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Every actor in Netflix’s Avatar: the Last Airbender remake (and who they’re playing)

Rich Eberwein
Rich Eberwein

Winter is Coming

ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Netflix is making a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Nickelodeon’s beloved animated epic. The story was adapted to live-action once before in M. Night Shyamalan’s famously bad 2010 movie, so this show has a lot to prove to old and new audiences alike. With a budget of $120 million for the first eight-episode season, Netflix certainly seems to be taking this show seriously, so hopefully it pays off.

In addition to a large budget, several high-profile actors have been cast in leading roles, as well as a slew of newcomers looking for their big break. Here is every actor we know is appearing in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender remake. We’ll see the lot of them when the show drops on Netflix sometime in 2024 (exact release date forthcoming)!

Avatar: The Last Airbender. Gordon Cormier as Aang in episode 101 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023
Avatar: The Last Airbender. Gordon Cormier as Aang in episode 101 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Gordon Cormier as…Aang

The titular last airbender is none other than a goofy 12-year-old named Aang. Well…technically he’s 112, but most of that time was spent hibernating inside of an iceberg. When he’s freed at the start of a series, he’s still a 12-year-old kid.

Aang is the Avatar, the one person in the world who can command all four elements: air, water, fire and earth. As Avatar, he has a responsibility to bring balance to the world. That proves too much for young Aang, so he runs away and ends up in that iceberg, only to be woken generations into a brutal international war he has to fix.

Over the course of the main story, we see Aang go from a fun-loving kid to a powerfully, spiritually disciplined Avatar. Despite very long odds against the Fire Nation war machine, Aang oversees the end of the hundred-year war and restores peace to the divided world he woke up in.

Aang will be played by Gordon Cormier, a 13-year-old Canadian actor of Filipino decent. Cormier’s  very short career includes his role as Joe in the Paramount mini-series The Stand, where he starred alongside James Marsden and Alexander Skarsgard. We will see if Cormier’s inexperience shows up on screen. Netflix is trusting him a the lead role in a very expensive gamble; hopefully it pays off.

Avatar: The Last Airbender. Kiawentiio as Katara in episode 101 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023
Avatar: The Last Airbender. Kiawentiio as Katara in episode 101 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Kiawentiio Tarbell as…Katara

Aang’s closest companion and eventual love interest is a Southern Water Tribe girl named Katara. In addition to being Team Avatar’s main emotional support center, Katara goes on to become a very powerful waterbender and mentor for Aang. Without Katara, Aang would be lost.

Another relatively unknown Canadian actress named Kiawentiio Tarbell will be bringing Katara to life. Tarbell is from a reservation of the Mohawk nation called Akwesasne, located near the border of Quebec and New York State. The young actress made her Television debut in 2019 in a show called Anne with an E on Netflix, and she played the titular starring role in the movie Beans. Kiawentiio was 15-years-old when she was cast in Avatar.

Avatar: The Last Airbender. Ian Ousley as Sokka in episode 101 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023
Avatar: The Last Airbender. Ian Ousley as Sokka in episode 101 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Ian Ousley as…Sokka

Rounding out the big three of the Avatar world is Katara’s older brother Sokka. Although he is a non-bender, Sokka brings a lot to the table. He is a warrior skilled in hand-to-hand combat and later sword combat, and he is sort of the de-facto leader of Team Avatar. He regularly comes up with great ideas and plans, in addition to providing plentiful comedic relief in the form of corny jokes and cactus juice hallucinations.

Ian Ousley will be taking up the reigns of Sokka. The 21 year-old actor has made infrequent appearances in shows like Physical, 13 Reasons Why and Big Shot. After initially claiming to be of Cherokee decent, fans called Ousley’s heritage into question last year.

