Noah Andrew Ringer (born November 18, 1997) is an American actor and a martial arts practitioner. He starred as Aang in the 2010 film The Last Airbender and played Emmett in Cowboys & Aliens.
Ringer was born in Dallas, Texas. He has stated that he has some Native American heritage. He was a shy child growing up. When he was ten, his mother enrolled him at ATA Martial Arts in Carrollton, Texas, part of the American Taekwondo Association, or ATA. Initially reluctant to go, Ringer quickly fell in love with it. He showed early promise and soon began competing in tournaments. In December 2008, at age twelve, Ringer earned his first degree black belt.
Ringer kept his head shaved, and fellow students nicknamed him "Avatar," after the character Aang in the animated television series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Ringer's taekwondo instructor, Master Eric Pechacek, started watching the show and also noticed the resemblance of Ringer to Aang, in both appearance and personality. He introduced the show to Ringer, who became an immediate fan.