Kevan Ohtsji is playing Sub-Zero in the new web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevan about his role and found out what his most challenging role to date.
Mike Gencarelli: What was your first thoughts when you became involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”
Kevan Ohtsji: Awesome. I remember being in high school and going to the arcade with my friends. Kids always crowded around the Mortal Kombat game, watching intently as the players battled it out. Not to mention placing rows of quarters on the sill of the game to ensure their place in line to play. So as you might suspect, I was thrilled to find out I’d be part of this project.
MG: Were you familiar with the character of Sub Zero?
KO: Yep! He’s one of my favorite characters. I was really happy when the costume designers were building the wardrobe for the show.
It had many layers, and in my view felt like what a warrior back in ancient times would wear without being too glamorized or trite.
MG: What can we expect from your character in the rest of the series?
KO: I don’t want to spoil some of the things Kevin and the producers have created. But I do think audiences will have a nice surprise watching Scorpion and Sub Zero coming face to face.
Certainly the fight scenes will be a special treat to watch. I think audiences will have some understanding where these characters are coming from, and perhaps even more interest piqued 
into their back stories.
MG: How was it working with director Kevin Tancharoen?
KO: Fantastic! He certainly knows what he wants and how to execute it. I did some research on him before getting to set. He certainly wowed everyone with Rebirth. Sheesh! Talk about production value! I was floored when I learned that he shot all of it in such a short time span, and with the resources he had. All I can say is I think Kevin is going to go really, really far. He has the certainty of a seasoned director, the energized passion of the youth, and skill and talent that is bursting at the seams.
MG: How was it working with the web series format?
KO: I came to set to find I was working on a feature. High, high quality. The D.P. was fantastic. Kim Miles. Super cool guy. I had working with him on a short film previously, and it was a blast to work with him again. The stunt team was amazing, as everyone will see. All the cast and crew I met were top notch. It was a real treat to work on this show.
MG: What has been your most challenging role to date?
KO: It probably would have the mini-series “Race to Mars”. It was very ambitious, and I played an astronaut on man’s first manned mission to Mars. Galafilm and the Discovery Channel produced it, and we shot in Montreal Canada. Production was meticulous at trying to be as authentic and to 
true to the current science as we knew it. We even got to sit face to face with Canada’s first astronaut in space, Mr. Marc Garneau. It was wild. His daughter was the technical adviser to the show, making sure that we portrayed things accurately. Our wardrobe for ‘exterior’ shots was designed as what current astronauts would wear. Each character needed three people to become fully dressed in our astronaut attire. I love coffee, but had to forgo it for awhile as peeing every few hours would require lots of people to unstrap here, and unzip there. They even thoughtfully built a small fan inside the helmet to keep us cool, and added ice packs within costumes. It was a really kind gesture, but if you’re familiar with Montreal summers – it was dang hot in those suits! All in all, it was a great experience, and I’d jump at the chance to do all again!
MG: What other projects do you have upcoming?
KO: You can see me guest starring in Steven Seagal’s True Justice “The Brotherhood”, the MoWs “Collision Earth” and “Crashsite”, and a few shorts are making their festival runs “Tora” (with David Suzuki), “Henry’s Glasses”, and Serum 1831.
