Few actors have been as fortunate as Karl Urban, and he's under no illusions about that fact. Over the last three decades, the New Zealand native has appeared in nearly countless franchises across television and film. If you have a single nerdy bone in your body, you probably love one of the many projects he's starred in. And even after all of these opportunities, Urban has never lost sight of the gratitude and respect for the fans who helped him achieve success in such a fickle industry.
And as he wraps up one of his most beloved roles with The Boys Season 5, another begins when Urban debuts as the iconic actor-turned-fighter Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II. Urban is no stranger to fan expectations and respects the audience's reverence for the material.
"I think that whatever it is, whether it's Star Trek, or Dredd, or The Boys, or Mortal Kombat, if you're a long-term fan of that, you go in there with certain desires and expectations. I feel like my responsibility is primarily to the character, but then also to service the audience, and to service the audience in a healthy way," Urban says, "I want to make sure that, as I am a fan of these characters, that we're delivering what the fans would love to see."
Urban Takes Fan Responsibility Seriously, Even on His Hardest Days
Karl Urban photographed by Yellowbelly in Los Angeles for Collider on February 20, 2026. Photography by Yellowbelly for Collider
Given the wide range of franchises Urban has appeared in, he is a popular figure on the convention circuit and appears across the globe with pride. He knows people look up to him and revere the characters he plays, and he wouldn't have it any other way. "I always enjoy taking the time to interact with fans. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have the opportunity to continue to do what I do."
Although some actors might not enjoy being noticed by fans, tipping their baseball caps down so as not to be recognized, that's not the case for Urban. "I've had times where I've suffered the most devastating losses in my life, and I've been out in public, and somebody comes up to me. I have to put that aside and give them a positive experience, and I am happy to do it. It is part of the responsibility," Urban explains. "If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't continue to have the opportunity to do this."
With a new role in a major franchise, Urban is ready to take up arms for a new set of fans with his debut as Johnny Cage. The actor is excited about joining the Mortal Kombat franchise, especially as a dad who plays the games with his kids.
"I think it's the best version of Mortal Kombat that's ever been committed to film," says Urban. "I hope that it is held in high regard, and I think it will be. It's a good time!"
Johnny Cage Gives Urban a New Kind of ‘Mortal Kombat’ Challenge
Johnny Cage debuted 34 years ago in the first Mortal Kombat game as a hot-shot action star, and since then, the game franchise has certainly twisted and turned the character in certain ways — but the film offers a fresh take by giving us a Johnny who is washed up and at a low point in life.
"I was intrigued by a character who the world has forgotten about, and his best days are behind him," says Urban. "His career is in the tank, he's neglected his martial arts training, and it's at this very juncture when he's at his lowest of lows. All the bombastic ego has just been existentially drained from him."
This might be different from the Johnny Cage fans know from the games, but it's all by design. "It's at this point in his life that he's called upon by Sonia [Blade] and Raiden to come and defend Earthrealm against the absolute tyranny of Shao Khan, and he gets drawn into this world of Mortal Kombat. He's a reluctant participant, to put it mildly. The journey that the character has through the movie — the arc of the character as he moves from a place of selfishness to understanding that there is a bigger picture — it felt to me to be a really compelling story. I'm always looking for an evolution when I look for a character to play, and Johnny certainly had a wonderful evolution about him."
I'm always looking for an evolution when I look for a character to play, and Johnny certainly had a wonderful evolution about him.
Mortal Kombat II is just the latest major franchise Urban is crossing off his list. He appeared as cult-favorite Marvel villain Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok (directed by fellow New Zealander Taika Waititi), and donned the iconic helmet of Judge Dredd in Dredd — a film that fans are still clamoring for a sequel to 14 years later. The actor has been busy all year, with another film titled The Bluff that was released on Prime Video last month. And in every project Urban takes on, he makes sure he maintains decorum and shows respect to everyone on the set.
Understanding how to navigate a set and interact with the crew respectfully is a skill that many in Hollywood require for a production to run smoothly, but few seem to have honed it like Urban. The franchise that helped cement him as an up-and-coming actor also served to teach him the greatest lessons in how to navigate a career in Hollywood. And it just so happens to have been filmed in his home country, affording Urban an opportunity he refuses to take for granted. We're talking, of course, about the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, a project where the actor learned a valuable lesson.
"Peter Jackson taught me the importance of treating everybody — from the caterer to the stunt team to the grips — equally, and being open and available to the people that you're working with, and remaining humble in the process."
Eric Kripke Says Urban Set the Tone on ‘The Boys’
Karl Urban as Billy Butcher snuggling with Terror in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5. Image via Prime Video
That lesson echoes through Urban's career, one that would suit him as he was cast as the lead on one of the most popular shows of the streaming era. The actor recounts the lesson he learned from fellow New Zealand star Lucy Lawless on the set of Xena: Warrior Princess nearly 30 years ago.
"She was the number one on that show and a huge inspiration for many of the cast that came through, and I always remembered how she captained the ship," Urban recalls. "She would always have a positive attitude, always gently encourage the crew and the cast to keep moving forward to get the job done. She was not pretentious; she was available and a real leader. I thought about her every day while shooting The Boys, her demeanor, and how she set the standard."
