In Mortal Kombat, Tati Gabrielle plays the iconic role of Jade, bringing fan nostalgia and new emotional depth to the beloved character. Having gained a loyal following through projects like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Gabrielle now finds herself at the center of one of gaming’s most brutal and beloved worlds.In a conversation with ETimes, the actress talks about her childhood connection to the franchise, the physical demands of the role, her reunion with Adeline Rudolph, and why she believes storytelling should empower audiences — especially women.You’ve come a long way — from Sabrina to now Mortal Kombat. Growing up, were you already a fan? Was Jade your favorite character?Tati Gabrielle: I was a huge Mortal Kombat fan when I was a kid, both my brother and I. And yeah, Jade was always my favorite character because I think she was the only one who looked like me.
Especially before Tanya came along and stuff like that. Jade was my favorite color and green was my favorite color when I was a child. My inner child was screaming when I managed to keep this up.He loves Tom HollandGymnastics helped him get into Spider-Man, did your black belt help you get the role?Tati Gabrielle: I definitely think it helped. But it was funny, actually, because I had to learn a whole new set of martial arts in order to be able to practice the jade sport. I had to work with a Chinese bow instead of a Japanese bow staff. I have experience with Japanese bow staff but had to unlearn to learn again.
This has been a really fun challenge throughout this.What attracted you to Jade outside of your personal relationship? Was it always a character you wanted to play?Tati Gabrielle: I think I was open to playing other characters, but I feel like Jade was a perfect fit for me. I was really intrigued by their iteration of Jade in this story. You kind of see her growing into herself. Which I think through games, you might not be able to see it with such a strict heart.Or really getting into the interactions of what happens to someone when their world diminishes. Edenia fell to Shao Kahn. And what happens to this orphan girl who was already bad when she was a child. She was pulled from these fighting pits by Shao Kahn. Who do you become? How does she continue to find herself through life? So I think that’s the thing that attracted me to Jade. I wouldn’t trade Jade for the world like that.I feel really honored to be able to tell her story and go through her story with her. When she discovers who she is and who she wants to be.She reunites with 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. This is my sister. Through and through. She was one of the closest people to me since Sabrina.And so to be able to go on this journey together has been really exciting for both of us. We were together, of course, almost every day while filming this movie. I was proud of her too. As you know, Adi had no background in martial arts. And she’s really committed to this. Like, very committed. “I want to make this clear,” she said. I want to do this.”We would like to train together outside the hotel. She’s like, “Can you come do this with me and help me with this?” And I say “sure.”
So it was very pretty, I thought. Just like my sister was, like, watching her, like, grow through this and develop this new skill, it was really, like, I don’t know, really gratifying and rewarding for me to watch.It was a gift… As soon as I found out about Addie’s connection, I was like, oh, the sisters are back together again. It was a blast. Probably my favorite part about filming this was doing it with Addie.What was it like working alongside veterans? Hiroyuki Sanada and Karl Urban?Tati Gabrielle: It was like a little lesson of its own. Hiroyuki Sanada… I’ve been a fan of his since I was a kid.
So, even when I met this guy, I was like, “Ah.” When I was a kid, like a martial artist, I had a lot of respect for this guy and kind of revered him. And so he is a lover. The whole experience was like these little kid moments over and over again, where you’re like, you have to do this.We felt like one big family. We used to go to dinner all the time. We used to have little game nights. It was one of the best acting experiences I’ve ever had. Everyone was so lovely.
It was very clear that we were all working towards the same goal. We wanted this to be great.Your characters often have strong personalities, especially from a woman’s perspective. Is this something you are actively pursuing?Tati Gabrielle: Very much. Because I believe that we as human beings can always be saved. We are always looking to grow. To change. To always be better than we were the day before. Or the year before that.
Or ten years ago.So when I look at characters, I always want to play someone. Or find a story that can be relatable in this way. That someone can see themselves and go. Well, hope is not lost for me. Well, this is how I can move on in life then. Well, or inspire someone to be stronger. To take something.And I think I grew up around some very strong women. Some women are so badass. And so I think that’s something I would like to think about.
Or is that reflected in my face when I go to choose characters? To be like, yeah. And I want all women in the world to know that we have the power. At the end of the day. Whether men want to think so or not. They need us. They need us. Very bad. That’s how it is. It is an honor to be able to empower women in this way.There is always talk and criticism about casting. How do you deal with negativity? What do you hope the audience takes away?Tati Gabrielle: I mean, honestly, for me, it’s the negativity that I ignore. Because at the end of the day, I always think you’re either going to go…or you don’t like it, you know.
You don’t love me or anyone else. And you won’t go watch it. But hey, it’s your loss, not ours.And I hope that people will be able…those who may have obsessions or anything in terms of acting or people’s appearance…I hope that they will still be able to keep an open mind. And that, again, I hope so for them. I don’t need that for us.I know we did a great job. And it’s a sick movie. So… I hope people can open their minds so they can enjoy and grow with the times.
Yes, that’s all I can say to that. Like, the naysayers are gone.“Mortal Kombat II” is the follow-up to the 2021 reboot of the “Mortal Kombat” film series, directed by Simon McQuaid. The story begins after the events of the 2021 film, as the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung (played by Chen Han) attempts to eliminate Earth’s heroes before they can compete in the titular tournament. This time, the stakes are higher as the long-awaited Mortal Kombat tournament takes center stage.Mortal Kombat II is scheduled to hit theaters on May 8, 2026.
