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* {{Anchor|Worthington}}[[Sam Worthington]] as Corporal [[Jake Sully]], a [[Disability|disabled]] former Marine who becomes part of the Avatar Program after his twin brother is killed. His military background helps the Na'vi warriors relate to him. Cameron cast the Australian actor after a worldwide search for promising young actors, preferring relative unknowns to keep the budget down.<ref>{{Cite episode |series=[[The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien]] |network=[[NBC]] |season=1 |number=128 |quote="I was cheap" |credits=[[Conan O'Brien]] |air-date=December 18, 2009}}</ref> In the beginning, Cameron offered the role to [[Matt Damon]], with a 10% stake in the film's profits, but Damon turned the film down because of his commitment to ''[[The Bourne Ultimatum (film)|The Bourne Ultimatum]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grater |first1=Tom |title=Matt Damon Talks Turning Down {{'}}''Avatar''{{'}}, Almost Directing {{'}}''Manchester By The Sea''{{'}} & Diversity In His Films At Engaging Cannes Masterclass |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/matt-damon-talks-turning-down-avatar-almost-directing-manchester-by-the-sea-diversity-in-his-films-at-engaging-cannes-masterclass-1234789508 |date=July 9, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref> Other notable actors who auditioned for the part include [[Chris Pratt]] and [[Chris Pine]] with the studio pushing [[Jake Gyllenhaal]] to play the role.<ref>{{cite news |last=Eisenberg |first=Eric |title=Chris Pratt Auditioned For {{'}}''Star Trek''{{'}} And {{'}}''Avatar''{{'}} Before {{'}}''Guardians Of The Galaxy''{{'}} |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chris-pratt-auditioned-for-star-trek-avatar-2014-7 |website=[[CinemaBlend]] |access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Oldenburg |first1=Ann |title=Chris Pine says he cries 'all the time' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/05/13/chris-pine-says-he-cries-all-the-time/2156083 |website=[[USA Today]] |access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Wigler |first1=Josh |title=Jake Gyllenhaal Talks about Almost Being in {{'}}''Avatar''{{'}} |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/1633376/jake-gyllenhaal-talks-about-almost-being-in-avatar |website=[[MTV|MTV News]] |access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref> Ultimately, the three finalists for the role were [[Channing Tatum]], [[Chris Evans (actor)|Chris Evans]], and Worthington, with Cameron ultimately going with Worthington.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Travis |first1=Ben |title=Chris Evans And Channing Tatum Were Nearly Cast As ''Avatar''{{'}}s Jake Sully |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/chris-evans-channing-tatum-nearly-cast-avatar-jake-sully/ |website=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]] |date=February 18, 2019 |access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref> Worthington, who was living in his car at the time,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Williamson |first=Kevin |title=Paraplegic role helps Worthington find his feet |publisher=[[The London Free Press]] |url=https://lfpress.com/entertainment/movies/2009/12/15/12167326.html |access-date=January 1, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130075614/https://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/movies/2009/12/15/12167326.html |archive-date=January 30, 2010}}</ref> auditioned twice early in development,<ref name="QA" />{{Failed verification|date=September 2023}} and he has signed on for possible sequels.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=January 14, 2010 |title=This week's cover: James Cameron reveals plans for an 'Avatar' sequel |url=https://ew.com/article/2010/01/14/avatar-sequel-james-cameron/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100123170827/https://popwatch.ew.com/2010/01/14/avatar-sequel-james-cameron/ |archive-date=January 23, 2010 |access-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref> Cameron felt that because Worthington had not done a major film, he would give the character "a quality that is really real". Cameron said he "has that quality of being a guy you'd want to have a beer with, and he ultimately becomes a leader who transforms the world".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horn |first=John |title=Faces to watch 2009: film, TV, music and Web – Sam Worthington |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-faces-watch-2009-film-music-tv-web-pg-photogallery.html |url-status=live |access-date=April 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231040636/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-faces-watch-2009-film-music-tv-web-pg%2C0%2C2140976.photogallery?index=11 |archive-date=December 31, 2008}}</ref>{{Failed verification|date=September 2023}}
** Worthington also briefly appears as Jake's deceased identical twin, Dr. Tom "Tommy" Sully.
* [[Zoe Saldaña]] as [[Neytiri|Neytiri te Tskaha Mo'at'ite]], the Na'vi princess, daughter of the leaders of the Omaticaya (the Na'vi clan central to the story), and the Omaticaya's spiritual leader in training. She is attracted to Jake because of his bravery, though frustrated with him for what she sees as his naiveté and stupidity. She serves as Jake's love interest.<ref name="Brennan2007">{{Cite web |last=Brennan |first=David |date=February 11, 2007 |title=Avatar Scriptment: Summary, Review, and Analysis |url=https://jamescameron.blogspot.com/2007/02/avatar-scriptment-summary-review-and.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091219184249/https://jamescameron.blogspot.com/2007/02/avatar-scriptment-summary-review-and.html |archive-date=December 19, 2009 |access-date=April 29, 2010 |publisher=James Cameron's Movies & Creations}}</ref> [[Charisma Carpenter]] was set to play the role
* [[Stephen Lang]] as Colonel [[Miles Quaritch]], the head of the mining operation's security detail. Fiercely consistent in his disregard for any life not recognized as human, he has a profound disregard for Pandora's inhabitants that is evident in both his actions and his language. Lang had unsuccessfully auditioned for a role in Cameron's ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' (1986), but the director remembered Lang and sought him for ''Avatar''.<ref name="lang" /> [[Michael Biehn]], who had worked with Cameron in ''Aliens'', ''[[The Terminator]]'' and ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'', was briefly considered for the role. He read the script and watched some of the 3-D footage with Cameron<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Jessica |date=March 26, 2007 |title=Michael Biehn Talks 'Avatar' – Cameron Not Using Cameras? |url=https://www.cinematical.com/2007/03/26/michael-biehn-talks-avatar-cameron-not-using-cameras/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112112731/https://www.cinematical.com/2007/03/26/michael-biehn-talks-avatar-cameron-not-using-cameras |archive-date=January 12, 2010 |website=Cinematical}}</ref> but was ultimately not cast.
* [[Michelle Rodriguez]] as Captain Trudy Chacón, a Marine pilot assigned to support the Avatar Program who is sympathetic to the Na'vi. Cameron had wanted to work with Rodriguez since seeing her in ''[[Girlfight]]''.<ref name="lang">{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=August 2, 2007 |title=Lang, Rodriguez armed for 'Avatar' |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/news/lang-rodriguez-armed-for-avatar-2-1117969650/ |access-date=August 3, 2007}}</ref>
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