The world first experienced The Karate Kid in 1984. It told the story of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio), who was taught Karate by Mr. Miyagi Pat Morita), to help him face his bullies in a tournament. The plot was twisted by the fact that one of Daniel’s bullies, Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), was an ex-boyfriend of his love interest, Ali Mills (Elisabeth Shue). Written by Robert Mark Kamen, the film became a box-office success and morphed into a cult classic. Its massive success led to it being franchised.
34 years after its debut, Cobra Kai, a spin-off that involves part of the original cast, was born. Most notable was the missing presence of Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), who passed on in 2005. The remake tells the story through the eyes of Johnny. It began as a YouTube original in 2018 and moved home to Netflix where it blew up. With over six billion minutes watched, here are some surprising facts about the cast:
10 Ralph Macchio’s First Job Paid Him $1 Per Hour
Long before Ralph Macchio made it to VH1’s 100 Greatest Teen Stars, and afforded himself a home in Long Island, he knew what it was to work for perks below minimum wage. In an interview with Us Weekly, he revealed a few facts about himself. The details of his first job were pretty striking; he made his first few coins working at his dad’s laundromat. His pay: $1 for every hour he worked.
9 William Zabka Is An Atheist
William Zabka has gotten a ton of praise for how he portrays Johnny Lawrence on Cobra Kai. Most fans think he has aged well, too. On The Jenny McCarthy Show, he attributed his stellar performance to good chemistry with the show’s writers. While this would be perceived as a spiritual connection that makes great art, William Zabka is an atheist. He joins the list of celebrities like Brad Pitt, who are irreligious.
8 Courtney Henggeler Has A Unique Rap Habit
Outside her role as Daniel’s wife Amanda LaRusso, Courtney Henggeler is rooted deep in motherhood. When she’s not fake-running LaRusso Auto Group, the mother of two is changing toddlers' diapers. So embedded she is in the role that she raps about diapers. How we’d love to listen to one of those!
7 Tanner Buchanan Is Not A Social Media Person
Before Cobra Kai premiered, Tanner Buchanan had less than 100k followers. It was only a matter of time before his following would shoot up. At the moment, he has an astounding 1.8 million followers on Instagram, a sign that the show has lived up to its cult-like legacy. It’s surprising to learn that, although his following is high, Tanner Buchanan is not much of a social media enthusiast.
6 Mary Mouser Had Never Watched ‘The Karate Kid’
Samantha LaRusso worked her way into becoming one of the best students at ‘Miyagi-Do Karate’. A fight with Tory Nichols left her conflicted; she was unsure about Martial arts. Slowly but surely, she regained her confidence. The ease with which Mary Mouser portrays her role might blind one to the fact that, before Cobra Kai, she had never watched The Karate Kid.
5 Jacob Bertrand Plays The Guitar
When Eli ‘Hawk’ is not being corrupted by Cobra Kai’s ‘No Mercy’ policy, he uses a different approach to deal with emotions: music. He has a Youtube Channel where he shares videos of himself working the strings. In a short interview with Flaunt, he revealed that besides playing the guitar, he’s an avid rock climber. Were it not for Covid-19, he would be hiking with his friends.
4 Martin Kove Idolizes James Bond
Asked who’s had the most impact on his career, Martin Kove pointed to the late Sean Connery (James Bond). Martin Kove met Sean Connery on the set of The Anderson Tapes, a 1972 movie. Years later, they became tennis friends, and Sean gave him life-changing advice. Torn between school and becoming a professional actor, Sean Connery told him: “If you can do the classics, you can do anything.” Those words of wisdom altered his entire life.
3 Peyton List Has This Wardrobe Rule
In an interview with InStyle Magazine, Peyton List gave away a few of her fashion secrets. Her go-to designer is Carolina Herrera, whose designs she finds effortless. The golden rule of fashion, however, is this: "There are three body parts you can show: cleavage, stomach, and legs. But if you're showing all three at once, it's not appropriate to go out.” That’s definitely something worth living by.
2 Vanessa Rubio Is A Painter
Fans of Vanessa Rubio were elated when it was announced that she, alongside Peyton List, would be a series regular. When she’s not having a complicated relationship with Johnny on-screen, Vanessa Rubio likes to paint and does so in many mediums, according to her IMDb profile.
1 Xolo Mariduena Is Obsessed With Floral Patterns
Miguel Diaz became one of Cobra Kai’s top students so fast. The tough training martial arts personality aside, he is quite soft on the inside. He is obsessed with floral patterns. Pieces of his floral outfits are randomly spread across his Instagram account. “ Whether they are on a dress shirt, jacket, or even socks, you can never go wrong with flowers.” He said.