Kalina Liang Says She Felt 'Immense Pressure' After Seeing Reddit's Reaction to Her Casting as Chun-Li

Kalina Liang Admits She Felt 'Immense Pressure' After Seeing Fan Reactions to Her Casting as Chun-Li in the Street Fighter Film, Particularly a Point She Noticed on Reddit

Kalina Liang admitted that she felt a lot of pressure after seeing fan reactions to the news of her casting as Chun Li in Street Fighter, specifically referring to a thread she saw on Reddit.

Yes, celebrities actually read what you say about them on the internet. Speaking with Project Big Screen, Liang revealed what was going through his mind when Deadline broke the news that he had been cast as Chun Li after seeing what fans were saying about him on Reddit. And surprisingly, he has a lot more in common with the fighting game community than you might think.

"There was this reddit thread: 'Kalina Liang's thighs are nowhere near as big as Chunli's,'" he laughed. "But absolutely. When I look at it as a huge fan, I want whoever plays Chun Lee to be who I imagine him to be in my head and what you see him in the video games and anime. He looks crazy. His body is crazy."

But Liang knew his limitations. With only two months to prepare for the role, she didn't have as much time to bulk up her thighs as a fighting game first lady - but she was determined to make the most of the time she had, while making sure she was realistic about her goals.

"I felt a lot of pressure. I was like, 'Right, I've got to get it together.' My motto the whole time was just, 'No regrets.' Do your best. It doesn't matter how big you can get physically.'

"I was just like, 'Don't be sorry, do your best, and whatever results you get, you can say, at least I tried my best.' That's what I did and I think I'm happy."

Because Lee is all about kicks. So we did some Taekwondo, Muay Thai and Wushu (Kung Fu) training. I was doing two hours of it a day and it really strengthened my legs and changed my diet drastically. When I was bulking up, I ate 12 eggs a day. I had to eat a meal every two hours. "The thighs had grown six and a half centimeters each." He said in an interview with Empire magazine.

You can see Liang's martial arts skills in Street Fighter, which hits theaters this Friday, October 16.

Virginia (she) is the news editor for IGN. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, he has a background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.