For the longest time, it seemed as if those Avatar sequels were going to be the sorts of movies that languished in development hell forever. However, over the last few years the wheels continued to turn, and finally, the first of James Cameron’s multiple sequels has landed on the big screen. The highly-anticipated sci-fi epic is already receiving heaps of praise from critics, including CinmaBlend’s own Corey Chichizola, who have all drawn attention to the visuals, story, and outstanding performances in Avatar: The Way of Water.
Speaking of the Avatar: The Way of Water cast… There’s a good chance you want to know to know who all is appearing in James Cameron’s first movie in more than a decade, whether it be returning stars like Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver, or the list of newcomers that includes Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, and many others. Let’s take a look at all the actors and where you’ve seen them before…
Sam Worthington (Jake Sully)
Once human, but now existing entirely inside his Na'vi Avatar, Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully will once again be leading James Cameron’s exploration of Pandora, as he faces new dangers and the return of an old threat in Avatar: The Way of Water.
In the years since the world last saw Worthington set foot onto Pandora, the British-Australian actor has appeared in titles like Clash of the Titans, Man on a Ledge, Hacksaw Ridge, Manhunt: Unabomber, and Under the Banner of Heaven.
Zoe Saldana (Neytiri)
Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri was the primary member of the Na'vi that the first Avatar focused on, and provided for some of the movie’s more emotional moments as she grew closer to Jake Sully and showed him the ways of the Na'vi.
Saldaña has become one of the most notable faces in Hollywood in the 13 years since appearing in Avatar, with her portrayal of Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe making her recognizable around the world (and galaxy). But that isn’t all, as she has also appeared in the likes of The Adam Project, Amsterdam, and the more recent Star Trek movies.
Sigourney Weaver (Kiri)
Even though her character, Dr. Grace Augustine, died protecting the Na’vi in Avatar, Sigourney Weaver has been attached to the various sequels for about as long as anyone else. This time around, Weaver takes on the role of Jake Sully and Neytiri’s adopted teenage daughter, Kiri.
This will mark the third time Weaver has worked with James Cameron, as the badass action star famously portrayed Ellen Ripley in 1986’s Aliens before teaming up with the director for the first Avatar. Since last setting foot on Pandora, Weaver has appeared in movies like The Cabin in the Woods, My Salinger Year, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife in one of the movie’s end credit sequences.
Stephen Lang (Colonel Miles Quaritch)
Stephen Lang's Colonel Miles Quaritch very much perished in the battle of Pandora at the end of the first film, and yet, Lang is set to be the primary antagonist of the story going forward, and he looks and sounds tougher than ever before.
In the years since his character was on the receiving end of spears, arrows, and poisonous air, Lange has continued to be a prolific actor with appearances in movies like Don’t Breathe, Hostiles, and Old Man.
Kate Winslet (Ronal)
A big addition to the Avatar: The Way of Water cast is a name familiar to James Cameron fans, as he'll be working with Kate Winslet for the first time since the 1997 release of Titanic. Instead of playing a human going across the Atlantic, Winslet plays Ronal, a free diver of the Metkayina clan.
Since last working with Cameron, Winslet has appeared in movies like The Reader, which earned her an Oscar and Golden Globe and shows like Mare of Eastown, which added even more hardware to her collection.
Joel David Moore (Norm Spellman)
Joel David Moore played the role of Norm Spellman, who became Jake Sully's friend, after previously being friends with his deceased twin brother Tom, and who ended up fighting alongside Jake in an Avatar at the end of the film. Eventually, Spellman lost the link to his Avatar but was allowed to stay on Pandora after all the other humans were kicked off the planet.
Prior to starting up work on Avatar: The Way of Water, Moore landed roles on shows like Bones, Medium, and Forever, as well as a list of movies that includes Savages and Cut Throat City.
CCH Pounder (Mo'at)
CCH Pounder returns to the Avatar: The Way of Water cast as Mo'at, the Na'vi spiritual leader we met along with Neytiri's father who was the village chief.
A prolific TV actor, Pounder has spent the past decade-plus appearing on shows like The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, Warehouse 13, NCIS, Archer, and The Good Fight, to name only a few.
Jamie Flatters (Neteyam)
Jamie Flatters is one of a whole collection of young actors who will be bringing entirely new characters to life in Avatar: The Way of Water, which will see him play Neteyam, the firstborn son of Jake and Neytiri.
Flatters’ previous credits include So Awkward, The School for Good and Evil, and The Forgotten Battle.
Britain Dalton (Lo'ak)
Jake and Neytiri's second child is named Lo'ak and will be played by Britain Dalton. Dalton will be known to viewers of the Amazon series Goliath, starring Billy Bob Thornton, but he may also sound familiar to fans of the Uncharted video game series as he voiced the young Nathan Drake in 2016’s Uncharted 4: A Thief's End.
Trinity Bliss (Tuktirey)
Jake and Neytiri's youngest child is their only daughter, Tuktirey. Tuk (as she is often called) is played by Trinity Bliss. The young actress has appeared on shows like Best Foot Forward and The Garcias and the Pixar film Turning Red, all released in 2022.
