Zangief Actor Olivier Richters Competed in a Street Fighter 6 Tournament Using Zangief, and He’s Actually Pretty Good

Olivier Richters, the actor who plays Zangief in the 2026 Street Fighter film, entered a Street Fighter 6 tournament in the Netherlands as “TheDutchGiant”, using Zangief in-game. His appearance drew attention from the fighting game community and showed how the film role had inspired him to compete.

Richters used Modern controls and won two sets by disqualification before losing to a player called BlackBeard. Video from the event showed him taking a round from his opponent, to the crowd’s delight. He has said he wants to become one of the best Zangief players and train with a professional; a sequel to the film is being written, though its future remains uncertain.