At the 2020 SacAnime Convention, Jessie Flower participated in a question and answer session on Avatar: The Last Airbender. With Sokka voice actor Jack De Sena right next to her, she answered a question about whether or not she was related to Toph. As it turns out, the older she gets, the more she relates to her. “I haven’t been able to appreciate her that much until now,” she told the crowd, explaining that she resonates with Toph’s carefree but determined demeanor. She doesn’t care what people think of her or what the consequences might be, which affects Flower a lot as an adult.
In response to the immense popularity of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Netflix is working on a live-action adaptation for fans to enjoy. Of course, that means that when Toph inevitably appears on the show, Flower won’t play her. However, should they choose to heed it, Flower has offered some advice on the role to anyone who takes on the role in order to improve their performance. “Most of all, Toph Beifong is true to himself. She’s one hundred thousand percent authentically herself. So, I think when you’re making acting decisions, just go with your gut,” she told The Illuminerdi, advising the next actress to play Toph to keep her real and grounded.
We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for the character of Toph Beifong as a new era dawns for the Avatar: The Last Airbender media. The actress who made her famous, Jessie Flower, is unlikely to voice her again anytime soon, but that has done little to dilute her connection with her longtime on-screen counterpart. If anything, the distance between them has made her value Toph more than ever.
