Mortal Kombat's Forgotten TV Prequel Series Helped Launch Eva Mendes' Career

May 26, 2026 - 16:06

Before she became a household name opposite Denzel Washington in "Training Day," Eva Mendes cut her teeth in a surprising place: the short-lived television series "Mortal Kombat: Conquest." The show, which aired in the late 1990s, served as a prequel to the popular video game franchise and its hit movie adaptations. It followed the warrior Siro as he trained to become a champion under the guidance of the thunder god Raiden.

Mendes played Hanna, a character described as Siro's former fiancee. Her role was relatively small, appearing in only a handful of episodes, but it marked one of her earliest on-screen credits. At the time, she was a young actress just starting to navigate Hollywood, and landing a part in a syndicated action series based on a major property was a significant step.

The series itself only lasted one season, failing to capture the same magic as the films. It has since faded into relative obscurity, remembered mostly by die-hard fans of the franchise. For Mendes, however, it was a crucial early credit that helped build her resume. She would go on to star in "Training Day" just a few years later, a role that catapulted her to international fame. While "Mortal Kombat: Conquest" is largely forgotten, it remains a curious footnote in the career of a major star.