Maria Zheng as Suki, and her mother, Yukari, played by Tamlyn Tomita
ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Maria Zhang as…Suki

Up and coming actress Maria Zhang will be playing the role of Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi warriors and Sokka’s main love interest in the series. Team Avatar makes their way to Kyoshi Island early in their world-spanning journey, where they first meet Suki. The island is dedicated to the Earthbender Avatar who lived there before Avatar Roku, the last Avatar; Aang is the current incarnation of this eternal being.

Although her time in the show is limited in season 1, Suki’s importance grows over the course of the series. It would be fun to Suki play a larger role in Team Avatar’s exploits earlier on.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender. Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko in season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Dallas Liu as…Prince Zuko

In the original show, Prince Zuko has an incredible character arc that sees him transform from the show’s primary villain to one of the main heroes. It is truly one of the best storylines in series and arguably just as important as Aang’s journey. Not only does Zuko teach Aang how to firebend, he succeeds his evil father as Fire Lord and works with Aang to restore peace to a war-torn world. This will not be an easy role to play.

Dallas Liu will take a crack at playing Prince Zuko. Liu has a martial arts background and competed internationally earlier in life. Now the 22-year-old is slowly building his TV resume with frequent appearances in shows like PEN15 and Players. On the movie side, his most recent role was as Ruihua in Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

TORONTO, ON – MARCH 11: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee poses in the press room at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on March 11, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by GP Images/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 11: Paul Sun-Hyung Lee poses in the press room at the 2018 Canadian Screen Awards at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on March 11, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by GP Images/Getty Images)

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as…Uncle Iroh

Zuko’s wise and patient uncle will be a major character throughout Avatar: the Last Airbender. In the animated series, he was a mentor and father figure to his nephew Prince Zuko. Iroh was instrumental in showing Zuko the path to a more fulfilling life and inspiring his eventual turn to good.

I like to think of Iroh as the epitome of the mantra “walk softly and carry a big stick.” He’s an agreeable, gentle man, but he also has unmatched firebending abilities if he needs to kick some butt.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee will be portraying Iroh. He is a veteran actor with a television career stretching back to the mid-90s. Most recently he appeared in The Mandalorian as the Republic fighter pilot Captain Teva, and he starred in the comedy Kim’s Convenience (where he coincidentally played a character named Appa). I expect Lee will be one of the anchors of the Avatar reboot as Zuko’s story is very much dependent on Iroh.

Joel Montgrand as…Hakoda

Hakoda is the chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe, and the father of Sokka and Katara. In the animated series he is completely absent from the first season as he and the other Water Tribe men are off fighting in the war when Aang arrives at the South Pole. In fact, he only appears in 13 episodes of the show, most of those being in the third season. Although his role is small, he plays a large part in Sokka and Katara’s lives, as their mother Kya passed away in a Fire Nation raid years prior to the events of the show.

Cree actor Joel Montgrand will portray Hakoda. In his short career, Montgrand appeared in True Detective season 1 and had a supporting role in the 2020 movie Beans along with his future on-screen daughter Kiawentiio.

Rainbow Dickerson as…Kya

Hakoda’s wife Kya will be played by Rainbow Dickerson, whose career highlight is also the movie Beans. Weirdly enough, Dickerson played Kiawentiio’s mother Lilly in that film too.

It is not currently known if the Avatar reboot will keep the same story for Kya. Perhaps she will still be alive in season 1, meaning we could get to see Sokka and Katara interact with their mother, which we only saw glimpses of in the original show. If they choose the same route as the original story, Dickerson will likely only appear in flashbacks.

Casey Camp-Horinek as Sokka and Katara's "Gran Gran"
ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Casey Camp-Horinek as…Gran Gran (Kanna)

The grouchy grandmother of Sokka and Katara, Gran Gran only appeared in the first two episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender. She is seemingly the oldest and highest ranking person in the Southern Water Tribe since the warriors left to fight the Fire Nation, and she is very protective of her grandchildren. After her initial reluctance to trust Aang, Gran Gran realizes his importance and encourages Katara and Sokka to help him on his journey to save the world.

