Transcript from June 20, 2001
Actor Jeffrey Meek
Rayden/Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat Conquest

Jeffrey Meek is a talented actor that has starred in multiple projects of movies, television and theatre. He joined us on 6/20/01 at The #mortalkombat IRC Network! chat room to talk with the fans.

"Webmaster's Note: This transcript has been edited for language and inappropriate content."

Nosaj-Samoht: Welcome everyone to "Fight Night" with actor Jeff Meek who portrayed "Lord Rayden" and "Shao Kahn" on the tv series "Mortal Kombat Conquest".
Jeff-Meek: Hi everyone!

[FireFly]: Mr. Meek, how fun was it to be your own worst enemy? :)
Jeff-Meek: I got well intergrated

MKJohn: Jeff, do you watch pro wrestling? :-)
Jeff-Meek: Ah, No

OpalLotus: "Hi Jeff, are you working on anything new?"
Jeff-Meek: I'm writing a new screenplay and perhaps directing a film soon

Smoke_Rulz: Did you like working on the set with all actors?
Jeff-Meek: Most of them, yes

LouDowney: "Dragon says 'I'm looking forward to whatever you do next." Me, too! Anything interesting in the works?"
Jeff-Meek: The biz is kinda slow right now because of the pending strike

DArqueBishop: Hey Jeff, first off, thanks for joining us tonight... what I was wondering was how much of impact the previous performances of Christopher Lambert and James Remar (as Rayden) and Brian Thompson (as Shao Kahn) influenced your portrayals of those characters.
Jeff-Meek: Not much, but Brian and I went to school together and we are still close friends

Snowflakes: did anything really funny happened on set of MK Conquest and if so what was the funniest?
Jeff-Meek: Fighting myself in the final episode was pretty funny

SubRosa: hi Jeff, are you as disciplined as your character Raven, ie: do you get up early in the morning, eat only healthy foods, alcohol in moderation (none?) etc?
Jeff-Meek: most of the time I am pretty good about my vices. I get up and pray and meditate every morning and night

MKJohn: If there were to be another season of MK Conquest, would you reprise your roles of Raiden and Shao Kahn?
Jeff-Meek: Why not?

Subzero_Macleod: Mr. Meek, what was your hardest scene that you had to be in?
Jeff-Meek: About the scene I will think about that one

Smoke_Rulz: Did you play anyone else on the show besides Raiden and Kahn?
Jeff-Meek: Weren't they enough?:)

OpalLotus: We were told there would be a second season, then nothing..what happened?
Jeff-Meek: I think there was a money problem. The producer forgot to include actor residuals which amounted to about 2 million dollars.

DArqueBishop: Speaking of that... how did you actually end up playing both roles? Were they specifically looking for an actor who could play both, or was it just one of those things that came about during auditions or after you were hired for one role or the other?
Jeff-Meek: I don't know what they were thinking but I was reading for Rayden and after a couple of tests they asked for me to read for Shao Khan too.

Jonin01: What did you think of the two roles you played in Mortal kombat Conquest?
Jeff-Meek: I loved it. With Rayden I could come in and tell the jokes and with Shao Khan I could scare the hell out of everyone and get away with it. And get paid for both. It was a gas.

mkeldergod: Jeff: What project are you working on right now?
Jeff-Meek: I'm developeing a couple of projects and I also work in pain management

bindyboo: are you still in contact with Paolo, Daniel and Kristianna?
Jeff-Meek: I have talked to Paolo recently but not Dan. I talked to Kris about a year ago.

MiKeMcD5: I heard from Jim Helsinger (Reiko on MKC) that only at the last minute they added the stripes on his eyes... did you notice any other character issue that were brought up during production?
Jeff-Meek: Yeah, there was a big debate about my hair and the mask. So I shaved my head to save the makeup department a lot of work and the mask went through about 5 changes before they liked it.

LouDowney: "Did you live in Florida while you were doing MKC or did you commute?"
Jeff-Meek: I lived in Celebration and loved it.

mkeldergod: Jeff: Who did the visual effects on the tv show MKC?
Jeff-Meek: I think Larry Kassenoff would know more about that. Nosaj-Samoht: mkeldergod, I believe that the visual effects were all done by Threshold Digital Research Labs.

SubRosa: did you always want to be an actor? Who (what) influenced you to become one?
Jeff-Meek: My Mom was a big influence and i started working as an actor when I was 12

Scott-MK5org: Jeff, rumor has it the 3rd Mortal Kombat Film is in the works, would you ever want to portray the role of Rayden or Shao Khan in the 3rd Mortal Kombat Film?
Jeff-Meek: Oh yeah, I talked to Larry about that and he said he wanted me to play at least Rayden. I really want to play both again. I would feel naked if I didn't

Subzero_Macleod: How would the story continue if they had began the 2nd season in MKC since is looked like everyone was very well dead?
Jeff-Meek: I have no clue.

MiKeMcD5: As a heterosexual post-adolencent male I have to ask this question... What was it like working with all those hot actresses (Playboy Playmates, Baywatch baabes) including my favorite redhead Miller Lite girl Angelica Bridges (Omegis on MKC) ?!?
Jeff-Meek: What do you think? It was eye candy.

LouDowney: "Have you ever accidently hurt anyone during a fight scene?"
Jeff-Meek: Yes, I knocked out a few unfortunate fellas

Smoke_Rulz: Did you know anything about MK before you took he job, or were you just selected knowing nothing about the world of MK?
Jeff-Meek: I played the video game before the first movie came out. I was a fan.

