Mortal Kombat: Kung Lao Actor Talks Working With So Many Talented Martial Artists

The upcoming live-action Mortal Kombat reboot features a number of actors with backgrounds in martial arts, and Max Huang is no exception. The Kung Lao actor started his career as a stuntman. In a Mortal Kombat set visit attended by ComicBook.com during the filming of the movie, Huang discussed his fellow cast members and the way the movie is striving to offer a much more believable take on the world established in the games. This will be seen through a lessened emphasis on cutaways, and more on fight choreography. Huang seems quite pleased with the rest of the cast, and on the movie's push for an authentic experience.

"I mean, to me it's amazing. And going back to the question early on regarding Simon [McQuoid], the director, I mean, I think authenticity overall is the strongest word that I have in mind when talking about this film, you know, and not regarding only the cast, Asian or you know, Afro American, or strong women portraying these characters, but also having actors who can really fight," said Huang. "I mean this is kind of like what the people want to see because the audience is not stupid. If we cut away to a stunt double and let them fight or not showing their face, people know."

Action movies have come a long way since the original Mortal Kombat movie released back in 1995! Huang is right that audiences are much more aware of these kinds of tricks, and making sure that the film offers an authentic experience should help set it apart from previous offerings. For Huang, there is no line between acting and fighting.

"So that is another strong point of being authentic because for me personally, I think that action, being able to physically perform, is a part of the acting. I don't want to separate between fighting and then switching back to acting," said Huang. "No, the fighting in a film is part of the acting and tells the story. So the studio, everyone, the director, they made a clever choice to hire people who can deliver. So yeah, I think that was a smart choice."

It remains to be seen whether or not that choice will prove to be the correct one, but it certainly seems promising, thus far! Fans will be able to decide for themselves when the Mortal Kombat film reboot releases in theaters and on HBO Max on April 16th. In the meantime, readers can find out more by checking out the rest of ComicBook.com's coverage of the Mortal Kombat reboot right here.

Are you looking forward to the Mortal Kombat reboot? Are you excited for the film's action sequences? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!