Mortal Kombat II’s Adeline Rudolph on “honour” of bringing Kitana to life, her upcoming K-Pop thriller and future ambitions

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Adeline Rudolph, known for her parts in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and Riverdale, is now starring as the famous character Kitana in the new Mortal Kombat II movie – her most significant role yet.

I’m really excited about this game adaptation! It’s all about a team of incredible fighters who have to stand up against Shao Kahn, a truly terrifying villain who wants to destroy Earthrealm – basically, everything we know and love! They’re the only ones who can stop him and save the world, and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

Rudolph will be playing Kitana, a fan-favorite character from the Mortal Kombat series who first appeared in the game Mortal Kombat II back in 1993.

As a huge movie and game fan, I always get a little anxious when a beloved character makes the jump to the screen – there’s so much pressure to get it right! The actors in adaptations like The Last of Us, Silent Hill, and Five Nights at Freddy’s definitely feel that. But the actress who played Kitana recently told me it was an amazing experience for her, and she was truly honored to bring such an iconic character to life. It’s cool to hear that even with all the expectations, it was a positive experience for her.

Knowing the character already had a dedicated following, Rudolph felt it was important to thoroughly research the backstory to accurately portray the role.

I had a lot of existing material to work with,” she explained to TopMob. “I not only played the games, but I really immersed myself in the story, history, and the connections between all the characters. Understanding those relationships was key to feeling comfortable in this new universe.

When developing Kitana’s character, I really focused on understanding her origins: her birthplace, beliefs, the culture she came from, and what guided her sense of right and wrong. These were the most important aspects for me.

Even though Mortal Kombat II is full of fantastical settings and exciting fights, Rudolph thinks it’s crucial to show the characters’ weaknesses and human sides to truly connect with players.

Rudolph explained that she focused on portraying Kitana authentically by deeply understanding her personality and bringing that to the screen. She wanted to avoid simply imitating previous performances or the video game version of the character, and instead create a genuine and believable portrayal.

I really wanted to bring the fascinating story to life in a way that felt relatable and genuine, and that’s what I tried to focus on with my acting.

Rudolph was inspired by the deep history and stories of Mortal Kombat, but she also appreciated how much the returning actors from the 2021 film supported her and the new cast. They made her and the others feel welcome and quickly helped them get involved in the exciting world of Mortal Kombat.

This installment features new characters like Kitana, and Karl Urban, known for his role in ‘The Boys,’ joins Rudolph as Johnny Cage, leading the cast.

Rudolph praised Karl, describing him as a remarkably kind and easygoing person to work with. He felt Karl was perfectly suited for the role of Johnny Cage, and working with such a professional, talented, and funny actor was a real pleasure. Rudolph believes Karl’s comedic performance will be a hit with fans, offering a subtle and well-executed portrayal of the character.

Thinking about Rudolph’s performance, it really struck me how she, and other incredibly talented actresses like Michelle Yeoh and Jessica Henwick, have spoken about the challenges they’ve faced in their careers. They’ve worried about taking roles that might fall into tired, stereotypical tropes for Asian actors, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot when considering her work.

Born in Hong Kong, raised and educated in Britain, and with Korean and German heritage, Jessica Henwick admits it took time to find her footing as an actress. While Henwick was initially unsure about playing Colleen Wing in Iron Fist because she’d steered clear of martial arts roles before, she didn’t have the same reservations when she took on the part of Kitana.

Kitana was already a well-known character with a detailed history and background, so there was no worry she’d be a simple or shallow characterization.

As a reviewer, I approached this project knowing Kitana is a legendary character, and honestly, I wasn’t worried about making any missteps. The wealth of existing backstory and source material gave me a lot to work with. My biggest focus was really making sure I captured her essence – how she carries herself and exists within the game’s world – and doing her justice.

After appearing in Mortal Kombat II, Rudolph’s next role is in the upcoming thriller, Perfect Girl. Starring Arden Cho, Jeon Somi, and Rudolph, the film centers around a K-Pop group vying for their big break, but their preparations are disrupted when members start being targeted in a series of attacks.

Not much is known about the movie yet, and Rudolph isn’t sharing many details about this K-Pop thriller. However, she says ‘Perfect Girl’ is a very personal project that helped her resolve childhood issues.

The movie also stars popular K-Pop artists like Jeon Somi, Nancy of Momoland, Siyoon from Billlie, and Chaerin from Cherry Bullet. Working with these artists gave director Rudolph valuable insight that she used to shape the actors’ performances.

Rudolph described the cast as phenomenal, highlighting their unique perspectives gained from firsthand experience within the industry. She called working with them a dream, praising their talent, humility, and strength, saying they were truly amazing and inspiring.

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Rudolph’s next role is personally meaningful, as it highlights her cultural heritage and is sure to generate discussion. However, her journey to becoming an actress hasn’t been easy.

Instead of being defined by past roles or feeling restricted by them, Rudolph uses her wide range of experience to her advantage as she moves between various film industries and markets.

I’m really excited about the possibility of working on Korean and German films! But honestly, I feel so lucky to be working here in America, in Hollywood. I’m thankful for every opportunity that comes my way, and I’m eager to take on new projects.

Authors

Adam Davidson

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2026-05-08 12:35