The Boys executive producer Eric Kripke praises Urban for his role on the set, especially in the final season. "There's this expectation that when you're… The term is 'number one on the call sheet,' which means that you're the lead of the show," Kripke explains. "And with number one, like I always say, number one isn't a privilege. It's a responsibility. You set the tone. The crew follows your lead. The rest of the cast follows your lead. And I can say that Karl is the best number one I've ever worked with in that regard. He takes his role as a leader so seriously in that, when the crew is down, it's Karl who's clapping his hands and saying, 'All right, guys, come on, we can do this.'"
Kripke adds, "When the actors are upset, he'll go to them and work it out. He's remarkable and such an incredible partner beyond the fact that, obviously, he's wildly charismatic and talented and so good at action and drama. But just from a producer standpoint, he's a remarkable partner to have on that set because I'm in Los Angeles a lot of the time. I think one of the reasons that the set is such a loving place is because of the tone he sets. So I give him all the credit in the world for that."
I think one of the reasons that the set is such a loving place is because of the tone [Kripke] sets.
The Boys is set to conclude its five-season run on Prime Video later this month, so Urban's responsibility as number one is over for now. If you follow any of the cast or crew on social media, you can see how close they became ever since they began production over eight years ago. Now that the series is ending, Urban is aware that this group might never get together again in this capacity.
"The hardest part is definitely knowing that you're not going to spend time on set with those people, likely, or be those characters again," Urban reflects. "When you work so long on a project as we did on The Boys — we've been through so much together; mini Toronto winters, when you're out there in the elements, and it really tests the mettle of your character. I think that is what I'm going to miss the most. It's the cast, it's the crew."
The Boys co-star Jack Quaid echoes those sentiments while simultaneously praising Urban for his steady hand while filming those final episodes. "Karl, I'm going to give a lot of credit to you for this," recounts Quaid. "He was the one telling everyone, really take this in because you blink and it will be over, and we all really took that to heart, which I'm really, really, really thankful for."
Urban Loves When the Best Idea Wins
Karl Urban photographed by Yellowbelly in Los Angeles for Collider on February 20, 2026. Photography by Yellowbelly for Collider
Urban, Quaid, and many others have spoken with reverence about their time filming The Boys, especially when it comes to collaboration. As the creative force behind the series, Kripke would often allow the actors to bring their own ideas to the table in order to enhance a scene or storyline.
"I really enjoy what I call the 'genesis process,' which is the process before you get to set, where you have a field of possibilities in front of you. You're opening doors and going down trails and asking, 'What if?' For my imagination and for the realms of possibilities of choices that are available to you, to me, that's an interesting part of the process. In that process of discovery, a few ideas may form. I definitely enjoy working with a collaborator where you turn up on set, you shoot what's on the page until everybody's happy, and they say, 'OK, let's try some other things.' It's quite often through that process that some little nuggets and gems are born."
Urban recalls working with Kripke and Quaid on a scene in the first season of The Boys that truly sums up Urban's character, Billy Butcher, when Quaid's character, Hughie, is being recruited to join the superhero watchmen. "It very much struck me like it was an Alice in Wonderland moment," Urban explains. "It was a Matrix kind of moment. It would be fun if Butcher tried to use The Matrix as an analogy, and then completely fuck up the story of who took what pill, which is so typical. It encapsulates the character in one scene where he has this Machiavellian quality to draw you in, but at the same time, shit's gonna go sideways."
Those are the kinds of moments Urban loves as an actor, going back to working with Jackson on The Lord of the Rings, where he would foster creativity from the team around him. He also credited Viggo Mortensen's work on those sets, praising how he'd approach every scene and give every take its own energy, which in turn provided the editor with the luxury of choice.
"I enjoy the ability to be able to contribute, whether it be pre-planned or improvised. And I enjoy playing best idea wins and have been very blessed in my career to work with collaborators who are open to that and encourage it."
Urban’s Favorite ‘Boys’ Stunts Were As Chaotic As You’d Expect
Karl Urban photographed by Yellowbelly in Los Angeles for Collider on February 20, 2026. Photography by Yellowbelly for Collider
Aside from collaboration, The Boys offered Urban many career experiences he's truly thankful for, but one thing he's definitely going to miss is being able to do vehicle stunts. "I love that shit, dude," he says with a laugh.
Kripke confirms, "He really loves to drive shit. But he lives on the water in Australia, so he is very, very comfortable with speedboats."
In The Boys Season 2, Kripke recounts a scene where the team is on a speedboat racing toward The Deep... and a whale. The boat crashes through the whale, in typical The Boys fashion, leaving everyone covered in blood and guts. And apparently, it was just as chaotic behind the scenes.
"[Karl] really wanted to drive the boat into the whale, which he did and drove it in a way that I think almost murdered Jack Quaid," Kripke says. "And every time there's a car or a spin out or something, he's always the first to volunteer to get behind the wheel. There's something about it that Karl just loves."