Gran Gran will be played by Casey Camp-Horinek, who is known for her roles in Barking Water and Dreamkeeper. She was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her work on Son of the Morning Star in 1991.

Lim Kay Siu as..Monk Gyatso

Monk Gyatso was one of the highest-ranking monks at the Southern Air temple, and Aang’s guardian when he was growing up. In addition to training Aang in to be a master airbender, Gyatso valued Aang’s innocence and pushed back against the other monks when they demanded more from the Avatar. Gyatso was also friends with Avatar Roku when he was learning airbending in his youth, meaning Gyatso was a personal friend to two different incarnations of the Avatar.

Gyatso’s remains are found by Team Avatar in the present. He seems to have been killed when the Fire Nation raided the temple in search of Aang. Chinese actor Lim Kay Siu will play Gyatso.

HOLLYWOOD, CA – AUGUST 09: Actor C.S. Lee arrives at Showtime’s “Dexter: The Complete 5th Season” DVD Release Party at the Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel on August 9, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – AUGUST 09: Actor C.S. Lee arrives at Showtime’s “Dexter: The Complete 5th Season” DVD Release Party at the Tropicana Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel on August 9, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

C.S. Lee as…Avatar Roku

The Avatar has the ability to reach back and communicate with their past lives. Since Avatar Roku was Aang’s immediate predecessor, he speaks with him the most throughout the series.

Roku also has an interesting best. In his youth he was good friends Fire Lord Sozin, the man who kicked off the 100-year war Aang is trying to end.

Roku will be portrayed by C.S. Lee, who’s acting career stretches back to the ’90s. His most notable role was appearing as Vince Masuka in 95 episodes of Dexter. It will be interesting to see Lee tackle a more serious role in Roku.

TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 15: Actor Hiro Kanagawa attends the “Heroes Reborn” premiere during the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 15, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 15: Actor Hiro Kanagawa attends the “Heroes Reborn” premiere during the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 15, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Hiro Kanagawa as…Fire Lord Sozin

Although Sozin grew up as a kind-hearted prince during a time of prosperity in the Fire Nation, he too up nationalism some time after his best friend Avatar Roku left the Fire Nation to master the four elements. Instead of trying to help the other nations, Fire Lord Sozin made plans to forcibly occupy and conquer the world. Despite warnings from Roku, Sozin went ahead and occupied several Earth Kingdom territories. When Sozin refused to back down, Roku went into the Avatar state and made it clear that if Sozin continued on this path, he would not hesitate to end him.

Things were relatively okay for the next 25 years as Sozin halted his plans and Roku lived peacefully on an island with his wife. That is until the volcano next to Roku’s village erupted, leading to the elderly Avatar fighting the natural disaster in an attempt to save the island. Sozin showed up to help his old friend, but wound up leaving the Avatar for dead when Roku inhaled poisonous volcanic gases. Without Roku around to stop him, Sozin proceeded with his generations-long plan to conquer the world. Knowing the next Avatar would be an Airbender, Sozin wiped out the unprepared Air temples, not knowing Aang was frozen in a block of ice at the time.

Japanese actor Hiro Kanagawa will be playing the evil Fire Lord. His recent TV credits include Star Trek: Discovery, The Man in the High Castle and iZombie.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 15: Amber Midthunder attends Champagne Collet & OBC Wines’ celebration of The 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 15: Amber Midthunder attends Champagne Collet & OBC Wines’ celebration of The 28th Annual Critics Choice Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on January 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines)

Amber Midthunder as…Princess Yue

Princess Yue is the daughter of the Northern Water Tribe Chieftain. She grows close to Sokka during Team Avatar’s time mastering waterbending at the North Pole. Her brief romance with Sokka is cut short when she sacrifices her life to save the moon spirit, which is mortally wounded by Admiral Zhao. When Yue was born, the moon spirit gave part of its energy to her to save her life, which she gave back to preserve the balance of the world.

