See “Avatar: The Last Airbender ”live-action cast side by side with their cartoon counterparts
Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, all four nations lived together in harmony on the Nickelodeon animated show Avatar: The Last Airbender. Then everything changed when Netflix announced a live-action series adaptation.
Only Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, creators of the original series could, could pull this off. But when the fans needed them most, they vanished (i.e. departed the project over creative differences). Not quite a hundred years past, and Netflix discovered a new showrunner, Sleepy Hollow and Nikita's Albert Kim. And although his showrunning skills are great, it'll be some time before the new series hits the streaming platform.
But until then, let's take a look at the Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action cast who are bringing the animated show to the screen in a new way. See side-by-side photos of the original cartoon characters and their live-action counterparts.
Aang (Gordon Cormier)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Gordon Cormier as Aan in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Aang is an adventurous and fun-loving 12-year-old who is constantly grappling with the burdens thrust upon him. Not only is he said to be the last of the Air Nomads, monk-like airbenders who were all wiped out by the Fire Nation in pursuit of world domination, but he's also the Avatar, a reincarnated being with a mastery of all four elements. His job is to restore peace and balance to mankind, but he's still a kid at heart.
Katara (Kiawentiio)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Kiawentiio as Katara in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Fourteen-year-old Katara is the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe. Along with her brother, Sokka, she suffered a great personal tragedy that has held her back, though she remains a promising, formidable waterbender.
Sokka (Ian Ousley)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Ian Ousley as Sokka in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Sokka, 16, takes his role as leader of the Southern Water Tribe seriously, even though he questions his skills. He constantly tries to mask these doubts with wit and a deadpan sense of humor. With his sister, Katara, he discovers the presence of the next Avatar, Aang, and helps him on a quest to master all four elements and bring peace to the world.
Prince Zuko (Dallas James Liu)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Dallas James Liu as Prince Zuko in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Zuko, a skilled firebender, is the 17-year-old Crown Prince of the Fire Nation and son of Fire Lord Ozai, though he's been left to roam the world in exile. Marked by a burn mark that covers his left eye, Zuko believes the only way to reclaim his place at court and win the respect of his cruel father is by hunting down the Avatar.
Fire Lord Ozai (Daniel Dae Kim)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Fire Lord Ozai, leader of the Fire Nation, is a power-hungry ruler hellbent on world domination. In the absence of the Avatar, he waged war against the Air Nomads, wiping them all out (save one). Now that the Avatar has reemerged, he's determined to hold onto his grip over the nations by any means necessary.
Uncle Iroh (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Brother of Fire Lord Ozai and uncle of Zuko, Iroh is a firebender and a retired general of the Fire Nation army. Wise and nurturing, he's taken it upon himself to mentor his often hot-headed nephew.
Princess Azula (Elizabeth Yu)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Princess Azula is the deranged sister of Prince Zuko. Described as a relentless perfectionist and a firebending prodigy, she will stop at nothing to secure her place as heir to the Fire Nation throne while her brother is off in exile.
Commander Zhao (Ken Leung)
Nickelodeon; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Ken Leung as Commander Zhao in 'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
Commander Zhao is described as a scheming and ambitious Fire Nation military officer. A chance encounter with a desperate Prince Zuko leaves him eager to leverage the situation in order to advance his personal goals.
This article will be updated as more characters of the live-action series are revealed.
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