Oona Chaplin, the granddaughter of legendary silent-film icon Charlie Chaplin, portrays the antagonist in Avatar: Fire and Ash, after years of living a secluded life in the Cuban jungle.

Released worldwide on December 19, the film introduces Varang for the first time—a formidable villain and leader of the Na’vi Ash People. The character expands the world of Pandora and marks Chaplin’s return to cinema after a three-year hiatus. She was previously widely recognized for her role as Talisa, the fiancée of Robb Stark, in Game of Thrones.

Chaplin’s performance has earned strong critical praise. The Independent noted her blend of ferocity, allure, and emotional depth, while Slant Magazine highlighted her ability to convey Varang’s personality through subtle eye movements and controlled physicality. Her scenes opposite Stephen Lang, who reprises his role as Quaritch, have been singled out as particularly compelling.

Speaking to People, Chaplin revealed that before being invited to audition by director James Cameron, she had been living in a treehouse she built herself deep in the Cuban rainforest. “I had grown used to stepping away from acting and thought, ‘I’ll live here and consider everything finished,’” she said.

At 39, after nearly two decades working on series such as Black Mirror and Taboo, Chaplin spent time volunteering at refugee camps in France and living nomadically in Cuba. Her turning point came when casting director Margery Simkin invited her to audition for Avatar after seeing her performance in Taboo. The offer, she said, prompted her to step out of isolation and return to filmmaking.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron personally acted opposite Chaplin during the audition, later discussing themes such as environmentalism and sustainable agriculture with her. Although three other actresses were considered for Varang, Cameron ultimately chose Chaplin, citing her ability to capture the character’s many layers. “There’s sensuality, dominance, and a lot of suppressed anger,” the director said. “She can shift between those aspects in a way I didn’t see in anyone else.”

Chaplin said the role prompted deep reflection on faith, integrity, and inner strength. Under Cameron’s guidance, Varang was shaped as a character who confronts fear head-on and seeks to master it. Chaplin also drew on her experiences volunteering at refugee camps to inform the role.

Born in 1986 in Madrid, Spain, Oona Chaplin is the daughter of actress Geraldine Chaplin and Chilean photographer Patricio Castilla. She was named after Charlie Chaplin’s fourth wife, Oona O’Neill. Trained from an early age in ballet, salsa, and flamenco, she later studied acting at Gordonstoun School in Scotland.

Chaplin began her acting career in 2007 and went on to appear in Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Black Mirror, Taboo, and The Comey Rule. In a 2015 interview with The Telegraph, she acknowledged that her career benefited from the legacy of earlier generations in her family. Following Avatar: Fire and Ash, Chaplin said she feels newly energized and open to working with James Cameron again in the future—in any capacity.