Amber Midthunder has been cast as Yue. The 25-year-old actress is having a career surge with recent starring roles in Legion and Roswell, New Mexico, as well as appearances in big budget films like Hell or High Water and Prey.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 13: Nathaniel Arcand attends the Entertainment Weekly & PEOPLE New York Upfronts Party on May 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly & PEOPLE)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 13: Nathaniel Arcand attends the Entertainment Weekly & PEOPLE New York Upfronts Party on May 13, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly & PEOPLE)

Nathaniel Arcand as…Chief Arnook

The leader of the Northern Water tribe in Aang’s time is Chief Arnook, the father of Princess Yue. Arcand’s most prominent projects include FBI: Most Wanted, Heartland and Blackstone. His role as Arnook will likely not be large, as the chief only appears in two episodes of the original show. However, he does host a feast for Team Avatar and introduces them to their waterbending master Pakkuu. He also gives a brief speech to his men before the massive Fire Nation invasion force attacks their city. Just prior to the attack, Arnook tasks Sokka with protecting Yue.

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 18: Actor A Martinez attends the Season 7 Premiere Of “The Bay” at Lumiere Music Hall on December 18, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 18: Actor A Martinez attends the Season 7 Premiere Of “The Bay” at Lumiere Music Hall on December 18, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)

A Martinez as…Master Pakku

Pakku is the grumpy Northern Water Tribe master who initially refuses to teach Katara waterbending because she is a girl. The Northern Water Tribe’s outdated customs only allowed females to use their waterbending for healing, something Team Avatar understandably takes offense to since Katara had already used her bending to fight the Fire Nation many times up to that point.

We eventually find out that Pakku had a romantic relationship with Katara and Sokka’s grandmother Kanna (Gran Gran), which softens him up. He eventually teaches Aang and Katara waterbending and fights against the Fire Nation during their invasion. Pakku also leads a group of northerners to the south pole to help their sister-tribe rebuild after decades of Fire Nation invasions, where he is reunited with Gran Gran.

Pakku will be played by California-based actor A Martinez, who’s acting career is highlighted by his appearances in daytime soap operas like General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of our Lives.

Joel Oulette as…Hahn

Princess Yue’s arrogant fiance Hahn will be played by Canadian actor Joel Oulette. Hahn only appears in two episodes of the original show, and most of his time is spent bickering with Sokka and generally acting like a jerk. The last time we see him, he successfully infiltrates Admiral Zhao’s shi, but is easily thrown over a balcony.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – NOVEMBER 03: Canadian actress Yvonne Chapman attends the VAFF26 Opening Night Gala during Vancouver Asian Film Festival on November 03, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – NOVEMBER 03: Canadian actress Yvonne Chapman attends the VAFF26 Opening Night Gala during Vancouver Asian Film Festival on November 03, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)

Yvonne Chapman as…Avatar Kyoshi

Another one of Aang’s past lives is the legendary Avatar Kyoshi. Her no-nonsense approach to being the Avatar resulted in harsh tactics in order to ensure peace. She did not hesitate to use force against her enemies, such as the power hungry Chin the Conqueror, who attempted to take over the entire Earth Kingdom. In a flashback in the original show, we see how Kyoshi defeated Chin by splitting her peninsula from the mainland Earth Kingdom to create Kyoshi Island. She also drafted a new constitution with the Earth King and established the Dai Li to keep order. Inexplicably, Kyoshi lived to be a whopping 230 years old.

The larger-than-life Avatar Kyoshi will be played by Chinese-Canadian actress Yvonne Chapman in the Netflix show. She is best known for her roles in Family Law and as Zhilan in Kung Fu.

Maria Zheng as Suki, and her mother, Yukari, played by Tamlyn Tomita
ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Tamlyn Tomita as…Yukari (Oyaji)

Yukari is a character created for the live-action version of Avatar; she does not appear in the original show. She is the mother of Suki and the leader of Kyoshi Island when Team Avatar arrives there. This role may be based on the character Oyaji, who was the leader of Kyoshi Island in The Last Airbender cartoon.

