Orville Peck has the internet in a chokehold after sharing a tantalising sneak peek from the upcoming live-action Street Fighter film — and let’s just say, the girls, gays, and theys are sweating.
The masked country crooner, best known for his haunting vocals and signature fringed face coverings, posted a promotional still last week that revealed his transformation into Vega — the iconic claw-wielding, acrobatic Spanish fighter from the video game series.
“While I taste my victory, you will agonise in defeat,” Peck captioned the post, where he appears shirtless, in full Vega mode — mask intact, naturally.
A Star-Studded Street Fight
Slated to hit cinemas in October next year, the film is set in 1993 and follows estranged martial artists Ryu (played by Warrior’s Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) who are drawn back into an underground tournament after being recruited by the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang).
Peck filmed much of his part earlier this year while in Australia, alongside a stacked ensemble cast that includes 50 Cent, Noah Centineo, and none other than Jason Momoa.
The internet, predictably, lost its mind after the first look at Peck’s Vega dropped. The film’s official Instagram chimed in with, “He is beauty. He is grace”, while fans flooded the comments with declarations of thirst, including:
“Finish me.”
“Daddy? Sorry! Daddy? Sorry!”
And Noah Cyrus, Peck’s close friend and frequent collaborator, kept it candid:
“My panties are on the floor.”
Peck’s Theatrical Turn — And the Mask Moment Fans Craved
Before his big-screen debut, Peck made his Broadway debut in January as the Emcee in Cabaret, starring opposite Eva Noblezada as Sally Bowles.
The role marked a full-circle moment for Peck, who had previously been involved in a Cabaret production in his early 20s.
“I was a Kit Kat boy, and I played the gorilla,” he told Playbill. “That’s when I really started to fall in love with the depth of the piece.”
Notably, the Broadway run gave fans what they’d been craving for years: a rare opportunity to see Peck without his trademark mask. It was a brief but memorable unmasking — only for the theatre.
When his stint on stage ended in July, Peck reflected:
“Fulfilling a lifelong dream in this show has been one of the most challenging and proudest moments of my career,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I’m ready to return to my music, my home and new adventures, but I leave a better person because of this. Thank you NYC, thank you Broadway and auf wiedersehen…for now.”
Now, with Street Fighter on the horizon, Peck is proving that the mask may stay on — but his star is only rising higher.
