Which human scientist does Dileep Rao play in Avatar: Fire and Ash?

Dileep Rao plays the human scientist Dr. Max Patel in Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Max Patel is a scientist associated with the Avatar Program and an ally of Jake Sully and the Na’vi. In the first Avatar film, he works with Dr. Grace Augustine and gradually supports Jake’s break from the Resources Development Administration. Unlike many human characters, Max remains on Pandora after the RDA is driven away.

In the later films, Max continues working with the human scientists who oppose or resist the RDA’s colonial project. He is often mentioned alongside Dr. Norm Spellman, but they are separate characters played by different actors: Joel David Moore portrays Norm, while Dileep Rao portrays Max. Another possible mix-up is Dr. Ian Garvin, the marine biologist connected to the tulkun hunters; Garvin is played by Jemaine Clement.