Did Gina Carano star in Deadpool?

Former Strikeforce fighter Gina Carano did star in the 2016 R-rated Marvel superhero flick Deadpool. The former mixed martial artist portrayed the villain Angel Dust in the Ryan Reynolds starrer.

Deadpool was Carano's fourth-ever appearance on the big screen and her third time featuring in a mainstream Hollywood flick. Her first claim to film fame in Hollywood came in 2011 when she starred in the action-thriller film Haywire.

Carano was a nominee for the critic's choice award for 'Best Actress in an action movie' for Haywire. She also won the 2012 'Chuck Norris Award' for 'Best Female Action Star' at the Action Film Awards.

Deadpool is not the only star-studded project the former fighter has been a part of. Prior to the Marvel film, the former Strikeforce competitor also starred in another Hollywood blockbuster, Fast & Furious 6. In the movie, she portrayed the villain Riley Hicks.

In addition to her many film appearances, Carano has also been a part of a number of television series'. Fit Girls, American Gladiators, Almost Human, and hit Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian are her most popular TV outings.

---

Gina Carano's MMA career and record

In an interview with late-night host Conan O'Brien, Gina Carano revealed how she initially came into the world of mixed martial arts.

In response to the host's question about how a beautiful woman such as herself became interested in cage-fighting, Carano responded:

"Well I was drinking four days with my ex-boyfriend one night... and he wanted to kind of change his life. So he woke up the next day and went to the gym and started training and then when I went and watched him, like the good girlfriend I was, and then I started fighting five months later."

Watch Gina Carano's interview with Conan O'Brien below:

From 2006 to 2009, Gina Carano fought for various promotions, including Strikeforce, a total of eight times. Carano's MMA record stands at seven wins and one loss.

After amassing an impressive 12-1-1 record in Muay-Thai, Carano received an invitation to be a part of the first-ever sanctioned women's MMA fight in history in 2006.

The bout was under the banner of 'World Extreme Fighting' in Las Vegas, Nevada. Carano won the historic mixed martial arts bout against Leiticia Pestova in the first round via knockout.

The former fighter's only defeat came at the hands of current Bellator women's featherweight champion Cris Cyborg in her last bout in 2009. Despite not having fought since her defeat, Carano is still under a four-fight contract with the UFC after the premier fight promotion acquired Strikeforce.