Today we talk with Max Huang, a martial artist and actor best known for his work in Jackie Chan’s films and for playing Kung Lao in the Mortal Kombat movies. He shares his journey from martial arts to the big screen, along with stories from working with Jackie Chan and other action stars.
You hold an acting diploma from the London Actors Studio and have trained with Larry Moss. Can you tell us about that experience and how it shaped you as an actor?
I would say that having learned certain techniques – how to break down and analyze a script, how to build an imaginary world for myself as the character, and how to be specific and bold with my choices – personally gives me a sense of security when it comes to my job as an actor. The greatest school I find, though, is when you are on set and it is all happening right here, right now.
I believe in preparation, whether it’s physical or learning and understanding your lines. That gives me the confidence to come on set and relax in those stressful moments. Larry Moss is a master of his craft, and I consider myself blessed to have witnessed him teach in some of his classes. There is still so much for me to learn.
Could you tell us about your martial arts background?
I trained in Wing Chun for one year when I was 11. After that, because the school closed down, I found a new teacher, Ozegen Senol, who was teaching a Malaysian Kung Fu style. We did lots of sparring and went to tournaments, where I won my first fights. It was a great time.
After training for around 3 to 4 years, I saw Jet Li’s film Shaolin Temple and was so fascinated that my grandmother ended up traveling with me to the Shaolin Temple in China. The following year, I came back by myself and stayed at a Kung Fu school near the Shaolin Temple. It was 6 to 8 hours of training a day, but I loved it.
After my return to Germany, I found modern Wushu and started competing in it for a long time until 2015, representing Germany at the World Championships in Jakarta as part of the German National Wushu Team. I specialized in southern fist (Nan Quan), but I also learned other styles like Chang Quan and many of the weapons in wushu, like Broadsword, cudgel, 9 chain whip, etc.
Lately, I fell back in love with full contact, so besides wushu forms, I’m training in Sanda, which is similar to kickboxing but also includes throwing techniques from wrestling. I also trained for some time in boxing, tricking, gymnastics, stunt falls, and some taekwondo kicking techniques. I am very fascinated with all martial arts and consider myself a student of the art, so I just keep learning.
You began your action film career with Chinese Zodiac (2012), playing a bodyguard in a Jackie Chan film. How did you land the role, and what was it like working with a legend like Jackie Chan?
It was my first film working with Jackie Chan and his Stunt Team. It was honestly a real challenge, because the team tested me to see if I had the strength, commitment, skills, and heart to become one of them. It was the movie where I got accepted into the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. It was also a great learning experience, because Jackie directed the film himself. It’s my favorite Jackie Chan film I’ve worked on so far for that reason, and because of all the great memories I have from working with him for the first time. I feel truly blessed.
In 2013, you reunited with Jackie on Police Story: Lockdown. What are your thoughts on the Police Story franchise, and how do you think it has evolved over the years?
The Police Story franchise is legendary. It was an honor to have the chance to work on Police Story: Lockdown. Over the years, Jackie Chan’s work has become more and more character-driven, and in Lockdown you’ll also get to see much more dramatic scenes than in the previous Police Story films. My top films are Police Story 1 and New Police Story.
In 2015, you were part of Dragon Blade, which featured John Cusack and Adrian Brody. Was that production different from other films you had worked on?
It was one of the richest experiences I’ve had in my career. We were filming for two months in the Gobi Desert, and I got to visit places I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. It was, at the same time, the hardest film I’ve worked on. We had hundreds of extras dressed as soldiers. Filming in the desert was extremely challenging because of the heat and sandstorms, but looking back, it was an amazing experience.
In 2019, you made your filmmaking debut with the original action short No Way Out. Can you tell us about the project and what inspired you to create it?
I didn’t have enough acting material at the time, so I decided to write my own script and make a movie that would showcase my action and acting skills. It took much longer than I expected to complete the project, but I’m quite happy with the result and it opened up so many doors for me. All thanks to my friends and colleagues who helped me bring it to life.
I can only recommend this to young filmmakers. If you have an idea, go and make a film with your friends. It will teach you so many things that you probably wouldn’t be able to learn on a big film. I had to take on multiple roles for this one and became the producer, action director, songwriter, editor, everything. It was a huge learning curve.
In 2021, you landed the role of Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat. Can you share your experience of getting the role and working on such a major franchise?
It was one of my life-changing moments, for sure. I was auditioning from Germany at my parents’ home. I remember I recorded my audition twice, because on the first day I wasn’t happy with the result, so I went back the next day and gave it another try. I believe it was partially because of that, my perseverance, that I got the call.
Working on Mortal Kombat was a dream come true, and I used a lot of it to prepare for the role. I trained up to six hours a day, and I carried a notebook with me, giving Kung Lao a backstory and doing a lot of research. I also cut out a hat from cardboard and trained with it to come up with some of the movements you see in the film.
I’ve heard that you trained with a Shaolin monk in Germany. Can you tell us more about that experience and what you learned from it?
Shi Yan Lin is a master in Shaolin Kung Fu. It was great learning from him. He toughed me some of the traditional Shaolin forms, like Qi Xing Quan (Seven Star Fist). I enjoy Shaolin Kung Fu, because it combines the physical with the spiritual. It’s like moving meditation, and I learned to lose and find myself within that practice.
Hidden Strike (2023) marked another collaboration with Jackie Chan. Do you have any memorable stories or interesting moments from the set?
Getting to work with John Cena was amazing. He is a very humble individual, very hardworking. He speaks Chinese and also plays the piano well. We filmed it partially in Inner Mongolia. That’s the great thing about making movies — you get to see so many different places.
You returned for the Mortal Kombat sequel. What has changed in terms of directing, action design, and choreography compared to the first film?
We were much more locked in on Mortal Kombat 2. The stunt team did such an amazing job. We were all on the same page and had a lot of prep time for the action. We combined Hong Kong-style shooting with Hollywood-level filmmaking, and I really enjoyed the film.
The most memorable scene for me was when I fought Ludi Lin, who plays Liu Kang, in the blue portal. We filmed it for six days straight, and I am proud of the result.
7 Dogs is your latest movie, and it looks very promising. What can audiences expect from it?
It’s a high-octane buddy action comedy from the directors of Bad Boys 4, Adil and Bilal, two very talented directors. I play a villain in this film. It was fun for me, because I look and behave completely differently in this one. We also had the amazing 87Eleven stunt team to do the action design for it.
You recently launched the Life of Action series on YouTube. Can you tell us how the idea came about and what viewers can expect from it?
It’s a mini-documentary about my life – how I started, how I got to work with Jackie Chan, and later landed the role of Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat. I want the audience to get to know me and my journey as an actor and filmmaker better, so this is why we filmed it.
What are your top three favorite action films of all time?
- Bruce Lee’s Way of the Dragon
- Jackie Chan’s Fearless Hyena
- Donnie Yen’s SPL (Killzone)
What are your two favorite fight scenes in film history?
- Donnie Yen vs. Wu Jing in SPL
- Bruce Lee vs. Chuck Norris in Way of the Dragon
Which three recent action movies would you recommend watching?
- Flashpoint
- Fearless
- Enter the Dragon.
Disclaimer: The images and videos used in this interview are sourced from other sources and are used for informational and editorial purposes only. All images remain the property of their respective copyright holders.
