Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of those cartoons that people can never stop talking or thinking about. From epic worldbuilding to morally complex characters that left a mark and action scenes that can hold up against modern choreography, Avatar: The Last Airbender is still one of the best American anime of all time. In fact, the show keeps surprising fans, especially with its surprise casting of Serena Williams.
Almost 20 years ago, Serena Williams, the professional tennis player, voiced Ming in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Williams boasts 23 Grand Slam singles titles and has also left her mark in pop culture with her role in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Serena Williams’ Avatar: The Last Airbender Role Has Gone Overlooked For 20 Years
Ming appears for the first time in “The Day of the Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse,” which aired as a part of Book Three of Avatar: The Last Airbender. She is a guard at the Capital City Prison and is featured as a kind-hearted woman who earned Iroh’s trust. Ming’s job was to bring in Iroh’s food, and she often snuck in his favorites, which did not go unnoticed by Iroh.
When the Day of Black Sun arrived, Iroh advised Ming to take the day off and rest, out of concern for her safety. Ming is a minor character in Avatar: The Last Airbender, but she is one of those characters who is proof of how not everyone from a warring nation is evil at heart. Williams’ role as Ming is subtle, but perfect. The professional tennis player made sure that her voice blended in with the rest of the universe, without standing out too much.
This is the first voice acting gig that Serena Williams has ever performed. She returned to voice a female sage in The Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender’s sequel cartoon. For a first-time voice actor, Serena Williams understood the assignment and delivered everything on point. At the same time, this role has cemented Williams’ place in the history of animated series.
Serena Williams Did a Voice Cameo Before It Was Cool
Zuko, Toph, Katara, Aang and Sokka ready to fight in Avatar The Last AirbenderImage via Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Celebrity voice cameos are increasingly common in modern anime media. Sports legends like Dwayne Johnson, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, and more have voiced animated characters. In fact, musicians, influencers, and stars from various bustling industries have also debuted in different animated voice acting roles over the past few years.
Back in the 2000s, this kind of crossover wasn’t really as common as it is now. In fact, Avatar: The Last Airbender handled Williams’ voice acting cameo with so much maturity and subtlety that even now it’s hard to come across something made with a similar amount of effort. Ming’s voice did not scream for attention, but was instead handled with restraint.
Serena’s goal wasn’t to bring attention to herself or to cause an uproar within fandoms, but to be a part of the Avatar: The Last Airbender world. Williams’ star power was never showcased, which is why many fans might have missed out on the fact that she voiced Ming. Still, it makes ATLA even more impressive as it never relied on celebrities to become a hit.
Avatar: The Last Airbender Reached New Heights With Serena Williams
Aang and Momo with Sokka, Katara and Appa in the background in Avatar The Last AirbenderImage via Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Avatar: The Last Airbender is much more than a cartoon. It’s a series that became a part of an entire generation’s lives. Aang’s story showed the potential of American animators and creators. Each and every part of Avatar: The Last Airbender was created with care and precision, so much so that it is still celebrated to this day, which isn’t a small feat.
Avatar: The Last Airbender blended politics into a children’s show, and did it with elegance. The storyline is fun, the characters are engaging, and they go through significant development. Even minor characters like Ming are paid attention to. Needless to say, it is the perfect series for Serena Williams to have left her mark on.
By the end of 2007, Serena Williams had already won 8 Grand Slam singles titles and a Career Grand Slam, along with Olympic gold medals and more. Williams consistently achieved much more than what people expected from her, and she was already a worldwide icon who became a dominant force in her field.
While Serena Williams was rewriting tennis history, Avatar: The Last Airbender was doing the same in the animation front. Both Williams and Avatar: The Last Airbender were excellent in what they presented to the audience, which makes their collaboration even more eye-catching. Although Ming might feel like a tiny part of Williams’ career, to fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender, it is much more than trivia. One of the greatest animated series of all time crossed paths with one of the biggest sports legends, and it left its mark perfectly.
Release Date
2005 – 2008
Showrunner
Michael Dante DiMartino
Zach Tyler Eisen
Aang (voice)
