‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Cast Guide: Meet the Actors Behind the Live-Action Aang, Katara, Sokka, Zuko and More
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Netflix’s live-action adaptation of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” premieres on Thursday, Feb. 22, and fans of the original animated show have been patiently waiting to see their favorite characters faithfully brought to life after the “Last Airbender” 2010 film.
The original “Avatar: The Last Airbender” debuted on Nickelodeon in 2005 and ran for three seasons, ending in 2008. It takes place in a fantasy world where certain people are born with mystical abilities to telekinetically control one of the four elements (water, fire, air and earth), which is called bending. In every generation, there is one special person born, called the Avatar, who is able to master all four elements. The Avatar maintains peace across the land, is able to access the spirit world and can tap into the powerful Avatar state, where they can channel their past Avatar incarnations. The next Avatar is born after the previous one dies, but if they’re ever killed while in the Avatar state, the reincarnation cycle ends.
All benders use a variety of martial arts skills to battle each other and generally live in harmony — until the Fire Nation attacks. Before the main story of “Avatar: The Last Airbender” begins, Fire Lord Sozin, the ruler of the powerful Fire Nation, launches an attack on the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads. Before Aang, the young Avatar, can intervene, he is frozen in a glacier and discovered 100 years later by Katara and Sokka, a sister and brother living in the Southern Water Tribe. Together, they must help Aang master all four elements, defeat the evil Fire Nation and bring peace to the world. Along the way, they meet many allies and enemies, including Prince Zuko, who is ordered by his father Fire Lord Ozai to capture Aang.
See the live-action cast of Netflix’s “Avatar: The Last Airbender” below.
Gordon Cormier (“Lost in Space”) stars as Aang, the titular 12-year-old Avatar and last airbender. Aang is destined to master all four elements and save the world, but he was frozen in an iceberg for the last century. He’s a fun-loving, playful kid who, despite his reluctance, must learn to become a hero.
Kiawentiio (“Anne With an E”) plays Katara, the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe. She’s very compassionate and stands up to violence and injustice. With her brother Sokka, Katara joins Aang on his quest to stop the Fire Nation and improves her waterbending along the way.
Ian Ousley (“13 Reasons Why”) is Sokka, the overconfident and brash warrior from the Southern Water Tribe. A non-bender, Sokka is a master at the boomerang and often a source of comic relief. He falls for Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors and Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe.
Dallas Liu (“PEN15,” “Shang-Chi”) plays Prince Zuko, who is the son of Fire Lord Ozai, brother of Princess Azula and nephew of General Iroh. A talented firebender, Zuko has been banished from the Fire Nation and ordered to track down the Avatar by any means necessary.
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (“The Mandalorian,” “Kim’s Convenience”) plays Iroh, a retired general of the Fire Nation and uncle to Zuko. He’s a calm and wise mentor, master firebender, tea drinker and enthusiast of the game pai sho.
Daniel Dae Kim (“Lost,” “Hawaii Five-O”) is Fire Lord Ozai, the cruel ruler of the Fire Nation who cast out Prince Zuko. A powerful firebender and ruthless leader, Ozai is the primary antagonist of the series.
Appa is Aang’s trusty sky bison, a massive flying beast that carries Aang, Katara and Sokka around the world. He has shaggy fur, buffalo-like horns and arrow markings that match Aang’s tattoos.
Momo is a winged lemur and another one of Aang’s animal friends. He can take to the skies and joins Aang, Katara and Sokka after they visit the Southern Air Temple.
Ken Leung (“Industry,” “Lost”) stars as the Fire Nation’s Commander Zhao, who pursues Aang and crosses paths with Zuko while the prince is on his own hunt. The cunning firebender is eager to prove his worth to Fire Lord Ozai and rise the ranks.
Maria Zhang (“All I Ever Wanted”) stars as Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors who runs into Aang, Katara and Sokka. She’s skilled with her hand fans, worships Avatar Kyoshi and has a brief romance with Sokka.
Elizabeth Yu (“May December”) plays Princess Azula, the younger sister to Zuko and a fierce firebending prodigy who eyes her brother’s position as heir to the Fire Nation. She’s often flanked by her two friends, Mai and Ty Lee.
Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Ghosts,” “Never Have I Ever”) stars as the old, zany Bumi, the king of the massive earthbending city Omashu. He was friends with Aang as a kid, but now he’s an aged, but still powerful, ruler.
Sebastian Amoruso (“I Know What Yo Did Last Summer”) plays Jet, the leader of a group of freedom fighters in Omashu. He crosses paths with Katara and catches her eye.
Casey Camp-Horinek (“Reservation Dogs,” “Rutherford Falls”) plays Gran Gran, the grandmother to Katara and Sokka. She’s the matriarch of the Southern Water Tribe who encourages her grandchildren to join Aang on his journey.
Arden Cho (“Teen Wolf”) plays June, a bounty hunter hired to find Aang. She’s accompanied by her mount Nyla, a blind creature that uses its sense of smell and long tongue filled with neurotoxins to find prey.
Danny Pudi (“Community,” “Mythic Quest”) is the mechanist, an eccentric inventor who lives in Omashu with his son Teo. He becomes friends with Sokka and unlocks some of the warrior’s engineering potential.