‘Street Fighter’ Star Callina Liang Reveals the Grueling Chun-Li Training That Pushed Her to the Edge

Few video game heroes come with as much built-in pressure as Chun-Li. She debuted in ‘Street Fighter II‘ in 1991 as the first playable woman in a mainstream fighting game, and her fans have strong opinions about everything from her signature buns to her powerful kicks. Callina Liang’s Chun-Li training was always going to be under a microscope.

Liang knew exactly what she was signing up for. The Canadian actress has said she has loved the character since she was 12, and she wanted to honor what Chun-Li means to so many people. That meant diving deep into both the game and the physical demands of the role.

Before the heavy lifting began, Liang did her homework. In an interview with Empire, she said she downloaded every version of ‘Street Fighter’ onto her PlayStation 5 and recorded Chun-Li’s moves in slow motion on her phone. She then replayed the clips again and again to learn how the character moves.

The approach makes sense for a role defined by movement. Liang also said she studied martial arts for 2 years in drama school, but told ScreenRant that “everything changed for me from my diet to the way I trained” once this film came along.

Callina Liang training for Chun-Li. #StreetFighter #ChunLi https://t.co/m4YomswvcM

— Closed Build (@ClosedBuild) October 16, 2026

The new details about the regimen are striking. Liang said she trained in Taekwondo, Muay Thai and wushu for 2 hours a day, since Chun-Li is all about kicks, and added leg strength work on top. She also changed her diet drastically, eating 12 eggs a day while bulking and having a meal every 2 hours.

By her own account, she was on the verge of throwing up at times, but she said it worked. By the end of the shoot, her thighs had grown 6.5 centimeters each, which is a little over 2 inches. For a character famous for her powerful legs, it was a commitment that went well beyond the usual movie prep.

Liang has also been thoughtful about the limits of adapting an animated icon. In a cover interview with Zero Nine Magazine, she described reminding herself to be realistic, since Chun-Li looks a certain way in games and comics, but a human being still has to move. That balance between honoring the source material and staying practical is a big part of the job.

She also described the schedule in detail. She trained for about a month before pre-production began and continued during production, with 2 hours in the morning and an hour in the afternoon. She said she still trains at least twice a week and now treats it as a form of therapy.

Filming took a physical toll too. Liang recalled fighting for 5 hours at a time against a group of stunt performers, throwing kicks at their faces. She also noted that the spinning back kick, Chun-Li’s most classic move, was performed by stunt performer Megan, who started training for it 6 months before pre-production.

That detail is a reminder that big action movies rely on a team. Liang’s work covered the core of the character, while stunt specialists handled the most dangerous or technical moves. It’s a collaborative process that rarely gets as much attention as a headline-grabbing diet.

PERFECT! Watch the New Trailer for Street Fighter, hitting theaters everywhere October 16. https://t.co/jAAPf1k9jf

— Street Fighter Movie (@Street_Fighter) September 1, 2026

The stakes are high for this particular adaptation. The ‘Street Fighter’ franchise has had a rough time on the big screen, since the 1994 film and 2009’s ‘Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li’ both struggled at the box office. Chun-Li has previously been played by Ming-Na Wen and Kristin Kreuk, so Liang is stepping into a role with a complicated history.

Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the new film arrived in theaters on October 16, 2026, with Noah Centineo as Ken, Andrew Koji as Ryu, Cody Rhodes as Guile, Jason Momoa as Blanka and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog. Early reaction has been mixed, which makes the performances all the more important to how the movie is remembered.

For many viewers, Liang’s dedication is the most encouraging part of the project. Fans have been quick to respect her hustle, with some joking about the egg count while others simply admire the discipline. Her gym video, which has been circulating online, shows her talking about how she felt after getting cast, and it has drawn plenty of positive attention.

Beyond the physical transformation, she has spoken about what representation means to her. She has said Chun-Li was the first playable woman fighter and was also Chinese, which made her a hero she could look up to as a kid.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!