Full Avatar 2 cast: All actors & characters in The Way of Water

Here’s your guide to the full cast and characters in Avatar 2, titled Avatar: The Way of Water, the sequel to James Cameron’s mega-blockbuster that’s already one of the biggest movies ever made.

It’s been 13 years since the world was dropped into, fell in love with, and mourned over Pandora, the breath-taking world at the heart of Avatar, Cameron’s late-noughties sci-fi hit.

While many expected a sequel to quickly follow, the director isn’t known for trying to cash in on something quickly. He’s gone all out for the first of four planned sequels, breaking new ground in technology for a multiplex-dominating epic.

With the new movie raking in billions of dollars at the box office – it’s one of the highest-grossing movies of all time – we’ve broken down all the major roles in the cast of Avatar 2, including the actors and the characters they play – some of whom may surprise you.

Contents

• Avatar 2 cast: All actors and characters
  • Jake Sully: Sam Worthington
  • Neytiri: Zoe Saldaña
  • Kiri: Sigourney Weaver
  • Spider: Jack Champion
  • Neteyam: James Flatters
  • Lo’ak: Britain Dalton
  • Tuk: Trinity Jo-Li Bliss
  • Colonel Miles Quaritch: Stephen Lang
  • Corporal Lyle Wainfleet: Matt Gerald
  • Ronal: Kate Winslet
  • Tonowari: Cliff Curtis
  • Reya: Bailey Bass
  • Mo’at: CCH Pounder
  • Norm Spellman: Joel David Moore
  • Parker Selfridge: Giovanni Ribisi
  • General Frances Ardmore: Edie Falco
  • Dr. Ian Garvin: Jemaine Clement
  • Captain Mick Scoresby: Brendan Cowell
  • Dr. Karina Mogue: Michelle Yeoh
  • Vin Diesel

Avatar 2 cast: All actors and characters

Everyone makes the same joke about Avatar: it’s the highest-grossing movie of all time, yet nobody seems to remember the names of the characters. We don’t think this is true, but we’ve put together this guide of the cast and characters for anyone wanting a refresh ahead of seeing Avatar 2.

The official synopsis reads: “Set more than a decade after the events of the first film, Avatar: The Way of Water begins to tell the story of the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri, and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive, and the tragedies they endure.”

Jake Sully: Sam Worthington

20th Century Studios

Sam Worthington will return as Jake Sully, who first appeared in Avatar in human form, before falling in love with Neytiri, siding with the Na’vi against the RDA, and leaving his body behind to permanently become one of the Na’vi.

Worthington is also known for roles in Terminator Salvation, Everest, Clash of the Titans, and playing Alex Mason in Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Neytiri: Zoe Saldaña

20th Century Studios

Zoe Saldaña will also reprise her role as Neytiri, the future Tsahìk of her clan and Jake’s husband, with whom she shares kids in the sequel.

“I hope it’s well received because it was certainly special for me to be a part of it and to have worked with the people I’ve worked with to be aging with them growing with them in this industry the opportunities that it opened for me but also the conversation that it started even for somebody like me about the environment,” she told Good Morning America.

Saldaña is perhaps best known for playing Gamora in The Guardians of the Galaxy movies in the MCU. She is the second-highest-grossing actress of all time.

Kiri: Sigourney Weaver

20th Century Studios

Sigourney Weaver will play Kiri, the daughter of Jake and Neytiri. Weaver originally played Dr. Grace Augustine in the first film, who died during the RDA assault on Hometree.

She told Empire: “I think we all pretty much remember what we were feeling as adolescents. I certainly do. I was 5’ 10” or 5’ 11” when I was 11. I felt strongly that Kiri would feel awkward a lot of the time. She’s searching for who she is. I was thrilled to be given that challenge by Jim.”

Weaver is an Oscar-nominated actress famous for roles in the Alien franchise, Ghostbusters, and much more.

Spider: Jack Champion

20th Century Studios

Jack Champion will play Spider, a human born on Pandora after the RDA left following the events of the first movie.

Spider grew up around the Na’vi, spending time with Norm and Max in the labs and bonding with Jake and Neytiri’s kids. 

While Jake believes Neytiri will always see him as “an alien”, their kids (Neteyam, Lo’ak, Tuk, and Kiri, the latter of whom they adopted) see him as a cousin, if not a brother. 

Neteyam: James Flatters

20th Century Studios

James Flatters plays Neteyam, the eldest son of Jake and Neytiri. “He’s the kid that tries to take on the highest moral virtue, which is kind of, in this rough terrain, especially given that within this film we’re going to see the humans come back,” he told Screen Rant.

“The RDA are going to try and mess up the Na’vi like always. And Neteyam is trying to take on the responsibility of a warrior, which is a very interesting story. Kind of a pleasure to get to play.”

Lo’ak: Britain Dalton

20th Century Studios

Britain Dalton plays Lo’ak, the youngest Na’vi son of Jake and Neytiri who constantly rebels against his father’s orders, falls in love with Reya, and also bonds with the outcast Tulkun, Payakan.

Tuk: Trinity Jo-Li Bliss

Trinity Jo-Li Bliss plays Tuk, the youngest Na’vi daughter of Jake and Sully in Avatar 2. “She has this big heart, and she’s super curious, observing everything around her,” she told Screen Rant.

“And she is that youngest that kind of wants everything to be okay in the family. And of course, just wants the family to be okay. And that’s a big part of this film. The family sticking together, protecting each other. So the family’s the most important thing to her. She’ll do anything to protect them.”

