Ludi Lin is back in action for Mortal Kombat II, and this time, it's an entirely new version of Lin that fans get to see. For Liu Kang's role, he had to put on 40 pounds during filming; he went from 165 to 205 pounds.

Talking to Men's Health for the Strong Talk podcast alongside fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, the 38-year-old shared the mindset he had to develop that helped him transform into an extremely demanding character.

"There's no such thing as perfection, only progression," he said, a philosophy that shaped every rep and every meal.

Lin's lean physique was ideal for the first film, as Liu Kang was then featured as a more agile and quicker martial artist. But with time, the demand of fans increased, and he knew he needed more mass and a more imposing presence.

He abandoned all the calisthenics and martial arts training he relied on. His training structure shifted from athletic training, focusing more on traditional bodybuilding territory.

Lin started focusing heavily on adding muscles and stopped being lean and explosive. This was a significant change for him, as he had trained himself in martial arts.

For Lin, the hardest part was the increase in his calorie intake, his diet. He had to eat heavy meals constantly, and admitted that was his most difficult part for the film.

On a show called Strong Talk, he opened up about the difficulties he faced in bulking up, his interest in peptides, and how his co-stars trained for Mortal Kombat II.

Ludi Lin and Mortal Kombat II Are Betting on Asia, and Going in Uncut

The 40-pound bulk was not the only work Ludi Lin had to put in. Lin told Men's Health that he has been equally deliberate about where Mortal Kombat II lands, and how.

The film starts in Indonesia, in Indonesia and the Philippines, ahead of broader Asian markets, Australia, and eventually the U.S. Lin is unapologetic about the strategy. "My bet's on Asia," he says.

The main aspect that makes the bet interesting lies in the Chinese culture itself. It is true that before this, Hollywood films used to make adjustments based on China to appeal to its local populace, but Mortal Kombat II does not have any modifications made in it, including the killings portrayed.

“This is new,” says Lin, explaining how having an international cast of Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, and Korean descent has made this move easier and natural for him. “This is the reason why it's becoming so popular globally and not merely within.”

Lin's for this has changed his physique and the marketing strategy. He is trying to create a more realistic and comprehensive Liu Kang and himself. "One aspect of myself also understands that as a human being, I am much more complicated than being merely a fighter," he says.

For Lin, both the change in physique and the marketing strategy have the same message for him: he is trying to create a more realistic and comprehensive Liu Kang and himself. "One aspect of myself also understands that as a human being, I am much more complicated than being merely a fighter," he says.

Do you think more Hollywood blockbusters should pursue an Asia-first release strategy?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil