What The Cast Of Avatar: The Way Of Water Looks Like In Real Life

Thanks to large chunks of the first "Avatar," we've seen the actor behind franchise protagonist Jake Sully, stone-faced, brooding Hollywood hunk Sam Worthington. Though you'll recognize him from a few high-profile roles, none of them are likely from his pre-Avatar days. After a few years of working in bit parts and relatively low-budget films, Worthington hit a massive jackpot when he was cast as Sully in "Avatar." Surprisingly, his subsequent string of major roles in "Clash of the Titans," "Wrath of the Titans," and "Terminator: Salvation," to name a few, came during one of the darkest periods in Worthington's life.

It's no easy feat to transition from obscurity to international superstardom overnight, and Worthington had a tough time adjusting to his new reality. "Avatar" opened so many doors for Worthington that the actor didn't know which to go through. Worthington took to "booze and self-loathing," a lifestyle that the actor has thankfully moved past. As of the release of "Avatar: The Way of Water," Worthington is eight years sober, and with that sobriety has come a renewed focus and purpose for Worthington. Luckily, that focus is currently geared toward the future of "Avatar."

Of all the main characters in "Avatar: The Way of Water," the one boasting the strangest and most surprising casting is Kiri, the young Na'vi girl played by 73-year-old Sigourney Weaver (who is, however, as talented and vibrant as ever). After Weaver playing human scientist Dr. Grace Augustine in the first film, she returns for "Avatar: The Way of Water" in the new role of Kiri, the biological daughter of Augustine's Na'vi avatar. Naturally, the daughter looks and sounds similar to her mother, which made casting Weaver an easy choice. Who looks and sounds more like Sigourney Weaver than Sigourney Weaver?

Of course, pinning down Weaver's most iconic role is impossible. In her long career, she has wowed on screen time and again, bringing to life one memorable character after another. Among the many Weaver movies to choose from, some of the highlights are her appearances in all four "Ghostbusters" movies, her starring role in "Gorillas in the Mist," and her many turns as Ripley, the badass lead of all four original "Alien" movies. And we would be remiss to not mention her perfectly camp performance in the cult-classic "Galaxy Quest." Weaver channeled all of that experience and ability to "unearth [her] own 14-year-old" for "Avatar: The Way of Water."

One of James Cameron's most iconic films besides "Avatar" is "Titanic," the 1997 dramatization of the infamous 1912 disaster. After "Titanic," star Kate Winslet was very open about never wanting to work with Cameron ever again (via EW). The experience of shooting "Titanic" with Cameron allegedly traumatized the young actress, a claim that Cameron himself eventually confirmed, and for decades, it seemed the pair would never again collaborate. Yet, 25 years after the release of "Titanic," Winslet is finally acting in another Cameron film, this time playing Ronal, the Metkayina spiritual leader and chieftain's wife.

Winslet claims time and personal growth brought her and Cameron back together, while Zoe Saldaña attributes Winslet's role as a simple case of "FOMO" (fear of missing out), but either way, Winslet is finally a part of the "Avatar" franchise, bringing her trademark acting finesse and depth to the voice and motion capture of Ronal. You may have seen Winslet in any number of roles, an unusually high proportion of them critical darlings. Standouts include "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "The Reader," for which she won the Academy Award for best actress. Thanks to Winslet's casting, devoted "Avatar" fans may have cause to hope for Oscar wins.

Compared to industry mainstays like Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang, actor Joel David Moore has not been around for very long, and because of that, many fans will likely recognize him from one or two major parts. The roles of the awkward Owen in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and the villainous J.P. in "Grandma's Boy" first garnered Moore major notoriety. Since then, Moore has had a steady stream of roles, but none of them left quite the same mark as the two aforementioned comedies — until, that is, his role as the scientist Norm Spellman in "Avatar" and "Avatar: The Way of Water."

Moore's character, Spellman, played two important roles in the first film: First, as an expert anthropologist and xenolinguist, he helped introduce both Jake and the audience to the Na'vi and their culture. Secondly, he was one of the few human characters to express genuine empathy for the Na'vi and the rich biosphere around them, even going so far as to eschew his pacifism and fight alongside the Na'vi at the Tree of Souls. Spellman is one of the first and longest-lasting characters to play with Cameron's central theme of moral pacifism vs. necessary violence, and we're interested to see where both the character and actor go next.

Of the many Sully children (anywhere from three to five, depending on how you slice it), Neteyam is given the most responsibility and endures the most pressure. Still, he remains steadfast through it all. Like his father, Jake, he's a true soldier to his core, and he applies the majority of his maturity and competence to the protection of his younger siblings, especially the rebellious Lo'ak (Britain Dalton). He possesses wisdom beyond his years, and to play him so capably, it's likely that young actor Jamie Flatters does as well.

Flatters is new to acting. So new that, as of this writing, he does not yet have his own Wikipedia entry. While "new" may mean inexperienced, it does not mean untalented, as evidenced by Flatters' adept portrayal of Neteyam and the swirling vortex of duty and blame that surrounds him. Acting is not an easy job, and it becomes especially difficult when your face won't even make it to the screen. Flatters' emoting will only reach fans via a proxy character (or an avatar, if you will). For it to show at all is a feat worthy of keeping Flatters on your radar.

It's not easy being Spider in "Avatar: The Way of Water." The teen is put through the wringer almost as soon as he's born, and it only gets worse as time goes on. The biological son of Col. Quaritch, he's a human born on Pandora and raised by the Na'vi. His physiology makes him a runt by Na'vi standards. He can't link with their critically important neural network, and he can't even breathe the air on his home planet for long. All this is just a prologue for the real trials that begin when he is captured by the RDA; tortured for information about his surrogate family, the Sullys; and made to watch as the family is ruthlessly hunted down. Needless to say, the character spends a great deal of "Avatar: The Way of Water" emoting his guts out, and it's young actor Jack Champion who so successfully releases those guts.

Like Jamie Flatters and Britain Dalton, Champion's list of credits is short, so pinpointing where you've seen him before is tough. Yet, everyone starts somewhere, and in Champion's case, he's starting nearer the top than most. Champion has opened up about the long, arduous preparation he underwent for the role of Spider, and all of it is apparent throughout the film.