ROBIN SHOU (Liu Kang) was working as a civil engineer when he
decided to take a trip to Hong Kong. While on vacation there, he met a producer
who asked him if he would like to be in a film, playing a KGB assassin.
Though the role was a small one, afterwards Shou switched careers to become
a martial arts hero. He has since starred in more than 20 Hong Kong films,
always performing his own stunts.
It was the role of Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat that first introduced Shou
to American audiences. Most recently, he played Chris Farley's brother in
Beverly Hills Ninja, before returning as Liu Kang in Mortal Kombat Annihilation,
for which he also choreographed all the fights.
TALISA SOTO (Kitana) reprises her role as the 10,000-year-old Princess
Kitana, for the sequel to Paul Anderson's Mortal Kombat. She made her feature
film debut in Paul Morrissey's Spike of Bensonhurst, and then went on to
work with acclaimed directors Oliver Stone in The Doors and Michael Cimino
in Sunchaser.
Born in New York City, her Puerto Rican heritage served her well in Mambo
Kings, in which she played Antonio Banderas' true love Marie, who inspired
the Academy Award-nominated song. She also co-starred with Johnny Depp and
Marlon Brando in Don Juan De Marco. Additional film credits include the
James Bond feature License to Kill and the comedy Spy Hard, opposite Leslie
Neilsen.
Soto has also appeared on television in HBO's critically acclaimed "Women
in Prison," as well as the CBS series "Harts of the West."
A martial arts novice, Soto had to master the art of Brazilian stick-fighting
to play the role of the Princess Kitana, for which she did a majority of
her own stuntwork.
LYNN RED WILLIAMS (Jax) is a former NFL fifth-round draft pick for
the L.A. Rams, who later played for the San Diego Chargers. In 1992, he
attended a try-out for the American Gladiators. He was chosen from 700 candidates
and became Sabre, who was subsequently voted Most Popular Male Gladiator
by the show's legions of fans.
A popular talk-show guest, Williams has made numerous other television appearances
as Sabre on "Regis and Kathie Lee," "America's Funniest People,"
"Family Feud" and "Family Matters," as well as appearing
on "The Jay Leno Show."
He is also a member of the Constitutional Rights Foundation and the Cancer
II Foundation, and spends much of his time giving motivational talks all
over the country.
SANDRA HESS (Sonya Blade) began acting at an early age in her native
Switzerland, appearing in commercials and stage productions. Upon graduating
from high school, she attended one semester at the University of Zurich
Law School before deciding to move to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
Nightwatch, Encino Man and Sniper are among her feature credits.
Hess has made numerous television appearances, including "Highlander,"
"Sliders," "Lois and Clark" and "Sea Quest."
She can next be seen playing the villainess Viper in the Fox telefilm "Nick
Fury," based on the Marvel comic.
JAMES REMAR (Rayden) has been featured in such films as 48 HRS.,
On The Yard, The Warriors, The Long Riders, Wild Bill and Francis Ford Coppola's
The Cotton Club. Remar's other noteworthy screen performances include roles
in Windwalker, The Clan of the Cave Bear, Band of the Hand, Dream Team,
Gus Van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy, Fatal Instinct, Blink, Renaissance Man,
Judge Dredd, Miracle on 34th Street, Boys on the Side, The Quest and The
Phantom.
Remar is currently starring in Steven Botchco's "Total Security"
on ABC. His television credits also include the hit series "Miami Vice,"
"Hill Street Blues," "The Equalizer" and "The Hitchhiker,"
as well as the television films "The Mystic Warrior," "Desperado,"
"Indecency," "Fatal Charm" and "Brotherhood of
the Gun."
In addition, Remar has appeared on Broadway in Martin Sherman's acclaimed
production of "Bent" with Richard Gere, and the Manhattan Theatre
Club's "California Dog Fight," opposite Darren McGavin.
LITEFOOT (Nightwolf), a member of the Cherokee nation, began his
career in the entertainment industry as a rap artist, traveling to reservations
and schools throughout the United States giving concerts designed to enhance
young Native American's awareness of their cultural identity. In four years
he released four albums: "The Money," "Native Tongue,"
"Seein' Red" and "Good Day to Die," as well as a traditional
Cherokee stomp dance record on which he also performed.
In addition to writing and performing, Litefoot oversees the production,
distribution and marketing of his album releases on Red Vinyl Records.
IRINA PANTAEVA (Jade) makes her American film debut with Mortal Kombat
Annihilation. Born into a family of artists in Siberia, she moved to Paris
and gained notoriety as "the first Asian Supermodel," working
for such magazines as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Elle.
She arranged a multicultural production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream,"
directed by David Kaplan, in her native city of Ulan-Ude. The unique collaboration
was honored by a presentation at the National Arts Club in New York.