Subzero_Macleod: Mr. Meek, did you put any of your own characteristics in the style of playing Rayden, more so did you take any of Rayden's persona home with you?
Jeff-Meek: Yes, I love the way he carried himself and was never really fazed by anything. I wish I was more like him.

Jonin01: Of any role you've ever played, MK Conquest or otherwise, which are you most proud of and why?
Jeff-Meek: I'm proud of Stranger in the Doors musical and I loved playing Raven and The Exile. They are all wonderfully complex and interesting people.

DArqueBishop: Which of the games do you consider to be your favorite?
Jeff-Meek: I don't play video games anymore.

SubRosa: sorry I'm stuck on Raven here... what happened to the series? It ended before he could find his son, if I'm not mistaken. Was the ending ever written at all, and if so, what was it?
Jeff-Meek: I was replaced by Walker Texas Ranger. They had better ratings. But we had a better location.

Nosaj-Samoht: Jeff, what martial arts styles do you practice and for how long have you done them for?
Jeff-Meek: You name it. I have been studying for about 11 years now.

Snowflakes: have you ever had fans recognize you in public?
Jeff-Meek: Yes. But not for MK. Too much makeup.

STEROLIZER: Do you visit any mk sites?
Jeff-Meek: Not yet.

bindyboo: Which side of acting do you find more challenging: stage, tv, or movies?
Jeff-Meek: They all have there magic and they are all difficult. I believe the theatre is an actor's medium and movies are a directors medium and TV is for writers.

Subzero_Macleod: How long are you given from when you get your script to when you have to film it?
Jeff-Meek: Depends on the movie. I have had to memorize 40 pages one day before shooting and I have had 3 months before shooting.

[FireFly]: Have you ever wished you had landed a different role on MKC?
Jeff-Meek: I loved my guys.

bindyboo: Bruce Locke said he played golf with you in Florida while filming MKC. Do you still play?
Jeff-Meek: I played today at Mountaingate with my friend Jeff. I miss Bruce. Where is he?

STEROLIZER: Do you agree with the ending that was given to the final episode of MKC?
Jeff-Meek: I don't think they intended that to be the end.

Nosaj-Samoht: Jeff, is there anyone out there that you like to work with in either television or film?
Jeff-Meek: Directors mostly. Some actors. I love Jack Nickolson and Gene Hackman. I would love to work with Jennifer Conelly.

bindyboo: Don't you think Threshold should resolve this ending even with a TV movie??
Jeff-Meek: I think they should continue the series. It never should have been taken off the air.

LightBishop: If you had the chance, which other MK characters would you like to portray?
Jeff-Meek: There are other characters? :)

SubRosa: what was the last good movie you saw, where you said "now this one was worth making"? Or do you think they all are?
Jeff-Meek: The last good movie I saw was Crouching Tiger

Nosaj-Samoht: follow up to that, Jeff do you think a 3rd MK film should adopt wirework and effect such as a film like Crouching Tiger or stay the course it has taken?
Jeff-Meek: It should use state of the art. Go for it!

[FireFly]: Your Rayden character often showed his sarcastic side...how much of that Rayden exists in your own personality?
Jeff-Meek: I think I am slightly more reserved. But if I am in a bad mood I am a lot like Khan

OpalLotus: Would you have rather done more fighting in Code name Phoenix or were you happy with it?
Jeff-Meek: I would have prefered a lot more of everything.

MiKeMcD5: Pop Quiz Hot Shot... In 60 seconds, name as many Special Moves as you can of Raiden's !!!
Jeff-Meek: the watoosee and the chatanuga shuffle and the waga waga wing bang woo. How did I do?

Jonin01: Have you done any Shakespearean roles in the past on Stage? If so what, if not would you be interested in it someday?
Jeff-Meek: I love Shakespeare. But few like to see it. I played Coriolanus and many others. I want to do more but it doesn't pay much.

bindyboo: If some of your martial arts training involved sword work would you consider doing something Highlander related?
Jeff-Meek: I love that sword. I would love to do something with it.

Baraka_MK: do you plan on coming back some time?
Jeff-Meek: sure I would love to come back.

Subzero_Macleod: Did you have a scene that was very hard to film?
Jeff-Meek: No

SubRosa: I've never heard you sing, Jeff, are you good? ;)
Jeff-Meek: Hell yeah Im good

OpalLotus: will you ever put out a CD of your songs(I'd buy it!)
Jeff-Meek: maybe sometime

STEROLIZER: Jeff, do you think that the final episode of MKC really was the final episode???
Jeff-Meek: no it wasnt the final one but they pulled the plug I thought I was going to be there for five years

Smoke_Rulz: Besides Kahn and Raiden, who's your favorite MK character?
Jeff-Meek: I like Kristana's role

[FireFly]: were you ever in a commercial Mr. Meek?
Jeff-Meek: Never did commercials

SubRosa: do you remember the Vicki! show where you said you'd like to settle down... one day... Well, did you?
Jeff-Meek: I have a wonderful partner

Baraka_MK: Mr. Meek, which is the correct spelling, Raiden or Rayden?
Jeff-Meek: Rayden

LouDowney: Jeff, anything happening with your adaptation of The Cenci?
Jeff-Meek: I am having others read it now.

Nosaj-Samoht: Jeff we like to thank you for coming tonight and chatting with you fans. This means alot. We also like to thank Michael McDaniel and Lou Downey for setting this chat up.
Jeff-Meek: My pleasure. This is fun.