McKenna Grace Krav Maga
News Book Celebrity Film Sunrise on the Reaping The Hunger Games

Why McKenna Grace is being dragged over Krav Maga as it sparks Sydney Sweeney comparison

'She’s been weird but wow this really is the cherry on top'

Suchismita Ghosh
23rd October 2026, 12:38
Add as preferred source on Google
Add as preferred source on Google

McKenna Grace is getting dragged after a video of her talking about preparing for Sunrise on the Reaping went viral, with some people questioning her mention of Krav Maga and others comparing her to Sydney Sweeney.

The actress, known for roles in Gifted, The Handmaid’s Tale and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, was talking about the physical demands of her latest role and how much training she had to do before filming.

But what started as a chat about getting fit for a film has now turned into a political debate. So, here’s what happened.

What did McKenna Grace say about Krav Maga?

Grace spoke to Gold Derby about playing her character in Sunrise on the Reaping. She was asked if anything about the role had surprised her, even after reading the books and doing her own research.

She replied, “I think it surprised me just how much cardio is involved in The Hunger Games.”

Grace then explained that she was already pretty active, saying, “I work out like six days a week. I am very physical. I box, I do Krav Maga. I’m a very, I’m a very physical person. I like to stay prepared. I like to stay ready.”

Grace also revealed that the production team sent her a whole workout plan to follow in the months before filming. However, she initially thought it was a bit much.

She recalled telling her trainer, Jason, who she described as her best friend, “There’s no way. Like, you’re totally making this up. I do not need to do this much cardio.”

She specifically mentioned having to run on a treadmill for 20 minutes at a 12 incline, as she didn’t think she needed that much cardio. But after following the plan, she realised just how physically demanding the role would be, saying, “I feel over prepared now, but I was so under prepared for like running up those mountains and running to the Cornucopia.”

So, basically, Grace was talking about how intense the training was for her role. But it was her mention of Krav Maga that some people picked up on.

Why is McKenna Grace being dragged now?

Krav Maga is a self-defence and hand-to-hand combat system developed in Israel. It has military origins but is also taught to civilians for self-defence. After Grace’s video went viral, some people on Twitter questioned her training because of the martial art’s Israeli origins. Grace never said she was making a political statement by practising Krav Maga. But one person questioned, “You are telling me the most chronically online person couldn’t do a simple Google search?”

Another user said, “She’s been weird but wow this really is the cherry on top”.

A third person said, “Promoting krav maga in these times…. so disappointed.”

The backlash has also brought Sydney Sweeney into the conversation, with some people comparing the two actresses. One user wrote, “She wants to take Sydney Sweeney’s maga darling status”.

For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page.