This could be an interesting opportunity for the show to expand on Suki’s character. Yukari will be played by veteran actress Tamlyn Tomita, who is known for her roles in The Day After Tomorrow and The Karate Kid Part II.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 12: Utkarsh Ambudkar attends the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 12: Utkarsh Ambudkar attends the 75th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Utkarsh Ambudkar as…King Bumi

One of the funnier characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender is undoubtedly King Bumi, the crazy ruler of the Earth Kingdom city Omashu. At first, it seems like Bumi has it out for Team Avatar as he imprisons Katara and Sokka while Aang is forced to complete random tasks for him. But it is revealed that Bumi was just messing with them, and that he and Aang were friends way back before Aang was frozen in the iceberg, making Bumi well over a hundred years old.

Bumi makes infrequent appearances throughout the rest of the series, and is a close ally of Team Avatar. Utkarsh Ambudkar will play him. I would that will involve a lot of prosthetics or CGI considering that Ambudkar is only 39 years old. Or Netflix may change Bumi’s backstory for the new show.

In any case, Ambudkar is known for playing comedic roles such as Raj on Brockmire and Jay on the CBS show Ghosts.

HOLLYWOOD, CA – MAY 02: Actor Francois Chau arrives at the premiere of “The Bodyguard” at the Pantages Theatre on May 2, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – MAY 02: Actor Francois Chau arrives at the premiere of “The Bodyguard” at the Pantages Theatre on May 2, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

Francois Chau as…Great Sage

Francois Chau is slated to play a character called the Great Sage. It is unclear who this character is exactly, but it could be one of the Fire Nation sages preventing Aang and his friends from contacting Avatar Roku in season 1. Chau is known for his roles in science fiction shows like Lost, The Tick and The Expanse.

Danny Pudi as The Mechanist
ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Danny Pudi as…The Mechanist

Community star Danny Pudi (Abed) will tackle the role of the Mechanist, the cooky inventor who inhabits the Northern Air Temple with his people. Aang is initially reluctant to trust the Mechanist and his group, as he thinks they are trespassing on sacred Air Nomad grounds. Although the Mechanist means well, the group finds out he is being forced to make weapons for the Fire Nation. But they all work together to ward off a Fire Nation attack when the Mechanist refuses their orders.

I am very interested to see what Pudi does with this character, as the Mechanist and Sokka have a lot of banter in the original show. I think we could get Troy-and-Abed vibes from those scenes if done properly.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 02: Lucian-River Chauhan attends the Los Angeles premiere of Amazon Studios ‘Encounter’ at the Directors Guild of America on December 02, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 02: Lucian-River Chauhan attends the Los Angeles premiere of Amazon Studios ‘Encounter’ at the Directors Guild of America on December 02, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/WireImage)

Lucian-River Chauhan as…Teo

The Mechanist’s son Teo is a fun-loving kid about the same age as Aang. Even though he is physically disabled, Teo and his dad figure out a way to adapt his wheelchair into a glider, which he uses both for fun and to fight the Fire Nation. Teo also fights with his father and the rest of Team Avatar’s allies on the day of Black Sun, when he operateS one of the tanks his father built.

Teo will be played by relative unknown Lucian-River Chauhan, whose appeared in 11 episodes of the show Heartland.

Arden Cho as June
ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Arden Cho as…June

Teen Wolf regular Arden Cho will playing the role of June. June is a skilled bounty hunter who uses her mount Nyla to track down targets. Nyla is a large mole-like animal called a shirshu that uses her sense of smell to see, and can paralyze enemies with her toxin-coated tongue.

June only appears in a few episodes, first when Zuko employs her to track down Katara, and then in season 3 when the gang is looking for Iroh before Sozin’s Comet arrives.

