When Mortal Kombat was released in the summer of 1995, it happened without Cameron Diaz, who had originally been cast as Sonya Blade. Based on the martial arts video game of the same name, the film was a blockbuster that topped the box office and grossed more than $122 million worldwide. Now it stands as a beacon of success in the video game genre compared to financial flop adaptations like Doom and the legendarily bizarre Super Mario Bros.
The original Mortal Kombat featured a cast of mostly unknown actors. Cameron Diaz was supposed to be among them but had to be replaced. At the time, she was also just starting out in Hollywood. Diaz had only shot The Mask with Jim Carrey, which was in post-production while Mortal Kombat was casting. Producers gained access to dailies from that film and recognized Diaz's talents immediately, bringing her on board as the stern, vendetta-chasing Sonya Blade. In the end, she was replaced by Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, who had previously been in Billy Madison and Last Action Hero.
An injury ultimately caused Cameron Diaz to step down as Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat, forcing producers to recast her. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Diaz began martial arts training for the movie almost immediately after securing the role. Right before shooting was supposed to kick off, she broke her wrist and was unable to complete the stunts and fight sequences required to tell the Mortal Kombat story.
Everything seems to have worked out for both Cameron Diaz and the makers of Mortal Kombat after she was recast. The movie's success has already been detailed, and Diaz obviously went on to have an incredible career. Her performances in There's Something About Mary, Being John Malkovich, and Bad Teacher are unforgettable, and she will be forever loved by generations young and old for voicing Fiona in the Shrek series.
Mortal Kombat really lost a star in the making. Maybe though, had she not been recast, Cameron Diaz would have changed the chemistry that gave the video-game-inspired feature its box office magic. Or perhaps, she may have never gotten some of the breaks that propelled her to stardom. Bridgette Wilson-Sampras turned out to be a satisfying Sonya Blade. The former Miss Teen USA did all of her own stunts and choreographed fighting for Mortal Kombat, pulling off realistic-looking punches and roundhouse kicks without assistance from CGI or stunt professionals. Of course, Cameron Diaz eventually wound up conquering action movies with the over-the-top Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. It really did all work out for her in the end.