You would think that the entire teenage cast of Cobra Kai grew up in dojos after watching the fight in the school hallway. The footwork appears practiced, and the kicks land cleanly. However, the younger stars of Cobra Kai have much more varied martial arts backgrounds than the choreography implies, and most fans wouldn’t guess who has the longest record.
That would be Owen Morgan, who portrays Bert, the shy, apprehensive student who appears to exist primarily to be pushed around. After nine years at All Star Karate in Atlanta, Morgan actually obtained his black belt in karate in 2019. The school is run by his family. According to him, a karate-based series seemed like a perfect fit, which is one of the reasons they initially pursued the show. He even brought Connor Murdock, who plays Kev, a fellow cast member. It’s a pleasant irony. It’s possible that the child listed as the weakest link was the most prepared.
Hawk, played by Jacob Bertrand, is positioned in the center of the group. At the age of eight, he began karate, earned a purple belt, and then lost interest. Most of it had faded by the time the role materialized. He regained it through stunt training, and since then, he has taken up skateboarding and grappling on the side. As a child, Tanner Buchanan, who portrays Robby Keene, practiced taekwondo and failed to earn several black belts. In addition, he had practiced Muay Thai for about eight months while filming another series. He grew up watching The Karate Kid because his mother is actually a black belt in karate.
Next is Rayna Vallandingham, who debuted in season six as Iron Dragons captain Zara Malik. At age six, she received her first black belt, and at age nine, she won a world championship. She currently has over a dozen world titles and is a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo. She is a fight choreographer as well. It’s difficult to come up with a better example of casting someone who didn’t have to act.
The interesting part of the story is with the rest of the group. When he was younger, Xolo Maridueña studied karate for about a year, but he claims to have forgotten almost everything. Mary Mouser and Peyton List were cast without any formal training. Following that, both persisted: Mouser with Muay Thai and List with a private trainer and kickboxing classes. Gianni DeCenzo went to Krav Maga with his father. As Axl Kovacevic, Patrick Luwis arrived late and relied on online karate lessons and kickboxing classes.
So how can a cast of mostly inexperienced actors create fights that seem so real? The stunt team, under the direction of Jahnel Curfman and Hiro Koda, deserves most of the credit. Before every season, the actors learn the choreography; the camera takes care of the rest. It’s understandable that many seasoned professionals find it difficult to observe the outcomes. Nevertheless, forgiveness is simple.
The show seems to have never really sold realism. It promotes the notion that anyone can become someone, a claim made in the 1984 original movie. Maridueña is possibly the best evidence. Although the actor began with nearly nothing, his character went on to become one of the dojo’s best fighters.
How many viewers are interested in the distinction is still unknown. Not many, most likely. However, it’s a little more enjoyable to rewatch the scene knowing that a real black belt was standing in that hallway.
