“I Ended Up Really Sobbing”: Grey DeLisle On Azula And The “Avatar: The Last Airbender” Finale

BuzzFeed: I think one of Azula’s most pivotal moments is when Ty Lee and Mai side with Zuko at The Boiling Rock. That’s when you start to see her “snap” a little.

Grey: The more I’m learning about psychology, the more I see just how well they wrote Azula. She already felt such rejection from her parents, and when a friend also does that, it can really trigger an episode with someone who’s had a lot of abandonment issues as a child.

When Azula says, “My mother thought I was a monster,” it’s heartbreaking. Then she goes, “I mean, she was right, of course!” That’s the genius of the writing. It’s hilarious, too.

When it came to the finale, I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t read the script before I went in there! It was all pretty much off the cuff. I hardly ever read scripts in advance. I’m usually running between several shows a day, but I’m a quick study! I did read it out in the lobby beforehand, but I also like to keep it fresh. Sometimes you drain all the magic out if you’re too prepared.