Chun-Li’s ‘Street Fighter’ Actress Reveals the Extreme Transformation Behind Her Iconic Thighs

Video game adaptations have increasingly leaned into physical authenticity over CGI shortcuts, with actors going to genuinely extreme lengths to embody characters whose exaggerated proportions were originally designed for pixelated sprites and hand-drawn animation. Few characters present that challenge quite as literally as one of fighting gaming’s most recognizable icons.

Bringing that character’s signature silhouette to life on screen meant one actress had to commit to a transformation most people would never consider attempting for a role.

Callina Liang says she grew her thighs by 6.5 centimeters in preparation for playing Chun-Li in ‘Street Fighter,’ describing the process in an interview with Empire magazine as reported by IGN. Liang explained that the transformation stemmed directly from the character’s fighting style, saying, “Chun-Li is all kicks. So we did a bunch of Taekwondo training, Muay Thai, and wushu.”

According to ComicBook.com’s coverage of the interview, Liang detailed just how intensive that preparation became, explaining she trained roughly two hours a day across multiple martial arts disciplines while simultaneously overhauling her diet to support serious muscle growth in her legs. She described the bulking phase as physically demanding, noting the frequency and volume of meals required to fuel that kind of transformation.

Liang’s preparation wasn’t limited to the physical side alone. According to Yahoo’s reporting on the Empire interview, she also downloaded every version of the “Street Fighter” game onto a PS5 and recorded Chun-Li’s in-game fighting moves in slow motion so she could study and replicate them with accuracy, ensuring her performance matched the character’s movement just as closely as her physique.

That level of dedication has already generated buzz among longtime fans of the franchise, with some reactions online noting that Chun-Li’s in-universe power has always been closely tied to her kick strength and leg development, making Liang’s approach feel especially fitting for the role. Director Kitao Sakurai’s adaptation for Legendary Pictures also stars Andrew Koji as Ryu and Noah Centineo as Ken, bringing together a cast that includes several performers with existing martial arts backgrounds.

‘Street Fighter’ is set to arrive in theaters on October 16, marking one of the more anticipated video game adaptations of the fall season. Given how much emphasis Legendary’s marketing has placed on faithfully translating the franchise’s iconic character designs to live action, Liang’s transformation appears to be part of a broader effort across the cast to avoid leaning too heavily on visual effects or prosthetics.

Whether audiences respond to that level of physical commitment the way the studio hopes remains to be seen once the film actually reaches theaters. For now, Liang’s dedication has already become one of the most talked-about details heading into the movie’s release, offering fans a preview of just how seriously this adaptation is taking its source material.

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