In Mortal Kombat, Tati Gabrielle She steps into the iconic role of Jade—bringing fan nostalgia and fresh emotional depth to the beloved character. After building a loyal following through projects like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Gabrielle now finds herself at the center of one of gaming’s wildest and most beloved universes.In a chat with ETimes, the actor talks about his childhood connection with the franchise, the physical demands of the role, Adeline Rudolphand why she believes storytelling should empower audiences, especially women.You’ve come a long way: from Sabrina to Zura to now Mortal Kombat. Were you already a fan growing up? Was Jade your ultimate character?Tati Gabrielle: I was a big fan of Mortal Kombat since I was a kid, me and my brother. And yes, Jade was always my top character because I think she was the only one who looked like me. Especially before Tanya came in and stuff like that. Jade was my girl and green was my favorite color as a child. My inner child was screaming when I was able to go ahead with this.I like it Tom Hollandgymnastics helped land Spider-Man, did your black belt help you land this role?Tati Gabrielle: I definitely think it has helped. But it was fun because I actually had to learn a whole new set of martial arts to be able to make Jade. I had to work with a Chinese bow as opposed to a Japanese bow. I have experience with Japanese bow workers, but had to unlearn and relearn. So this was a really fun challenge to go through.What drew you to Jade beyond your personal connection? Was he always the character you wanted to play?Tati Gabrielle: I think I was open to playing other characters, but I feel like Jade was perfect for me. I was also very impressed with the iteration of Jade in this story. You kind of see yourself growing up. In my opinion, through games, you may not be able to see with such a strong heart.Or enter the collaboration that happens to someone when the world really shrinks. Edenia has fallen to Shao Kahn. And what happens to this orphan girl who is already bad as a child. Shao Kahn has brought the fight out of those pits. Who does he become? And how does he continue to find himself throughout life? So I think that was what drew me to Jade. I wouldn’t trade Jade for the world like that.I feel truly honored to be able to tell his story and go through his arc with him. When he discovers who he is and who he wants to be.You meet Adeline Rudolph in this film. What was it like working together again after ‘The Adventures of Sabrina’?Tati Gabrielle: It was my dream to do this with Adeline. Oh, my God. You have no idea. That’s my sister. Through and through. Since ‘Sabrina’ she has been one of the closest to me.And so being able to go on this journey together was very exciting for both of us. We were together, of course, almost every day while filming this. I was very proud of him too. You know, Addie had no martial arts background. And, like, he really committed to this. I like it, super engaged. And he’s like, ‘I want you to fix this. I want to do this’.And we would like to practice together outside the hotel. He’s like, ‘Can you come do this with me and help me with this?’ And I say, ‘Absolutely’. So it was very beautiful, in my opinion. Like a sister, watching her grow like that and develop into this new skill was really, I don’t know, heartwarming and rewarding for me to see.It was such a gift… Once I found out Addie was attached, I said the sisters are back together. It was a blast. Honestly, my favorite part was probably shooting this with Addie.What was it like working alongside veterans? Hiroyuki Sanada and Karl Urban?Tati Gabrielle: It was like his own little mini masterclass. Hiroyuki Sanada… I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. So even knowing this man, I said ‘ah’. As a kid, as a martial artist, I have so much respect and reverence for this man. And so it is so beloved. The whole experience was like little kid moments over and over again saying you’re doing this.We felt like a big family. We went out to dinner all the time. We would have little game nights. It was one of the best acting experiences I’ve had. They were all very beautiful. And it was very clear that we were all working towards the same goal. That we wanted this to be awesome.”Your characters have strong arcs, especially from the female perspective. Is that something you actively pursue?Tati Gabrielle: A lot Because I believe that we humans are always redeemable. That we are always growing. to change To be better than the day before. Or the previous year. Or the previous ten years.And so when I look at characters, I always want to play someone. Or find a relatable story that way. That someone can see themselves and go. OK, I haven’t lost hope. Okay, this is how I can move through life. Okay, or inspire someone to be stronger. to take somethingAnd I think I grew up around some very powerful women. Some very nasty women. And so I think that’s something that I like to reflect. Or does it reflect on me when I go to choose characters? Being similar, yes. And I want all women in the world to know that we have power. At the end of the day Whether men want to think so or not. They need us. They need us. so bad It is so. It’s just an honor for me to empower women like this.There is always chatter and criticism about casting. How do you deal with negativity? And what do you hope the audience will take away?Tati Gabrielle: I mean, honestly, for me, I ignore the negative. At the end of the day, I always think, either you’re going to go…or, you know, you don’t like it. You don’t like me or someone else. And you’re not going to see it. But, hey, that’s your loss, not ours.And I hope that people are able to… people who might have concerns with casting or people’s looks or whatever… I hope that they’re still able to keep an open mind. That’s, again, that’s what I hope for them. I don’t need that for us.I know we have done a great job. And that it’s a sick movie. So… I hope people are able to open their minds so that they can enjoy and grow with time. Yeah, that’s all I can say about it. For example, leave the negative.‘Mortal Kombat II’ is the sequel to the reboot of the ‘Mortal Kombat’ film franchise set for 2021. Simon McQuaid. The story takes place after the events of the 2021 film, where the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung (played by Chin Han) tries to wipe out Earth’s champions before competing for the titular tournament. This time, the stakes are higher as the long-awaited Mortal Kombat tournament takes center stage.‘Mortal Kombat II’ is set to hit theaters on May 8, 2026.
