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  1. Entertainment
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  4. Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender star thought he auditioned for James Cameron's Avatar: "I thought I was going to be blue"

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By Molly Edwards published 26 February 2024

Do you know your Na'vi from your Netflix?

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Avatar: The Way of Water
(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
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Avatar: The Last Airbender star Ken Leung was confused about just which version of Avatar he'd auditioned for. 

The Netflix series is an adaptation of the hit animated series, and Leung plays Commander Zhao in the live-action show. Thanks to the secrecy surrounding the audition process, though, Leung actually thought he was in the running for a role in James Cameron's Avatar movies. 

"The audition, you couldn't tell it was for Avatar. So it was kind of disguised as a different project," Leung told Deadline. "And when I first heard that it was for Avatar, I thought I was going to be blue." 

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  • Sigourney Weaver as Kiri in Avatar: Fire and Ash Aquaman director James Wan says he'd "love to take a crack" at James Cameron's Avatar

The Na'vi of Cameron's Avatar are of course famously blue. Honestly, it's an easy mistake to make. 

"It's funny, because the audition was set in an investment bank… I was like this corporate poncho, and it was the meeting [with Zuko], the first scene," Leung told GamesRadar+ of his audition.

"Zuko was this teenager asking for access to his trust at the bank. I don't even remember what our names were. Zhao's speech to his troops was this bank executive speech to the bank employees. I had zero wherewithal, I thought it was a whole different project," he added.

Next up for Cameron's movies is Avatar 3, which is set to introduce a new type of Na'vi known as the Ash People. Avatar 4 and 5 are also on the way, though not for some time yet. 

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Avatar: The Last Airbender is currently streaming on Netflix. You can fill out your watchlist with our guide to the best Netflix shows to watch now. 

Molly Edwards
Molly Edwards
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Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film section. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.

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