As a teenager, Pantaeva played a lead in "The Adventures of Hadja Nesredin,"
a fairy tale from Moscow's Gorky Studios. Last year she made a cameo appearance
in An Eyewitness Account by Pasquale Pozzessere, about the assassination
of an Italian Supreme Court Justice.
She has been profiled in Time Magazine, The New York Times, USA Today, People
and The New Yorker. Most recently, she finished a book for Avon Publishers
about the improbable adventures of a young Eskimo girl in the fashion capitals
of the world. In addition, she will be featured in Sports Illustrated's
upcoming swimsuit issue.
CHRIS CONRAD (Johnny Cage) made his feature debut in Airborne and
went on to work with Robert Duvall and Richard Harris in Wrestling Ernest
Hemingway. Other feature roles include Clear and Present Danger, The Specialist
and The Next Karate Kid. Conrad made his acting debut in the television
series "Raven."
REINER SCHOENE (Shinnok) has appeared in such features as The Eiger
Sanction, The Return of Sabata and The Handmaid's Tale. His television credits
include two movies-of-the-week, three miniseries and such popular series
as "Star Trek," "Babylon 5" and "thirtysomething."
He was also a regular on the syndicated series "The Gunfighters."
In theatres around the world, Schoene's roles have ranged from Jesus in
"Jesus Christ Superstar" to Berger in "Hair." He also
had lead roles in "The Wild Duck," "The Rainmaker,"
"The Music Man" and "Catch My Soul," a rock version
of "Othello."
In addition to his acting achievements, Schoene has recorded five albums
as a singer/songwriter.
BRIAN THOMPSON (Shao-Kahn), a veteran of such major action films
as Terminator, Dragonheart, Cobra and Star Trek: The Next Generation, is
a classically trained actor and martial arts enthusiast. Other film roles
include Mel Brooks' Life Stinks, John Landis' Three Amigos and Roland Emmerich's
Moon 44.
He was the lead in three television series: "Werewolf," "Key
West" and "The Kindred," and is presently playing a recurring
role on "The X-Files."
MUSETTA VANDER (Sindel), who began her career as a professional dancer,
got her first taste of acting in "Telemuzik," an MTV-like television
show she hosted in her native South Africa. Since earning Hollywood's attention
for her lead role in the acclaimed production of Soweto's Burning, she has
gone on to star in Monolith with Bill Paxton, Edge of Darkness, Oblivion,
Backlash, James Brooks' I'll Do Anything and, most recently, Under the Hula
Moon with Stephen Baldwin, Emily Lloyd and Christopher Penn.
Vander was signed for her first role as an American television series regular
in "Superforce." She has also guest-starred in such hit series
as "Murder, She Wrote," "Viper," "Buffy, the Vampire
Slayer" and "Highlander."
MARJEAN HOLDEN (Sheeva) made her professional acting debut in Bill
and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Most recently, she was featured in Steven
Spielberg's The Lost World and Jan De Bont's Speed 2: Cruise Control. She
has also appeared in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, The Philadelphia Experiment
2 and the HBO television film "Automatic."
Her television appearances include "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,"
"Mancuso F.B.I.," "Tales from the Crypt," "JAG,"
"Pointman," "Renegade" and "Suddenly Susan."
Since 1989, she has been training with Earl White, a Black Belt instructor
of the renowned Dacascos Martial Arts Academy, while also studying boxing
and Kung Fu.
In addition to her acting talents, Holden recently finished a screenplay
for a feature film she plans to produce and direct.
DERON McBEE (Motaro) first gained audience attention as the American
Gladiator Malibu, starring on television and touring the country. His film
appearances include Predator, Falling Down, Ring of Steel, The Mask and
Batman Forever. Most recently, he was featured in Batman and Robin.
For television, he has appeared on "In Living Color," "Married...With
Children," "The Young and the Restless," "M.A.N.T.I.S."
and "Cybil."
In addition, he toured three years on the professional racquetball circuit.
He studies Karate at the Billy Blanks World Karate Studio and hand-to-hand
combat and broadswords with Anthony DeLongis.
DANA LYNN HEE (Mileena) became a record-breaking champion in track
and field during high school and went on to win the Gold Medal in Tai Kwon
Do at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Her credits as stuntwoman and actress include Batman and Robin, Batman Forever,
The Long Kiss Goodnight, Demolition Man and Species. For television, she
has appeared on "Melrose Place" and "Baywatch."
KEITH HIRABAYASHI (Sub-Zero) studied martial arts in China and now
has his own school in Los Angeles. Accomplished in the arts of Karate, Kung
Fu and Tai Kwon Do, he practices an eclectic combination of several traditions.
J. J. PERRY (Scorpion/Cyrax) previously doubled as Johnny Cage on
the first Mortal Kombat. With a second-degree Black Belt in Akaido and a
fifth degree Black Belt in Tai Kwon Do, Perry has doubled as some of Hollywood's
biggest stars.
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