Cliff Curtis (Tonowari)
One of the first big new additions to the cast of Avatar: The Way of Water and its following sequels was Fear the Walking Dead's Cliff Curtis, who takes on the role Tonowari, the leader of Pandora's reef people.
In addition to his work on Fear the Walking Dead, Curtis is most recognizable from appearances in movies like The Meg, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Doctor Sleep, and Training Day.
Filip Geljo (Aonung)
The Metkayina people have a collection of young actors joining their cast as well. Those with small children might recognize Filip Gejio as a member of the PBS children's series The Odd Squad, but in Avatar: The Way of Water he'll take the role of Aonung, a young hunter and free diver, and also the son of the Metkayina clan leader, Tonowari.
Bailey Bass (Tsireya)
The next actor joining the cast as a young member of the Metkayina is Bailey Bass (front and center in the image above), in the role of Tsireya. Reya, as she'll apparently be known, is described as a graceful and strong free diver, a skill which seems to be key to the Metkayina way of life, as every young actor who has been cast has the same skill. This will only be Bass' second film role to date, so she's made quite a leap from relative obscurity to one of the biggest film franchises ever.
Duane Evans Jr. (Roxto)
Duane Evans Jr. will play another young hunter and free diver of the Metkayina, named Roxto. Evans will be recognizable to residents of New Zealand for his recurring role on the primetime soap opera Shortland Street, and as Rhino in Netflix's Sweet Tooth.
Matt Gerald (Corporal Lyle Wainfleet)
And then there's the third actor whose character died in the first Avatar and yet will return for all the sequels. You'd be forgiven for not remembering Corporal Lyle Wainfleet from the first movie. He wasn't given a great deal of focus the first time around, until he was trampled to death by native Pandoran wildlife. And yet, somehow, Gerald’s character will be back in The Way of Water.
Jack Champion (Javier 'Spider' Socorro)
Jack Champion takes on the role of Javier 'Spider' Socorro. Champion's role is unique for several reasons. Not the least of which being that he plays a human being. He plays a human born at Hell's Gate, but one who prefers his time spent in the rainforests of Pandora.
Jemaine Clement (Dr. Ian Garvin)
In May of 2019 another addition to the cast of the Avatar sequels was announced. Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement was revealed to be playing Dr. Ian Garvin, is a marine biologist. Based on the phrasing of the announcement, Clement will be around for all of the sequels as well.
Chloe Coleman (Young Lo'ak)
In May of 2019 another addition to the cast of the Avatar sequels was announced. Flight of the Conchords' Jemaine Clement was revealed to be playing Dr. Ian Garvin, is a marine biologist. Based on the phrasing of the announcement, Clement will be around for all of the sequels as well.
Jeremy Irwin (Young Neteyam)
Jeremy Irwin is a newcomer to Hollywood with only a single TV movie credit to his name prior to scoring Avatar 2. He plays a younger version of Jake and Neytiri’s oldest child, played throughout the rest of the movie by Jamie Flatters.
Giovanni Ribisi (Parker Selfridge)
Giovanni Ribisi is yet another member of the original Avatar cast to reprise his role from the first film, once again playing Parker Selfridge, the man in charge of the expedition to Pandora.
In the years since his character was forcibly removed from Pandora, Ribisi has appeared in movies like The Rum Diary, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Selma, and A Million Little Pieces.
Dileep Rao (Dr. Max Patel)
Dileep Rao played Dr. Max Patel, of the heroic scientists that sided with the Na’vi in the first movie, a role he takes on once again in The Way of Water.
Over the years, Rao has appeared in Drag Me To Hell, Christopher Nolan’s Inception, and Murder of a Cat.
Edie Falco (General Ardmore)
Edie Falco takes on the role of General Frances Ardmore, the new head of the Resources Development Administration in Avatar: The Way of Water.
Falco has made more than her share of fans through years of television roles. She has more than a dozen Emmy nominations thanks to her roles on both Nurse Jackie and The Sopranos. She is set to appear on Pete Davidson’s upcoming Peacock series Bupkis.
Brendan Cowell (Captain Mick Scoresby)
Brendan Cowell shows up in Avatar: The Way of Water as Captain Mick Scoresby,the captain of a marine hunting vessel on the oceans of Pandora.
Though he is more known in his native Australia, Cowell did land a brief role on Game of Thrones near the end of the HBO show’s run.
CJ Jones
CJ Jones will be familiar to fans of Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, where he played the deaf foster father of Ansel Elgort’s character. Jones has only appeared in a couple of projects since then, but he will be Avatar: The Way of Water in an undisclosed role.
As massive as the Avatar: The Way of Water cast looks, the franchise will only continue to grow from here, as the likes of Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, and Oona Chaplin are all set to take on various roles in upcoming sequels. But while we wait for more information on the upcoming Avatar 3, take a look at the 2023 movie schedule to get the dates for all those massive blockbusters set to premiere in the meantime.
