Josh Lawson, who portrays Kano in the recent Mortal Kombat reboot, was surprised by the amazing reviews he received for his performance. Mortal Kombat is based on a long-running franchise of fighting games, which caused a massive controversy when the first game hit shelves in 1992 because of the graphic violence and blood animations, even prompting congressional hearings. As the saying goes, though, there’s no such thing as bad press, and Mortal Kombat was propelled to the massive success that the series is still enjoying today. It wasn’t long before Hollywood wanted a piece of the franchise.

Mortal Kombat first found its way to the big screen with the 1995 film of the same name that was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Critics didn’t think much of the movie, pointing out the dialogue and plot as hindrances, but it found a fanbase with over $120 million worldwide. It was quickly followed by a sequel with 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, which was ravaged by critics and barely managed $50 million worldwide, killing the franchise. The games continued to find success, but Mortal Kombat didn’t see another live-action film until this year’s reboot. The new movie had a lukewarm reception from critics, but fans of the franchise enjoyed the film for finally embracing an R-rating to feature the gory kills the Mortal Kombat games have always served up. Whether good or bad, though, most reviews pointed to Lawson’s portrayal of Kano as the highlight of the film.

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Lawson recently spoke with Coming Soon about his upcoming film, Long Story Short, which he wrote and directed. During the interview, he was asked about the overwhelmingly positive reviews of his portrayal of Kano in Mortal Kombat and responded by explaining how unexpected they were. He went on to say that he didn’t think he was bad in the movie, just that he thought audiences wouldn’t notice him. However, Lawson is clearly appreciative of the praise. Read his full comments, below:

“Look, I can say with a hand on my heart they’re probably the best reviews I’ve ever received in my career for Mortal Kombat, which I can promise you, it was not what I was expecting. Not that I thought I was bad in it, I just didn’t think anyone would notice. I’m very, very pleased that people responded to Kano.

“I’ll be honest, most of the time I’m used to terrible reviews of my career for the most part. So to get some positive reviews has been a lovely change. It’s been nice to feel like the work was appreciated.”

The character of Kano has been around since the original game, and he was even in the first film as portrayed by Trevor Goddard. Some even credit the appearance of the character in the first film as the reason he’s remained a fan favorite in the games. When the reboot was coming together, numerous characters from the games were chosen to appear, such as Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Sonya Blade, and of course, Kano. Lawson was brought on to portray the character, bringing the bravado most expected with an unexpected humorous charisma that won over audiences. While the character is meant to be a villain, his foul-mouthed wisecracks immediately endeared him to viewers, and the filmmakers even allowed the character to perform his famous heart rip from the games.

When it comes to a large cast, each of whom gets minimal screen time, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. While Lawson is clearly humble about his performance, he brought a character that could’ve been forgettable to the forefront, leaving a lasting impression. Lawson has had a successful career with roles in Superstore, House of Lies, and Anchorman, but his Kano reviews offer a new level of exposure for him. Now, with the praise he’s received for Mortal Kombat, Lawson is likely to have numerous offers coming his way. His next film, Long Story Short, is slated to drop later this year, and audiences should see plenty more of Lawson on screen in the coming years.

Source: Coming Soon

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Timothy McClelland
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Tim McClelland is a TV/Movie News Writer for Screen Rant, and his screenplays have accrued more than 25 awards and selections in competition. He got his start when his short biography of Augusten Burroughs was published in 2008, and his career has seen him write video game walkthroughs, web content, and interactive fiction for mobile platforms. Tim resides in Durham, NC, with a rabid passion for film, TV, video games, and comics.

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