One Move at a Time

Mortal Kombat star Joe Taslim says his connection to the popular video game series goes beyond the game itself. A lifelong Mortal Kombat fan, he was ecstatic when he was first offered the role of Sub-Zero: a martial-arts warrior, who also possesses the innate ability to control ice in many different ways. However, it was the story behind this character that inspired him to take on the role. “As a character, he’s not just a badass – he has such a dramatic and interesting story,” he says. “When I researched the history of Sub-Zero, I found that his father was an outcast, and then when he was a kid, he and his brother were kidnapped and then trained to be assassins. It’s a whole universe by itself, and deep in terms of dramatic performance, so I’m really excited that we could continue the story and the journey.”

Similarly, his attitude towards training as Sub-Zero took on a different perspective. Make no mistake, this was not his first venture into intensive training; not only is Taslim known for his involvement in action-packed movies like 2016’s Star Trek Beyond and the 2020 Korean-language film The Swordsman, but he has also competed and won several medals for Indonesia’s national judo team. Even with a background in martial arts, his skills as a musician, he notes, is what supports his approach to different martial-arts styles. “If somebody is good at one instrument, it’s not really hard to jump to another instrument, because the core is the same,” he explains. “In martial arts, it’s the same. When I jump to another martial art for a movie, I learn it pretty fast, because the way I think, to keep it simple, it’s like learning to play a new instrument.”

On another note, his home country of Indonesia has been a big part of his identity. Last year, Taslim helped raise over Rp 203.193.321 (over $14,000 in U.S. currency) through the fundraising platform, Kitabisa, to support essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. His primary focus, however, has been advocating for the Indonesian film industry during the crisis. On March 5th of this year, he shared an Instagram post of a letter to President Joko Widodo of Indonesia to ask for his support. But even with the president’s help, it’s no surprise to see that the entertainment industry has been suffering. “I believe that without movie theaters, there would be a domino effect that hurts actors, as well,” he adds. “This pandemic has affected all forms of art on a deeper level, and in my opinion, entertainers are the most needed. When the world is fine, of course, we entertain people, but when the world is weeping, we have a responsibility to entertain people and get them through the hardships.”

As a person of color in a predominantly white industry, he recognizes that he is fortunate to have come as far as he has to cement his career. According to the annual UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report, only 4.8% of all acting roles in films went to people of Asian descent in 2018, and 5% in 2019. Taslim tells me that one of his goals is to open an acting school in Indonesia and share his knowledge and experiences with future generations of actors. “I’m lucky enough to be able to have a career in Hollywood, so I have a lot of experience I want to share,” he says. “My dreams came true, and I just want to pay it forward with what I do best and make their dreams come true.”

Writer: Hannah Fitzpatrick

Photographer & Videographer: Niki Yusuf Saputra (@niki.maski – for Swell Up)

Photographer Manager: Iman Soesanto

Photographer Assistants: Aries Pujiharsono & Mandra Ngadiman & Kodim Wahid

Stylist: Imelda Untoro

Stylist Assistant: Aji Suropati

Men’s Grooming: Pingky Olvies

Men’s Grooming Assistant: Imam Anantu

Editor: Eiko Watanabe

Special thanks to Coach (@coach - www.coach.com) & Wong Hang Distinguished Tailor (@wonghangtailor - wonghang.com) & J a n | S o b e r (@jansober - www.jansober.com) & EPK Media (@myepk & @epkmedia - epkmedia.com)