Bending the Elements in Real Life: How Do the Avatar: The Last Airbender Live-Action Cast Compare to the Cartoon?

From Aang and Katara to Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula, here are the animated characters brought to life in live action.

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 pull this off. But when the fans needed them most, they vanished (i.e. departed the project over creative differences). Not quite 100 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 members 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)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Gordon Cormier as Aan in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Kiawentiio as Katara in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Ian Ousley as Sokka in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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.

Appa

Appa Avatar the Last Airbender
Animated Appa versus CG-animated Appa. NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Don’t mistake Appa’s size for aggression. This flying air bison is a gentle soul… unless you threaten him or his friends. Then watch out. Appa is Aang’s trusted steed and best animal friend, ferrying Team Avatar across the skies along their adventures.

Momo

Momo Avatar the Last Airbender
Momo in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Another animal member of Team Avatar is Momo, the flying lemur. Though he doesn’t go as far back with Aang as Appa, this winged creature forms a bond with the Avatar and his friends.

Prince Zuko (Dallas James Liu)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Dallas James Liu as Prince Zuko in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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.

Mai (Thalia Tran)

Mai in Avatar: The Last Airbender
Thalia Tran as Mai in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Mai is one of Princess Azula’s two closest confidantes, though she’s much more deadpan than her upbeat friend, Ty Lee.

Ty Lee (Momona Tamada)

Ty Lee in Avatar: The Last Airbender
Momona Tamada as Ty Lee in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Described as “energetic and upbeat,” Ty Lee rounds out Azula’s very close-knit inner circle. In the animated series, the character was highly agile, given her acrobatic circle background; and could leave foes paralyzed by hitting pressure points on the body.

Commander Zhao (Ken Leung)

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Ken Leung as Commander Zhao in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

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.

Suki (Maria Zhang)

Suki Avatar the Last Airbender
Maria Zhang as Suki in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’. NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Suki, portrayed in live action by Maria Zhang, is the leader of a fierce group of all-female fighters called the Kyoshi Warriors, who are based on Kyoshi Island. Suki’s mother, Yukari (Tamlyn Tomita), is the mayor of Kyoshi Island. The Avatar encounters these warrior women on his journeys, and Suki ends up forming a relationship with Sokka.

June (Arden Cho)

June
Arden Cho as June in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

One of the most renown bounty hunters across the four nations — and her loyal shirshu — have arrived in live-action. June is described on the Netflix series as “a tough and persistent bounty hunter known for her ruthless efficiency,” according to the streamer.

Nyla

June riding Nyla in the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, Arden Cho's June with Nyla
Nyla in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

In the cartoon, June typically tracks down her targets with the help of Nyla, a four-legged creature she rides. Nyla is blind but uses her powerful sense of smell to see the world around her.

Jet (Sebastian Amoruso)

Jet on Avatar the Last Airbender
Sebastian Amoruso as Jet in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Actor Sebastian Amoruso is bringing Jet, described simply as a young warrior from the Earth Kingdom, to life in live action. In the cartoon, the character is a rebel fighting against the Fire Nation by any means possible.

The Mechanist (Danny Pudi)

The Mechanist
Danny Pudi as the Mechanist in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Yes, that is Community and Mythic Quest star Danny Pudi in the world of Avatar. Pudi plays a man nicknamed the Mechanist, who’s a brilliant inventor and engineer from the Earth Kingdom. He’s doing his best to raise his son Teo (Lucian-River Chauchan) in a war-torn world.

Teo (Lucian-River Chauhan)

Teo
Lucian-River Chauhan plays Teo in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Teo (Lucian-River Chauhan), the son of the Machinist in Omashu, may be wheelchair bound, but that doesn’t stop him from taking flight, thanks to his father’s inventions.

Gran Gran (Casey Camp-Horinek)

Gran Gran
Casey Camp-Horinek as Gran Gran in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX

Katara and Sokka’s grandmother is a formidable woman. Played by actress Casey Camp-Horinek, she is the compassionate and wise matriarch of the Southern Water Tribe, where she’s done her best to guide her grandchildren during harsh times.

Hei Bai

The demon spirit form of Hei Bai in the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender, the CG rendering of the demon spirit form of Hei Bai in the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender
Forest spirit Hei Bai assumes its more ferocious form in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

One of the many spirits Aang and his friends encounter on their journeys is Hei Bai, a typically docile entity protecting a specific forest in the Earth Kingdom. They usually present as a giant panda, but they can take a more ferocious appearance, like the one spotted in the live-action show’s trailers.

Koh (George Takei)

Koh
George Takei voices Koh in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Koh is an ancient and highly predatory spirit. He’s known as the Face Stealer because he steals the faces of his victims and then uses their likeness to stalk his next prey.

