How Jessica McNamee Is Making Sonya Blade Cheekier and Deadlier in Mortal Kombat II

Jessica McNamee is back as Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat II, telling Us Weekly she’s channeling real soldiers and the ferocity of tigers to hit even harder this time.

Jessica McNamee is back in the fight. The 39-year-old is suiting up again as Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat II, and this time she sounds sharper, cockier, and way more dialed-in on how Sonya moves, thinks, and throws down.

How she found Sonya again: soldiers and, yes, tigers

McNamee pulled from real-life soldiers to get Sonya’s discipline and focus right. The surprising twist: she also studied big cats, especially tigers, watching how they prowl and stay on alert. It is a very specific reference point, but it makes sense for a character who is always scanning the room for the next threat.

Training smarter, not just harder

Round one left her a little banged up. So for the sequel, she overhauled the prep. McNamee hit the gym with trainer Andrea Kinsky to build strength and agility, then drilled character-specific movement with coach Jean-Louis Rodrigue. Nailing how Sonya carries herself physically turned into a foundation for everything else and gave McNamee the confidence boost she wanted going into take two.

Less pressure, more attitude

Because fans were so receptive to the first film, she did not feel the same weight walking onto the sequel. That gave her room to lean into a version of Sonya with a little more bite and personality — specifically, more cheek and sass alongside the punches and takedowns.

"Who says you can’t be cheeky while also kicking ass."

The gang’s back together — and they brought reinforcements

Reuniting with the cast felt like a vacation, according to McNamee — the kind where everyone actually likes each other. And the sequel is not just recycling the roster; it is adding major players. That shifted the vibe on set in a good way, especially with more women in the mix after what McNamee describes as a boys-club first shoot.

• Back/featured: Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Karl Urban (as Johnny Cage)
• New to MK II: Adeline Rudolph (Kitana), Tati Gabrielle (Jade)

Why MK diehards (and newbies) keep showing up

Call it the nostalgia effect. McNamee thinks people hold on to their first Mortal Kombat memory — whether it was mashing buttons on PlayStation, losing quarters at the arcade, or dusting off a Nintendo 64 — and that iconic theme song lights up that part of your brain better than most legacy IP.

Fan art, finally meeting people IRL, and all that good stuff

She still has to pinch herself when she sees fan art of her as Sonya. Most of her fan interaction during the 2021 film was online because COVID kneecapped the promo tour, so she is excited to actually meet people this time around — and expects the art floodgates to open as release day gets closer.

Looking past MK II: romance and future fights

McNamee wants more Mortal Kombat movies and, specifically, would like to see sparks fly between Sonya and Johnny Cage. With Karl Urban stepping in as Cage, consider that door officially cracked open.

What she is shooting next: Evil Dead: Wrath

On deck, McNamee is starring in Evil Dead: Wrath, directed by Francis Galluppi and slated for a 2028 release. They have been filming for four months, and she is all-in on it — calls Galluppi a visionary, says the set has been collaborative and weirdly fun for a gnarly horror project, and loves that this role is a real pivot from Sonya. In her words: no notes, and she cannot wait for people to see the sick stuff they have cooked up.

When Mortal Kombat II hits

Mortal Kombat II lands in theaters on Friday, May 8.