It shouldn't be a surprise to learn Urban's love of boats extends outside of work. When he's off set, Urban likes to live on the water as much as possible, saying, "I'm probably happiest when I'm out on the boat."
To sit inside or even watch television or movies all day or play video games all day, it couldn't be further from my sensibility.
"I grew up in a generation where your parents gave you breakfast and were like, 'All right, get the fuck out of the house. Don't come back 'til it's dark.' And so you spent your whole life getting into trouble, trying to get out of trouble," Urban says. "Consequently, now for me, that's what I like to do best, be out in the world, being active, doing things that I find interesting or relaxing. And not to disparage it, but to sit inside or even watch television or movies all day or play video games all day, it couldn't be further from my sensibility."
Urban Refuses To Turn Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter Into a Heated Rivalry
Karl Urban photographed by Yellowbelly in Los Angeles for Collider on February 20, 2026. Photography by Yellowbelly for Collider
Not only is Urban quick to acknowledge his fans, but he's also never keen to play into Hollywood antics that often get people in trouble. After Street Fighter star Andrew Schulz said the cast of Mortal Kombat II "only [cares] about money" at The Game Awards last year, actors in both films have begun trading barbs on social media and during interviews. Urban declined entering the fray with a very diplomatic response: "I'm quite happy to let the films do the talking."
Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive franchise insights Want deeper takes on Karl Urban, Mortal Kombat and franchise craft? Subscribing to the newsletter delivers long-form context, production insights, and curated franchise breakdowns so your fandom stays informed and richer. Get Updates By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . You can unsubscribe anytime.
"For me, I want audiences to go back to the cinema. It's so easy to sit in the comfort of our living rooms and watch it on our home entertainment screens, but to get back to the joy and experience of sitting in the cinema with a group of people — experiencing their reaction along with your reaction, there's nothing like it."
To Street Fighter, Urban has nothing but kind words. "I wish their film all the best. I wish them success. Obviously, I want us to succeed, and I want everybody who makes a film to succeed and find an audience. It's a fucking hard thing to do. The time and energy that people put into these projects is always a leap of faith. You never know how it's going to turn out, and you can get tripped up at any juncture along the way."
The Mortal Kombat versus Street Fighter debate is indicative of Urban's viewpoint on all fandoms and how they interact. As someone who has appeared in Marvel, Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings, and numerous other genre projects, he refuses to stoke the fandom flames that many people often participate in. "I'm just very conscious of the fact that I don't have to fall into anybody else's narrative. I don't get drawn into that," Urban says. "These films are for one people. I don't approach it like I'm in competition with anybody else. I'm here to service the character and service the story and, ultimately, the audience."
Now that The Boys is set to end and Mortal Kombat II is hitting theaters, Urban's dance card is empty for the time being, and he's relishing his opportunity to get back on the water in New Zealand with friends and family, but he's always looking forward to his next opportunity. He's learned so much from all the projects he's worked on over the last 30 years, picking up new things from talented filmmakers like Jackson and J.J. Abrams from the Star Trek franchise, but he's not too keen on following in their footsteps anytime soon.
"I'm definitely drawn to directing or even writing, any element that is involved with the storytelling process," Urban says. "The thing is, I've worked with so many truly incredible directors, and I'm aware of all of the elements that a good director has to have at their fingertips. You have to know about lighting, sound, imagery, and lenses. You have to know how to communicate with your actors. You have to know about writing and [storytelling]. You have to be unflappable when you've turned up at a location, and you've been shooting there for three days in a row in the sun, and suddenly it's raining."
I don’t have to fall into anybody else’s narrative. I don’t get drawn into that.
He goes on to say how he has a "deep admiration and respect for the job," and never once takes any of it for granted. "For me to just flippantly go, ‘Oh, I could do that!’ It just feels disingenuous to say that because it’s a big task.”
When speaking about the types of projects he'd like to take on in the future, he rules nothing out. He mentioned a desire to reunite with Dredd writer Alex Garland, speaks highly of doing a rom-com, and even thinks about joining another franchise. While those big IPs tend to dominate his list of credits, Urban is quick to praise the idea of genre films and declares confidently, "Everything is genre, you can't escape that." It might seem like Urban has jumped from franchise to franchise, but that's not exactly intentional. He's just looking for the next meaty role to sink his teeth into.
After growing up watching Westerns with his father, he graduated to films like Alien, The Empire Strikes Back, and Cool Hand Luke. "I was punched in the guts at the end of that movie. I did not see it coming," he recalls. These films are what originally compelled Urban to pursue acting in the first place, where he's eager to continue challenging himself by exploring a character's journey.
"I'm just interested to do anything that I haven't done before," Urban says. "The interesting part is the challenge of embarking on a journey that you don't necessarily know how you're going to execute. You don't know if you have the ability, but you know in the process that you're gonna learn along the way. And that's half the fun, as an artist, where the interesting choices lie. That's one of the aspects about my job that I enjoy the most —I'm constantly on the lookout for change and for a challenge."
Photographer: Yellowbelly | Grooming: Barbara Guillaume | Location: Los Angeles, California