Kindness is so important and underrated these days. As a parent, it is one of the most important lesson I strive to teach my children daily. Being kind can do wonders for the world around you. Often one small act of kindness can be the biggest impact. I love that this new show from DreamWorks Animation is highlighting stealthy kindness and teaching kids what matters the most.
Team Zenko Go!
Niah, Ari, Ellie and Jax are members of Team Zenko Go, a secret squad of stealthy do-gooders who harness the art of distraction to perform anonymous acts of kindness for the unknowing residents of Harmony Harbor. These four kids have been taught by their mentor, Auntie Yuki, a special set of skills that allow them to do good deeds (or Zenkos) for others, making their town the happiest in the world. Like Auntie Yuki says “when we help people without them knowing, they start to think that the world is just a nicer place.”
Interview with Cast & Director
Niah (Nakai Takawira): Niah knows just about everything. Well, to be more precise she knows a little bit about a lot of things. And if she hasn’t experienced something first-hand, or earned a merit badge for it, she’s probably read a book about it or seen a video online. Niah is a great source of information and weird expertise for the team. She’s especially good at any specialized physical part of their mission because she has taken classes in just about everything. Niah was chosen because of her thirst for knowledge, but being on the team may just help her become more focused. This character is played by the beautiful Nakai Takawira. Nakai is a successful young actress with recent TV credits in “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (Young Kuasa), “The Simone Biles Story” (Young Simone Biles), “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Friday), “The Good Doctor” (Sharon Gaston) and much more.
Ari (Hartley Bernier): Ari is a comic book buff and the most fearless member of Team Zenko Go!. Being on the team allows him to live his dream of being a real life comic book superhero. He loves comics and knows everything about them (his mom, Kat, owns a comic store). Ari is bold, brave and a genius who can make just about any gadget the team needs with his fancy high tech 3-D printer or in a pinch with regular household items. Ari uses a wheelchair, but that doesn’t stop his heroics or him keeping up with the others. As the gadget maker for the team, Ari outfits his wheelchair and the other kids with tools and gadgets for each mission. Before being on the team, Ari has been a bit of a loner and needs to learn how his actions affect others (both positively and negatively), which he will gradually learn as a new teammate on Team Zenko Go!. Hartley Bernier brings this character to life. Heartly is a young ambassador for SickKids hospital in Canada, and is making his voice acting debut in “Team Zenko Go.” Hartley lives with a rare gastro-intestinal disease and is an advocate for kids living with disability.
Jack Thomas has worked on several animated properties including: Star Wars: Detours (TV Series), Dragons: Rescue Riders, Regular Show, Fairly OddParents, and many others. Jack is passionate about this series and its important lessons for kids today.
Team Zenko Go! is now streaming on Netflix!
