Mortal Kombat: How Kung Lao Actor Max Huang Prepared for the Role

When the Mortal Kombat reboot releases next month, it will mark the first big screen appearance [...]

By Marc Deschamps

When the Mortal Kombat reboot releases next month, it will mark the first big screen appearance for Kung Lao. While the character has previously appeared in the Mortal Kombat: Legacy web series, he was notably absent from the 1995 Mortal Kombat theatrical film and its sequel. In a Mortal Kombat set visit, actor Max Huang noted the pressure that element adds, and the research he did in order to bring the character to life. Fortunately, Kung Lao has been part of the franchise since 1993's Mortal Kombat II, giving Huang quite a bit of additional material to work with!

"So right after I got the part, I went into training and research. So I looked at all the footage and the game and all the fatalities, brutalities that were out there. And I was just like, okay, there's so much content that I can include and work with but then also adding my own kind of flavor to it," said Huang. "So yeah, actually made a hat out of cardboard in front of the mirror. Wow. The character's already so cool. But can you do more with that? How can you do to the next level of portraying Kung Lao because it's actually the first time that this character is being seen on the very big screen."

That level of commitment should make fans of the Mortal Kombat franchise happy. It's clear the actor is passionate about the role, and it will be interesting to see whether Huang's "own kind of flavor" might shape Kung Lao's character moving forward. That would not be unprecedented; elements from the first Mortal Kombat movie ended up having a significant impact on the series moving forward. Notably, the character Kano was originally depicted in the games as Japanese-American, but was changed to Australian following actor Trevor Goddard's take in the 1995 Mortal Kombat. Similarly, other elements these actors bring to the table could end up living on in the franchise! For now however, Huang is just focused on living up to the role.

"I know there has been TV shows before where we can see Kung Lao, but this is very, very much the first time that we can see Kung Lao. So yeah, quite a bit of pressure. But I try my best to make the fans happy and satisfied."

The Mortal Kombat film reboot will release in theaters and on HBO Max April 16th. 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? Which characters are you most interested in seeing in the movie? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!

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