Mortal Kombat 1 has breathtaking graphics, and all of the MK1 characters look amazing because of the face models and actors. Some of the best-looking characters in the game are Kitana, Mileena, Nitara, Li Mei, and Kenshi, and their model faces range from celebrity actors to gorgeous supermodels and legitimate martial artists.
Despite its name, Mortal Kombat 1 is not a remake. It’s a soft reboot and sequel to MK11, and the early access edition is now available ahead of the full launch. Every MK installment redesigns every character, and the kombatants this year look more realistic than ever before. And that’s because many of the face models are famous celebrity actors or supermodels blessed with perfect aesthetics.
Who is the Mortal Kombat 1 Mileena and Kitana face model?
The face model for twin sisters Kitana and Mileena in Mortal Kombat 1 is Chi Nguyen.
This is different from MK11 where the face model for Kitana and Mileena was American model Kaprice Imperial. Chi Nguyen is another model affiliated with the Crawford Models agency, and she confirmed her involvement with MK1 on her Instagram.
She gleefully announced that this is “definitely the coolest thing I’ve ever done, being the face of Kitana and Mileena on @mortalkombat 1 releasing this September”. Of course, Mileena and Kitana are twin sisters, so it’s obvious they’d share the same face despite Mileena’s grotesque disfigurement.
In Mortal Kombat 1, Mileena is the older twin sister, and they are the daughters of Sindel. Unfortunately, the face model for Sindel hasn’t been found. Speculation online suggests Ana Thu Nguyen, but she’s actually playing Sindel in the Mortal Kombat 2 movie.
Mortal Kombat 1 – Li Mei face model and voice actor
The voice actor for the returning Li Mei in Mortal Kombat 1 is actress Kelly Hu.
She is also reportedly the face model for Li Mei, as well as the voice actor for Madame Bo. Fans online have reacted extremely well to the portrayal.
This isn’t Kelly Hu’s first step into the MK world as she was Sindel back in Mortal Kombat X. In that installment, she also played Frost and D’Vorah, and she reprised her role as D’Vorah only in MK11.
Mortal Kombat 1 – Nitara face model and voice actor
Arguably the most recognizable face model and voice actor in Mortal Kombat 1 is Megan Fox as Nitara.
Megan Fox is a famous celebrity actress known for starring in movies such as Jennifer’s Body and the Transformer series. She’s also an action hero in the upcoming Expendables 4, and she was once crowned the ‘world’s sexiest woman’ back in 2008.
While known for her movies and supermodel looks, what’s less known is that she’s legitimately a massive Mortal Kombat fan. Her performance as Nitara has split fans, but she’s also received praise from the MK fandom on Reddit because of her love for the series.
MK1 Kenshi
The face model for Kenshi in Mortal Kombat 1 might actually be familiar to fans from the Gamology YouTube channel.
Kenshi’s face model is Noah Fleder. He has confirmed this on his Instagram, too. Noah Fleder is an actual martial artist, and he appears to have performed mo-cap for the upcoming game.
Away from martial arts, gamers may recognize him from Gamology. There he’s demonstrated his love for Mortal Kombat by recreating seemingly impossible moves as well as reacting to characters and deadly fatalities.
MK1 Tanya face model
Lastly, the reported face model for Tanya in Mortal Kombat 1 is Sydney Cross.
This has been reported by outlets when discussing the Tanya redesign, but it is not confirmed by the model or NetherRealm as of writing. However, the resemblance is uncanny.
Her model portfolio can be found over at Select Models. In MK1, it is a complete redesign for Tanya as she no longer bears the blinding white eyes or bob haircut last seen in Mortal Kombat X.
Some fans argue that, while the face model looks good, the character is too different that they should be an original kombatant rather than using Tanya’s name.
MK1 Reiko voice actor
The voice actor and face model for Reiko in Mortal Kombat 1 is Derek Phillips.
He was part of the Friday Night Lights television series from 2006 to 2011, and he’s been part of other video games such as Call of Duty Vanguard where he was the voice of Wade Jackson.
Derek Phillips reacted to his casting as Reiko on a livestream. On Twitter, you can watch his wholesome reaction to seeing his face and hearing his voice in the game.
Other celebrities in Mortal Kombat 1
Away from the original characters, there are lots of other celebrities in Mortal Kombat 1 acting as face models and voice actors.
In the Kombat Pack 1 DLC, John Cena is Peacemaker from James Gunn’s Suicide Squad. Anthony Starr also reprises his role as evil superman, Homelander, from The Boys television series.
Lastly, J.K. Simmons voices Omni-Man. Rumors online suggested Travis Scott would be part of MK1 with Megan Fox, but, as of writing, this rumor hasn’t come to fruition.
If you pre-ordered the Premium edition, you also get a Jean Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage. This is amazing because the Johnny Cage character was initially based on the action hero and martial artist.
Mortal Kombat 1 is now available on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox in early access format. There is no crossplay at launch, but it is coming in the future.