Colonel Miles Quaritch: Stephen Lang

20th Century Studios

Stephen Lang will return as Colonel Miles Quaritch, the primary antagonist of the first film. If you cast your mind back, he was killed in a bout with Jake and Neytiri, getting more than a few arrows and a knife through the chest.

However, Avatar 2 will see him reprise his role as a “Recombinant”, essentially a Na’vi body embedded with his consciousness.

While Lang has enjoyed a long career in the likes of Manhunter, Tombstone, and Public Enemies, he’s likely best known for starring as “The Blind Man” in the Don’t Breathe movies.

Corporal Lyle Wainfleet: Matt Gerald

20th Century Studios

Matt Gerald will return as Lyle Wainfleet, an RDA soldier also killed in the Na’vi retaliation in the original film, who’s memories have been transferred to a Na’vi body, allowing him to live.

Gerald earlier appeared in Netflix’s Daredevil, Bright, and San Andreas.

Ronal: Kate Winslet

20th Century Studios

Kate Winslet is one of the most highly anticipated additions to Avatar 2. She’s playing Ronal, a freediver in the oceanic Metkayina clan. “Whilst my role is actually relatively small comparative to the lengthy shoot (I will only have around one month with Jim and the principal actors), it is a pivotal character in the ongoing story,” she told Variety.

One of Winslet’s most famous roles is in another James Cameron movie: Titanic, playing Rose.

Tonowari: Cliff Curtis

20th Century Studios

Cliff Curtis will play Tonowari, the leader of the Metkayina clan and Ronal’s husband. “I genuinely think it’s going to be one of the most amazing cinematic experiences I’ve ever had. I don’t think the world’s really ready for what’s going to happen. It’s beyond exciting,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.

Curtis has appeared in Sunshine, Training Day, The Meg, and Doctor Sleep.

Reya: Bailey Bass

20th Century Studios

Bailey Bass plays “Reya”, the free diver in the Metkayina clan and daughter of Ronal and Tonowari, who falls for Lo’ak shortly after Jake and Neytiri arrive.

“I think it was gradual, it wasn’t instant for her. So I think it was gradual, just seeing his perseverance through the movie and then how quickly he learns the way of water because that is what she’s teaching him. I think also his rebellion is fascinating to her, too,” she told Screen Rant.

Mo’at: CCH Pounder

20th Century Studios

CCH Pounder has returned as Mo’at, the mother of Neytiri and spiritual leader of the Omaticaya.

The actress has received four Emmy nominations for roles in The X-Files, ER, The Shield, and The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, and starred in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Face/Off.

Norm Spellman: Joel David Moore

20th Century Studios

Joel David Moore will return as Dr. Norm Spellman, one of the researchers who was part of the original Avatar program and sided with the Na’vi by the end of the film.

Moore is known for starring in Dodgeball, Hatchet, and The Guest.

Parker Selfridge: Giovanni Ribisi

20th Century Studios

Giovanni Ribisi will reprise his role as Parker Selfridge, the floor-putting, unobtanium-hungry executive at the head of the RDA’s mining and colonizing operation in the first film. In an interview with Screen Rant, he said it “takes what [James Cameron] did with the first film to a whole other level.”

Ribisi is known for roles in Lost in Translation, Sneaky Pete, Ted, Friends, and The Offer.

General Frances Ardmore: Edie Falco

20th Century Studios

Edie Falco has joined Avatar 2 as General Frances Ardmore, described as “the Commander in charge of the RDA’s interests in the Avatar Sequels.” Few details are known about Falco’s role and the extent of her villainy.

Falco is best known for playing Carmela Soprano in The Sopranos, as well as Nurse Jackie Peyton in Nurse Jackie.

Dr. Ian Garvin: Jemaine Clement

Jemaine Clement will play Dr. Ian Garvin in Avatar 2. “I’ve loved Jemaine’s work for years and I’m really pumped that he’s joining our cast as Ian Garvin, one of my favorite characters,” Cameron told Variety.

Clement is best known for his work with Bret McKenzie in Flight of the Conchords, while also appearing in the likes of DC League of Super Pets, The Lego Batman Movie, Moana, and What We Do In The Shadows.

Dr. Karina Mogue: Michelle Yeoh

Michelle Yeoh is one of the big-ticket additions to the Avatar franchise, especially amid awards season hype for her performance in Everything Everywhere All At Once. While not appearing in Avatar 2, she will play Dr. Karina Mogue in Avatar 3.

“Yes, I am in the Avatar sequels and as you know we can’t really talk very much about it,” she told Entertainment Weekly.

“But it’s James Cameron! Come on! I would be the tea lady for James Cameron! We shot for a few weeks, and I was so impressed with the work that he’s done, the work that he’s doing, the energy. He’s a genius, he’s a walking genius. And I really really enjoyed the experience and I can’t wait to go back soon, I hope.”

Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel was one of the biggest mysteries going into Avatar 2. It appeared he’d joined the Avatar franchise in some way or another, having posted a video with James Cameron on the set.

After he didn’t appear in Avatar 2, we expected him to star in Avatar 3 – but it’s since been confirmed he won’t be joining the Avatar family after all.

That’s everything we know about the Avatar 2 cast. We’ll update this article upon further announcements and following the movie’s release.

Avatar: The Way of Water is in cinemas now. You can read our review here, find out the best way to watch the movie here, and check out the rest of our coverage here.