us

[00:13:27] about the upcoming now or are you working on? I am working on something that I hopefully will be

[00:13:32] announced soon um I'm having a great time on it but I can't say right now other than that I'm just

[00:13:38] continuing to do some writing do some producing with some friends of mine. There's a docu

[00:13:44] series that I'm really hoping that we can push further on uh with a dear friend of mine she has a

[00:13:50] podcast called Reppin which is fantastic and so we're taking that podcast and saying Reppin on the

[00:13:56] road and bringing it to the docu series and it's yeah it's documenting some really wonderful people

[00:14:02] who have made a huge impact on their communities um through their businesses through their

[00:14:07] uh through just through their work and so we can highlight more of that it's it's a great way

[00:14:12] of representation another part of it. You see if on uh lastly now how can the listeners and the viewers

[00:14:17] the tuning to watch this how can they find your social media keep up with you and keep up with those

[00:14:21] the clips that you've been dropping the last few days also. So I'm more heavily um active on

[00:14:27] Instagram and that's YP Chapman um and then on Twitter it's on underscore underscore Chapman

[00:14:35] because the underscore was the ones underscore was taken. So what I made out like all right just put

[00:14:40] two anyway but that's where they can find me amazing man I want to thank you for giving me

[00:14:44] for this today and good luck and hopefully we get a season two out of this and we see you more.

[00:14:48] Oh thank you so much and thanks for having me. Thank you