Justin Chien Biography: Age, Career, TV Shows, Net Worth, Family & More

Justin Chien is a Taiwanese-American actor best known for starring as Charles Sun in Netflix’s The Brothers Sun (2024) and as King Kuei in Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2 (2026). After years of small roles and producing his own short films, the January 2024 Netflix release made him one of the year’s breakout faces — and his casting as the Earth King in one of Netflix’s biggest franchises cemented him as a rising star to watch.

A note on personal details: Chien has not publicly confirmed his birth year or family background, and published sources conflict (some list January 4, 1998; others 1996). This article states only what is verifiable rather than repeating unconfirmed claims.

Early Life and Education

Chien was born in Taipei and has described a peripatetic upbringing across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States. He earned a scholarship to the USC School of Dramatic Arts, where he staged a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream — playing one head of a three-headed Oberon — that caught a manager’s attention and got him signed (via his TaiwanPlus interview). Some tabloids have claimed a prominent Taiwanese political family background; those claims are unverified and this article does not repeat them as fact.

Breakthrough: The Brothers Sun

Everything changed in January 2024, when Netflix released The Brothers Sun on January 4. Chien starred as Charles Sun opposite Michelle Yeoh, playing a Taipei gangster’s son navigating Los Angeles — a role demanding fluency in Mandarin, English, and action choreography. Critics responded warmly (Rotten Tomatoes scores in the mid-80s from critics, low-90s from audiences), and Chien’s charismatic turn drew particular praise — the kind of Netflix breakout that has launched peers like Sydney Sweeney into franchise territory. Netflix did not renew the series beyond its first season (announced March 2024), but the show had done its job: it introduced him to global audiences.

Martial Arts Training

Chien came to the role with a real base: wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and firearms training, plus Muay Thai and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt. For The Brothers Sun he added taekwondo, karate, the Filipino art of kali, and knife work — training “10 to 11 sessions a week for two weeks,” as he told TheWrap in January 2024. He credits Michelle Yeoh’s on-set advice — to “stretch a lot and then stay loose,” physically and mentally — with getting him through the shoot.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2

In November 2024, Netflix announced Chien had joined Season 2 of its live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender as King Kuei (reported by Variety the same day). For readers unfamiliar with the story: Kuei is the young, sheltered Earth King of Ba Sing Se, manipulated by his advisor Long Feng (Chin Han) — a central figure in the Book Two/Earth Kingdom arc, the same season that introduces Toph (Miya Cech). Season 2 premiered on Netflix on June 25, 2026 (announced by Netflix, March 2026), with episodes 201–208 covering the Earth Kingdom storyline. In interviews, Chien has described his take on the character as a departure from the animated original — less a naive figurehead, more a young ruler waking up to his own powerlessness.

Filmography

Personal Life

Chien keeps his private life private — no confirmed public relationships, and he rarely discusses family in interviews, preferring to keep the focus on the work. His hobbies, per interviews, include martial arts training, which doubles as career preparation, and he has spoken about wanting to direct — a natural extension of the producing projects he developed before his breakout.

Net Worth

No reliable net worth figure exists for Justin Chien. He is early in his career, has never disclosed earnings, and trackers have not published credible estimates. Any number you see attached to his name is speculation — be skeptical of sites that present one. What can be said: a Netflix lead role and a franchise casting in 2024–2026 put him on the standard rising-actor earnings curve — solidly comfortable, not yet wealthy by Hollywood standards. His trajectory from here depends on what follows Avatar.

What’s Next

Netflix has already renewed Avatar: The Last Airbender for a third and final season (announced March 2024), so King Kuei may return. With The Season (2026) also on his slate, Chien’s post-breakout calendar is filling the way rising stars’ do — franchise work plus original projects, the same trajectory young franchise actors like Tom Holland navigated a decade earlier.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Justin Chien?
His birth year is not confirmed. Some sources list January 4, 1998; others claim 1996. He has not verified either.

What was Justin Chien’s breakout role?
Charles Sun in Netflix’s The Brothers Sun (January 2024).

Who does he play in Avatar: The Last Airbender?
King Kuei, the young Earth King of Ba Sing Se, in Season 2 (premiered June 25, 2026).

Is The Brothers Sun getting a season 2?
No — Netflix cancelled it in March 2024 after one season.

What martial arts does Justin Chien practice?
Wrestling, jiu-jitsu (blue belt), Muay Thai, taekwondo, karate, kali, and knife work — plus firearms training for roles.

What is Justin Chien’s net worth?
No reliable estimate exists. He is early-career and has disclosed nothing about his finances.

Sources: Netflix announcements; Variety (Nov 2024 casting); TheWrap (Jan 2024 interview); TV Insider and IMDb (credits); TaiwanPlus via The Direct (education); Netflix (June 2026 premiere). Personal details limited to verified reporting.