Real Avatar fans know the "Gaang" just isn't complete with feisty earthbender Toph Beifong. Her snarky sidecomments and epic fighting scenes were sorely missed in the live action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, so we're happy to report she's finally appearing in Season 2. Actress Miya Cech bagged the role in the Netflix production, and we've come up with a quick rundown of what to know about the actress, along with her filmography.
9 Things To Know About Miya Cech, the Actress Playing Toph in Netflix’s Avatar
1. Miya Cech was born in Japan
Miya Cech was born in Tokyo, Japan. Though she is of Japanese descent, Miya is American.
2. Miya Cech was born in the Year of the Pig and is a Pisces
She was born on March 4, 2007, making her a Pisces born in the Year of the Pig. Other celebrities born in the Year of the Pig are BTS's 95-duo Jimin and V, models Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, singer Dua Lipa, and actor Timothée Chalamet. Netflix's new leading lady Yerin Ha, who's set to play Sophie Baek in Season 4 of Bridgerton, was also born in the Year of the Pig.
3. Miya Cech is adopted
Adopted at just five weeks old, Miya was born in Tokyo then raised in Davis, Northern California.
"When I was younger, being adopted seemed normal to me," she told LA Times. "Half of my family's Japanese on my mom's side, so we celebrate Japanese holidays. And we celebrate each other's cultures."
Miya also thought everybody was adopted. "But I feel like that's really wonderful because that gives me a unique story - a story that I have, a story that is mine," she added.
4. Two of her siblings were also adopted
Miya is the third of four siblings, with two of her older siblings being adopted as well. According to an interview with LA Times, her siblings are from Kazahkstan and Japan.
5. She started out as a child model
Before memorizing scripts and getting into character, Miya would pose for photographs and model for brands like GAP, Ralph Lauren, Skechers, and Gymboree as a child model. She landed her first modelling gig at age four, quite the young age to be working professionally.
"I don't think it affected my childhood in a negative way because I loved it so much, I loved modeling, I loved acting. I love being in the entertainment industry and I made a lot of friends through the industry, some of my closest friends, and I've learned so many good life lessons that you can take onto set and into life," she told 1883 Magazine.
When asked if she would skip the modelling to fully enjoy schooling and her youth, Miya said she wouldn't have done it any other way: "I feel like it has been such a fun and inspiring adventure and I feel like if I had to go back to being 4 I wouldn't change a thing. I would stay on the path I was on and just keep learning, keep working, keep making a difference in the world of my life."
6. She made her acting debut in 2015 with Hawaii Five-0
In 2015, Ha played young Kono Kalakaua in Hawaii Five-0. Officer Kono Kalakaua, a main character on the show played by actress Grace Park, was a former member of the eponymous Hawaii Five-0 Task Force and was considered an expert sniper.
7. She has played the younger version of older characters and actresses
You know how some movies or series will show how a child grew up to become the main character, or we get a flashback of the lead experiencing a life-changing moment in their childhood? Miya has played a younger Park, but she also portrayed teenage Sasha, played by comedienne Ali Wong, in Always Be My Baby.
In fact, she played a young Wong twice. Once for Always Be My Baby, and again in comedy-drama miniseries Beef, where she played a young Amy. Both were Netflix productions, so we get why the production house and streaming platform trusted her with the role of Toph for Avatar: The Last Airbender.
8. She made her film debut in 2018
Miya mostly dabbled with television for the first few years of her acting career. Three years after her debut, she starred in The Darkest Minds as Zu, a mute girl who can manipulate electricity. Though the movie wasn't exactly the biggest hit, many entertainment publications like IndieWire and Deadline praised Miya for her acting.
9. You can follow Miya Cech on social media
Her official Instagram account is @miyacech. Her last post, understadably, is the official Netflix announcement on her casting as Toph Beifong. A few scrolls down will show most of the behind the scenes work on films and series, along with the occasional promo post and events she attends. Our fingers are crossed that she posts stories and updates about filming with the rest of the Gaang!
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
