Richard Divizio (born September 6, 1968 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American actor best known for his work in the Mortal Kombat video game series. He holds a degree in computer graphic design from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, of which MK co-creator and former Midway employee John Tobias was an alumnus.Divizio is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Kano in the original Mortal Kombat. He also appeared in Mortal Kombat II as Baraka, and reprised the role of Kano for both Mortal Kombat II and Mortal Kombat 3, the latter in which he also played the masked hook swordsman Kabal. In 1997, he portrayed Quan Chi in both the game and full motion video sequences in the platform title Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, and provided motion capture footage for the character as well in Mortal Kombat 4. Divizio stated that his favourite role that he played in the Mortal Kombat series was Quan Chi.He was the only actor who appeared in all of the digitized Mortal Kombat games, and the characters he portrayed were concealed under masks or makeup. Kano's infrared implant was attached to his face with spirit gum for filming in the first and third games.Divizio and his fellow MK actors became minor celebrities during the height of franchise's success with Mortal Kombat II. They appeared in costume on the cover of the January 1994 issue of Video Games, which featured the group in an extensive profile three months later. Divizio made several appearances at trade shows dressed as Scorpion, despite not having played him in any of the games; this was because Daniel Pesina, who had played Scorpion during filming for MKII, regularly suited up as Johnny Cage.He returned to the MK series in 2002, contributing to Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance as a motion capture actor.In the 2002 martial arts movie Book of Swords, he portrayed a crime boss named Taz, who was out for a magical tome called The Book of Swords. The movie also starred three other MK actors in Katalin Zamiar, Ho Sung Pak, and Daniel Pesina. In a nod to his Mortal Kombat alter ego, Divizio's character was very similar to Kano in looks and storyline, and the other three actors are also seen in similar MK clothing/roles throughout the picture.Divizio can also be seen as a background thug in the 2008 film The Dark Knight, also with another Mortal Kombat alumni John Turk.
All of the characters Divizio portrayed in the MK series were concealed under masks or make-up. Kano's infrared implant was attached to his face with spirit gum for filming in the first and third games.
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He holds a degree in computer graphic design from the American Academy of Art in Chicago, of which MK co-creator and former Midway employee John Tobias was an alumnus.
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Divizio also made several public appearances as Scorpion despite not having played him in any of the games.
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The April 1994 issue of Video Games magazine quoted Divizio as jokingly claiming that White Castle hamburgers were Kano's favorite food. Three months earlier, he had appeared on the cover dressed as Scorpion.
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He is the only actor who appeared in all of the digitized Mortal Kombat games.
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Divizio was accidentally punched in the mouth by Anthony Marquez (Kung Lao) during a martial arts exhibition featuring the MK actors at the 1995 ACME video game convention in Reno, Nevada.
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Studied computer graphic design at the American Academy of Art
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Dark Knight
2008
Chechen Gangster (uncredited)
Book of Swords
2007
Taz
Mortal Kombat Gold
1999
Video Game
Quan Chi
Baraka (voice, as Rich Divizio)
Mortal Kombat 4
1997
Video Game
Quan Chi (voice, as Rich Divizio)
Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero
1997
Video Game
Quan Chi
Shang Tsung
Mortal Kombat Trilogy
1996
Video Game
Kano
Kabal
MK1 Kano
...
Mortal Kombat 3
1995
Video Game
Kano
Kabal
Mortal Kombat II
1993
Video Game
Baraka
Kano (voice)
Mortal Kombat
1992
Video Game
Kano
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
1991
Foot Soldier
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance
2002
Video Game motion capture actor
Mortal Kombat 4
1997
Video Game motion capture talent - as Rich Divizio