It has been over ten years since James Cameron’s Avatar first hit theaters and went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time. Audiences were taken to the world of Pandora, a beautiful moon and home to the blue humanoid species known as the Na’vi. Due to the aggressive expansion of a human mining colony on Pandora, the Na’vi were forced to fight for their survival. The 2009 sci-fi epic concluded on an interesting note, one that left the door open for multiple sequels.
Taking place more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water brings back old characters while also introducing some new ones. During the time gap, Jake Sully has started a family with Neytiri, who will be at the heart of the entire Avatar franchise. The Sully family will come into contact with both Na’vi and humans alike as they fight to keep each other safe. Here are the returning members of, as well as the new additions to, the cast of Avatar: The Way of Water.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Returning: Sam Worthington
20th Century Studios
At the end of Avatar, Jake Sully’s consciousness was permanently transferred into his avatar body. Sam Worthington has been confirmed to return, once again having a leading role. After the release of Avatar, Worthington appeared in the 2010 fantasy film, Clash of the Titans, and its 2012 sequel, Wrath of the Titans. He also recently starred in the true crime drama series, Under the Banner of Heaven, with Andrew Garfield. Outside of film, Worthington has been widely recognized for playing Alex Mason in the Call of Duty: Black Ops video game franchise. He has credited Avatar for changing his life after having had to audition when he was still living in his car (via TheThings).
New: Kate Winslet
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Kate Winslet has joined the Avatar: The Way of Water cast as a new Na’vi character named Ronal. Ronal is a diver, and during filming, Winslet set a new record for the longest time an actor has held their breath underwater (via IndieWire). She managed to hold her breath for “seven minutes and 14 seconds,” surpassing Tom Cruise’s record of six and a half minutes for Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. The role of Ronal has marked the first time that Winslet has worked with performance and motion capture. She has previously worked with Cameron on Titanic, which catapulted her and Leonardo DiCaprio into international stardom. Winslet’s recent projects have included Black Beauty, Ammonite, and the HBO miniseries, Mare of Easttown.
Returning: Zoe Saldaña
Returning actress Zoe Saldaña has already appeared in three of the five highest-grossing films of all time: Avatar, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. No stranger to large franchises, Saldaña has received wide recognition for playing Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films and Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams’ rebooted Star Trek film series. In Avatar: The Way of Water, she reprises her role as Neytiri, the Na’vi who helped bring Jake into the world of her people. Now a mother, Neytiri faces new challenges as she protects her children and encounters new enemies. In preparation for the film, Saldaña learned to hold her breath for five minutes (via ET Canada).
New: Cliff Curtis
AMC
In 2017, it was reported that Cliff Curtis had joined the cast of all four Avatar sequels. Curtis will play a new Na’vi character named Tonowari, who is the leader of the Metkayina clan on Pandora. The New Zealand actor appeared in AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead as Travis Manawa, Doctor Sleep as Billy Freeman, and Hobbs & Shaw as Jonah Hobbs. For his performance in The Dark Horse, Curtis was awarded the Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actor. He has consistently delivered great performances, and that looks to continue in his work on the Avatar franchise.
Returning: Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver played Dr. Grace Augustine, the head of the Avatar Program, in the 2009 Avatar film. Although Augustine was killed off, the character’s death did not mark the end of the actor’s time with the Avatar franchise. Weaver returns as a new Na’vi character named Kiri, who is Jake and Neytiri’s adopted teenage daughter. Obviously playing a much different character, she revealed she had to drastically change her performance for The Way of Water. Cameron and Weaver’s working relationship goes as far back as 1986’s Aliens. The role of Ellen Ripley established her as a legend in the sci-fi action genre.
New: Edie Falco
CBS
The new commander of the RDA, General Frances Ardmore, is played by none other than Edie Falco. Many will recognize her from her breakout role as Carmela on The Sopranos. Over the course of her career, the talented actress has won four Emmys and two Golden Globe Awards. Her list of performances includes Jackie Peyton on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, Diane Whittlesey on HBO’s Oz, and Leslie Abramson on Law & Order True Crime. In 2020, Falco led the CBS crime drama series, Tommy, as LAPD Chief Abigail “Tommy” Thomas. It is expected that General Ardmore will be a major villain in the Avatar franchise.
Returning: Stephen Lang
Colonel Miles Quaritch made life difficult for the heroes in the first Avatar, and he will continue to do so in Avatar: The Way of Water. Cameron has revealed that Stephen Lang’s character is the main villain of not just one, but all four Avatar sequels. Quaritch has been brought back to life by the RDA in a “recom” Na’vi Avatar body. While speaking with Empire, Lang described his character as being “bigger,” “bluer,” and “pissed off.” Quaritch was not a fan of taking Na’vi arrows in his chest, and has dedicated himself to getting revenge against Jake.
New: Jemaine Clement
FX
Pandora has required the humans to find an expert in marine biology, finding one in Dr. Ian Gervin. Cameron has described Gervin as one of his “favorite characters” (via Variety) in the Avatar franchise. The actor portraying Dr. Ian Gervin, Jemaine Clement, has been known for his work on Flight of the Conchords, What We Do in the Shadows, and FX’s Legion. Clement has also done voice work for many animated projects including Rio, Moana, and The Lego Batman Movie. While Dr. Ian Gervin may not be a native of Pandora, Avatar: The Way of Water was filmed in the actor’s home island country of New Zealand.
Returning: Joel David Moore
Joel David Moore has been confirmed to return for Avatar: The Way of Water and the currently untitled Avatar 3. In the first Avatar film, Moore portrayed Dr. Norm Spellman, a xenoanthropologist and member of the Avatar Program. Spellman ultimately decided to defect from the RDA and side with the Na’vi. Having gained their trust, the Na’vi allowed Spellman to stay on Pandora. It is not yet known whether Spellman has permanently adopted an avatar body like Jake. Moore’s projects outside the Avatar franchise includes the 2006 slasher film, Hatchet, Fox’s crime drama series Bones, and ABC’s fantasy crime drama series Forever.
Returning: Giovanni Ribisi
The head administrator of the RDA mining operation, Parker Selfridge, was the human ebodiment of corporate greed. He had great hatred towards the Na’vi, referring to them as “savages.” At the end of Avatar, a defeated Selfridge was banished from Pandora along with the rest of the RDA. However, Selfridge was never going to take no for an answer. In the 2022 theatrical rerelease of the film, 20th Century Studios inserted a new line of Selfridge promising to come back. That was a promise that was kept, as actor Giovanni Ribisi reprises his role as Parker Selfridge in Avatar: The Way of Water.
