Which role does Casey Camp-Horinek play in Avatar: The Last Airbender? Character explored

Casey Camp-Horinek plays Gran Gran in the live adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Her real name is Kanna, but she is affectionately called Gran Gran by her grandchildren. Her grandchildren are Katara and Ssoka, both of whom she urges to join Aang's endeavor of defeating the Fire Nation.

Netflix released all eight episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender on February 22, 2024. The show has been raking in some good numbers since its release, and has reached the top spot in several regions. As of February 23, 2024, the show is Netflix's No. 1 TV show in India, as reported by FlixPatrol.

Going by the popularity of the show, it is natural that the show's characters will also be loved by the masses. One such character is Gran Gran. She comes in the first episode of the show but for a very brief moment. She makes an appearance in other episodes as well, but that too, for a short duration.

With that being said, irrespective of her screen time, the grandmotherly figure is an instant hit among fans of the show.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers. Please read at your discretion.

---

Who is Gran Gran, the role played by Casey Camp-Horinek in Avatar: The Last Airbender?

Gran Gran is Katara and Ssoka's grandmother in Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender (Image via Netflix)

As mentioned already, Gran Gran's real name is Kanna and she is the grandmother to Katara and Ssoka. In the series Avatar: The Last Airbender, she is a woman in her eighties who possesses vast knowledge about her community.

She is a descendant of the Northern Water Tribe, an independent state along the North Pole. However, following differences in opinion between her and her people, she took leave from the Northern Water Tribe. She then moved to the Southern Water Tribe where she settled down in Wolf Cove.

---

Who is Casey Camp-Horinek?

Casey Camp- Horinek plays Gran Gran in Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender (Image via Getty)

Apart from her role in Netflix series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Casey Camp-Horinek has been actively working as an actor since 1988. Her earlier works include appearances in Winter in the Blood, Goodnight Irene, and Barking Water.

Besides this, she has also been a prominent name in the theater circuit, having featured in lead roles in several theater productions. She is also a Councilwoman and Hereditary Drumkeeper of the Women’s Scalp Dance Society of the Ponca Nation of Oklahoma.

Casey's bio on Earthworks describes her as:

"A longtime activist, environmentalist, actress, and published author."

Shedding light on Casey's achievements, Earthworks also mentions:

"Because of Casey’s work, the Ponca Nation is the first Tribe in the State of Oklahoma to adopt the Rights of Nature Statute, and to pass a moratorium on fracking on Tribal Lands."

It further states:

"Casey was also instrumental in the drafting and adoption of the first ever International Indigenous Women’s Treaty protecting the Rights of Nature and has spoken multiple times at the United Nations Forum on Indigenous Issues. Casey is a board member of WECAN and Movement Rights. She joined Earthworks’ board in 2019."

---

All episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender are currently streaming on Netflix.