Wan Shi Tong (Randall Duk Kim)

Wan Shi Tong
Randall Duk Kim now voices Wan Shi Tong in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Wan Shi Tong, a.k.a. the Spirit of Knowledge, appears in the form of a giant owl that towers over Aang and Team Avatar. Randall Duk Kim now voices the spirit in the live-action series.

Fire Lord Sozin (Hiro Kanagawa)

avatar the last airbender
Hiro Kanagawa as Fire Lord Sozin in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON;NETFLIX

Fire Lord Sozin is the previous leader of the Fire Nation and the grandfather of Fire Lord Ozai. Hiro Kanagawa, seen recently on Percy Jackson and the Olympians, portrays Sozin in live action.

Monk Gyatso (Lim Kay Siu)

avatar the last airbender
Lim Kay Siu as Gyatso in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON;NETFLIX

Gyatso is an Air Nomad monk who resides at the Southern Air Temple. Kind and caring, he’s equal parts guardian, father figure, and best friend to Aang. Anna and the King actor Lim Kay Siu plays Gyatso in live action.

Bumi (Utkarsh Ambudkar)

King Bumi in Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series, Avatar: The Last Airbender. Utkarsh Ambudkar as King Bumi in season 1 of Avatar: The Last Airbender
Utkarsh Ambudkar plays King Bumi in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Bumi, portrayed in live-action form by Ghosts and Free Guy star Utkarsh Ambudkar, is the ancient ruler of the city of Omashu. He may look old, but as Aang realizes (as seen in trailers) he’s still a quite capable earthbender.

Avatar Kuruk (Meegwun Fairbrother)

Avatar Kuruk
Meegwun Fairbrother plays live-action Avatar Kuruk in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

A benefit of being the Avatar is being able to connect with your past lives. Aang is able to consult Avatar Kuruk (Meegwun Fairbrother), a waterbender with a haunted past, thanks to his run-ins with Koh.

Princess Yue (Amber Midthunder)

Princess Yue
Amber Midthunder as Princess Yue in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Princess Yue (Amber Midthunder) is the daughter of Northern Water Tribe Chief Arnook and acts as the spiritual leader. Sparks fly between her and Sokka upon Team Avatar’s arrival in the north, but certain arrangements drive them apart.

Chief Arnook (Nathaniel Arcand)

Chief Arnook
Nathaniel Arcand as Chief Arnook in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Chief Arnook is the respected leader of the Northern Water Tribe and the father of Princess Yue.

Avatar Kyoshi (Yvonne Chapman)

Avatar Kyoshi
Yvonne Chapman as Avatar Kyoshi in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

Kyoshi, born an earthbender, was another past Avatar. She’s the patron of Kyoshi Island and founded the Kyoshi Warriors, an elite group of female warriors who dress in her likeness.

Avatar Roku (C.S. Lee)

Avatar Roku
C.S. Lee plays Avatar Roku in ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

The previous incarnation of the Avatar just before Aang was Avatar Roku, a firebender. Wise and benevolent, he used to be friendly with Fire Lord Sozin before the war began.

Cabbage Merchant (James Sie)

Cabbage Merchant
James Sie reprises his role of the Cabbage Merchant in live action.NICKELODEON; NETFLIX

James Sie is the rare actor from the original Avatar: The Last Airbender reprising his same role in live action. After voicing the fan-favorite Cabbage Merchant in the Nickelodeon animated series, Sie appears in the Omashu episodes, still lording over his precious cabbages.

Related Posts

Bridgerton Season 3 Trailer: Potential Toxic Romance Tropes to Watch Out For

A long-awaited Bridgerton season 3 trailer teased a fan-favorite romance, but painted the couple in a toxic light — which is a far cry from good news.The…

Bridgerton Season 3 Family Tree and Character Ages, Explained

With season 3 of Bridgerton coming out in May 2024, let’s take a look back at the massive Bridgerton family tree and all the characters’ ages.When a…

New Face, New Story: Bridgerton Trailer Reveals Daphne’s Successor for Season 3

Daphne’s reduced & different role in season 2 made the absence of a proper debutante felt, but Bridgerton season 3’s trailer revealed her replacement.The Bridgerton season 3 trailer revealed…

Who Plays Francesca in Netflix’s Bridgerton?

The role of the sixth Bridgerton sibling was recast for season three.Francesca Bridgerton is the first major character on Netflix’s hit Bridgerton to be recast: actress Hannah Dodd…

Why Isn’t Benedict the Lead of Bridgerton Season 3? Exploring the Character’s Role in the Series

The new Bridgerton showrunner explains why the Netflix series won’t follow Julia Quinn’s books in order.n May 2022, Netflix confirmed that Bridgerton season three will not be taking its story from the…

Head to these places to experience the magic of Bridgerton

Dearest Gentle Reader, what wonders await us in the upcoming season 3 of Netflix’s original series Bridgerton? With its intriguing storyline and aesthetic screen design, it has made…