Sebastian Amoruso as Jet
Avatar: The Last Airbender

Sebastian Amoruso as…Jet

In the middle of season 1 of Avatar, the group comes across a forest-dwelling band of freedom fighters led by the smooth-talking Jet. After he swindles Aang and Katara into flooding a river with their waterbending, Jet plans to blow up a damn in order to destroy a nearby village controlled by the Fire Nation. After suspecting Jet’s ill intentions, Sokka takes it upon himself to warn the village and successfully saves the inhabitants from Jet’s plan.

In season 2, Jet pops back up in the Earth Kingdom metropolis of Ba Sing Sei, where he is arrested and brain-washed by the Dai Li. The gang comes across him again while looking for Aang’s flying bison Appa, who has gone missing.

Relative unknown Sabastian Amoruso will bring Jet to life in the Netflix remake. Amoruso has just two acting credits to his name, including two episodes each in the TV shows I Know What You Did Last Summer and Solve.

Wes Valarao as…Smellerbee

We also know about a few of the actors joining Jet’s crew of misfits. First up, Wes Valarao will play Smellerbee, a diminutive member of Jet’s Freedom Fighters who eventually goes on to become their leader.

Wes Valarao is a nonbinary actor who uses they/them pronouns. In the show, Smellerbee is a girl who is sometimes mistaken for a boy due to her androgynous appearance and tomboyish clothing.

Nathanial Kong as…Longshot

Next up we have Nathanial Kong as Longshot, another member of the Freedom Fighters. Longshot is an excellent archer and a man of few words, although his expressions are understood by his teammates even if they’re inscrutable to outsiders, such is the strength of their bond.

Taylor Lam Wright as…the Duke

Taylor Lam Wright will play the Duke, a young boy from the Earth Kingdom who joins the Freedom Fighters at a very young age.

None of the actors playing Jet’s teammates have many screen credits to their name. Hopefully this show will get their careers off to promising starts!

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 13: George Takei attends “Thoughts Of A Colored Man” opening night at Golden Theatre on October 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 13: George Takei attends “Thoughts Of A Colored Man” opening night at Golden Theatre on October 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)

George Takei as…Koh the face stealer

Koh the Face Stealer is arguably the creepiest character in the entire show. He is an ancient spirit that looks like a gigantic centipede… and he steals people’s faces. It doesn’t get much trippier than that in a kid’s show, unless you’re drinking cactus juice.

Koh only appears in the series for one scene but leaves a lasting impression. Aang travels to the spirit world during the season 1 finale to figure out where the moon and ocean spirits are in order to protect them. Roku directs Aang to the oldest spirit he knows of, which is Koh. However, the high-energy, 12-year-old Aang cannot show any emotion during his meeting with Koh, or he will lose his face.

85-year-old Japanese-American actor George Takei will provide his voice for Koh. Takei is known for his role as Sulu in the original Star Trek TV series and movies. He’s been acting for many decades.

Randall Duk Kim during Matrix Reloaded New York Premiere – Outside Arrivals at The Ziegfeld Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Randall Duk Kim during Matrix Reloaded New York Premiere – Outside Arrivals at The Ziegfeld Theater in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)

Randall Duk Kim as…Wan Shi Tong

Another gigantic and terrifying spirit that Team Avatar encounters is Wan Shi Tong, who lives in the physical world and takes the form of a large owl. Wan Shi Tong is the keeper of a massive library buried in the middle of the desert. Sokka decides to take the group there to find information about the Fire Nation. They find what they’re looking for, but they tick off the giant owl in the process and have to leave before he completely sinks the building.

