Ian Ousley

Ian Luke Ousley (born March 28, 2002) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Sokka in Avatar: The Last Airbender, the live-action adaptation of the Nickelodeon series of the same name.

Biography
Ousley was born on March 28, 2002, in College Station, Texas. He began practicing taekwondo at the age of 9 and competed nationally for five years, later earning a third-degree black belt in 2018. He appeared in 3 episodes of 13 Reasons Why in 2019 and 2020.

In August 2021, Ousley was cast as Sokka in the live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. After he was cast, it was reported he was of Cherokee ancestry. It was later reported by the Cherokee Phoenix that he is not a citizen of any of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes in the United States, and is instead a member of the Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky, a non-profit organization that self-identifies as a tribe. The organization has received some acknowledgement at the state and municipal level in Kentucky, but is not recognized as a tribe by the state government, the federal government, or any of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes. The Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky is also on the Cherokee "Fraud List," a list of 212 fabricated tribes that the Cherokee Identity Protection Committee states put the "sovereignty" and "reputation" of the Cherokee Nation in jeopardy.

The series proved popular, with more than 19 million viewers in its first week of being released. In March 2024, it was reported that Avatar had been renewed for a second and third season.