Randall Duk Kim will be voicing Wan Shi Tong. Kim’s career highlights include voicing Oogway in the Kung Fu Panda series as well as playing the Keymaker in The Matrix Reloaded and the Doctor in John Wick. Kim also had a small part in 2010’s The Last Airbender, M. Night Shymalan’s infamous attempt at adapting Avatar.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender. Daniel Dae Kim as Ozai in season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Daniel Dae Kim as…Fire Lord Ozai

One of the few actors on this list to have previously worked on an Avatar project is Daniel Dae Kim, who voiced the characters General Fong in The Last Airbender and Hiroshi Sato on the follow-up show The Legend of Korra. Kim has had a very successful acting career with starring roles in the TV shows like Lost and Hawaii Five-0, as well as more recent projects like Hellboy and the Divergent series.

Kim plays the series’ main villain Fire Lord Ozai, the father of Prince Zuko and Princess Azula. Ozai usurped the throne from his older brother Iroh years before the events of the series, and he uses his power to continue the violent and oppressive legacy started by his grandfather Sozin. Aang’s main goal in the series is to defeat Ozai before a comet that gives firebenders unbelievable power again passes by the planet, an occasion Ozai intends to use to finish the war and complete the Fire Nation’s conquest of the world.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender. Elizabeth Yu as Azula in season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Elizabeth Yu as…Princess Azula

Kim’s onscreen daughter Azula will be played by Elizabeth Yu, who has one acting credit currently on her resume: a small part in Ray Romano’s 2022 film Somewhere in Queens. Avatar: The Last Airbender will likely be Yu’s breakout role, but she is also slated to appear in May December alongside Natalie Portman and Julienne Moore and as the lead in Year One.

Yu will have her hands full with Azula, who is one of the primary villains on the show. In addition to perpetrating her father’s twisted idea of a new world order, Azula is constantly at odds with her brother Zuko, trying to capture Aang before he does just to one up him. She doesn’t do this alone, as she gathers her childhood friends to form a deadly trio.

WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 08: Thalia Tran attends The Premiere Of Universal Pictures “Little” at Regency Village Theatre on April 08, 2019 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage)
WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 08: Thalia Tran attends The Premiere Of Universal Pictures “Little” at Regency Village Theatre on April 08, 2019 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/WireImage)

Thalia Tran as…Mai

When Azula’s mission becomes a bit too much for her to handle alone, she recruits her old friends Mai and Ty Lee to assist her. Mai is famous for her gloomy outlook on life. She starts off as a staunch supporter of Azula and helps her take over the Earth Kingdom in season 2. However, Mai’s romance with Zuko brings her in conflict with the manipulative Azula.

Mai will be portrayed by Thalia Tran, a 16-year-old actress from California. Her acting career began in the mid 2010s and culminated with a starring role on the NBC show Council of Dads, which ran for one season.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 08: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white.) Momona Tamada attends Paramount+’s ‘Secret Headquarters’ New York Premiere at Signature Theater on August 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 08: (EDITORS NOTE: Image has been converted to black and white.) Momona Tamada attends Paramount+’s ‘Secret Headquarters’ New York Premiere at Signature Theater on August 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/WireImage)

Momona Tamada as…Ty Lee

The final member of Azula’s small elite team is Ty Lee, a former circus performer who fights her enemies using agility and chi-blocking jabs that can temporarily disable someone’s ability to bend (or do much of anything else). Her bubbly attitude and high energy is the perfect antithesis of Mai.

Momonda Tamada will play Ty Lee. She has had smaller roles on shows like The Baby-Sitters Club and as a young Kimiko in season 1 of The Boys.

Irene Bedard during Into The West Press Conference with Matthew Settle, Tonantzin Carmelo, Skeet Ulrich, Keri Russell, Rachael Leigh Cook and Michael Spears at Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Vera Anderson/WireImage)
Irene Bedard during Into The West Press Conference with Matthew Settle, Tonantzin Carmelo, Skeet Ulrich, Keri Russell, Rachael Leigh Cook and Michael Spears at Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Vera Anderson/WireImage)

Irene Bedard as…Yagoda

Alaskan native Irene Bedard will play Yagoda, the leader of the healers in the Northern Water Tribe. Katara finds out that Yagoda and Kanna were friends in their youth, meaning Gran Gran is originally from the Northern Water Tribe.

Bedard previously voiced Pocahontas in the 1995 Disney movie.

Meegwun Fairbrother as…Avatar Kuruk

Kuruk is the last Water Tribe Avatar prior to Aang, and he has a misunderstood legacy. Many believe that Kuruk was bad at being the Avatar, but he secretly prevented the entire world from enduring the wrath of dark spirits. After he came across one of these dark spirits, he was exposed to a corruption that festered in him for the rest of his life. In an effort to save anyone else from having to deal with this illness, he repeatedly faced the dark spirits on his own.

This dedication resulted in him neglecting the everyday affairs of the four nations, which is what led many to believe Kuruk was a bad Avatar. Kuruk’s final years were spent trying to save his fiance, who had her face stolen by Koh. The spiritual illness ended Kuruk’s life at the young age of 33.

Kuruk will be played by Meegwun Fairbrother, an indigenous Canadian native who grew up in norther Ontarian communities. He made appearances in 31 episodes of Mohawk Girls and had a starring role in Burden of Truth.

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Avatar: The Last Airbender. Ken Leung as Zhao in season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Cr. Robert Falconer/Netflix © 2023

Ken Leung as…Commander Zhao

One of the main villains alongside Zuko in season 1 is Commander Zhao, a determined and ruthless Fire Nation leader who stops at nothing to capture Aang. His mission climaxes with an invasion of the Northern Water Tribe, where he is successful in killing the physical form of the moon spirit but arrogantly underestimates Aang’s abilities. We see him again briefly in The Legend of Korra, but that’s probably beyond the scope of Netflix’s remake.

Zhao will be played by Ken Leung, who is known for playing Miles in Lost and Eric Tao in Industry. His rough-around-the-edges screen presence should be a good fit for Zhao’s hateful attitude.

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 17: Actor Ruy Iskandar attends “The Mound Builders” Opening Night Party at Signature Theatre Company’s The Pershing Square Signature Center on March 17, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 17: Actor Ruy Iskandar attends “The Mound Builders” Opening Night Party at Signature Theatre Company’s The Pershing Square Signature Center on March 17, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

Ruy Iskandar as…Lt. Jee

Lt. Jee is one of Zuo’s crew members, and is at odds with the young Prince at times. After Iroh tells him how Zuko was banished, Jee cuts the young Prince more slack and they begin to work together.

Jee will be played by Ruy Iskandar, a young actor known for his roles in Yes Day and Gotham.

James Sie as…the cabbage merchant

Hands down the best running gag in Avatar is the constant destruction of cabbages owned by the unnamed cabbage merchant, who inexplicably keeps finding himself in the path of destruction paved by Team Avatar and their enemies. The original voice of the cabbage merchant, James Sie, is the only actor on this list who will be reprising his role in the Netflix adaptation. Sie has an impressive resume of voiceover work, ranging from video games like Uncharted and Hitman to TV shows like Avatar and The Legend of Korra.

There are other characters not on this list, probably because they won’t show up in the first season. Easily the most glaring absence is Toph, a young earthbender Aang and company meet in season 2 of the original show. But don’t worry: there’s no way the show would leave her out; she’s too important to the story.

That said, there are other characters who don’t appear until later in the show who are being cast for the first season, like Mai and Ty Lee. So the show will move some things around, or invent new scenes for certain character.

The cast we have looks good, so hopefully Avatar: The Last Airbender performs well enough for Netflix to get to tell the whole tale!

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Rich Eberwein

Rich Eberwein

Rich is a journalist and freelancer with over three years of writing experience. As a lover of all things science fiction, fantasy, and baseball, Rich uses these interests to contribute to Fansided's Winter is Coming and Cubbies Crib sites. Rich also works as a multimedia journalist for the digital newsroom Heartland Signal.