Cobra Kai actor Gianni DeCenzo returns to chat about the show’s 6th and final season and letting Demetri go.
Actor Gianni DeCenzo has played fan favourite character Demetri on Cobra Kai since the first season. Now, as the show approaches its 6th and final season, we caught up with Gianni to discuss the beloved show wrapping up and more.
The interview has been condensed and edited in some places for clarity. Check out the full conversation on the Courageous Nerd YouTube channel, linked below.
Note: This interview was conducted weeks before the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.
We last spoke back in January 2022. What have you been up to since that time?
Gianni DeCenzo: I’ve been taking writing classes, working on some ideas of my own that I eventually want to turn into TV shows, graphic novels, movies. All that jazz.
We’re gearing up for season 6 of Cobra Kai. Unfortunately, it’s kind of bittersweet, the last season of Cobra Kai. I think we’re ending on a really strong note. We’re not going to let it go past its expiration date as so many shows do. We’re ending it on a high and I think that’s really great.
I’ve been working out, trying to get into some sort of flexible shape for Cobra Kai. It’s been great, I’m living.
How far ahead did the cast know about Season 6 being the last season?
Gianni DeCenzo: We kind of figured when we started it that it’d go between 6-8 seasons. Most likely 6, I think that everything’s been pretty on track. I don’t think anybody was blindsided by any of it.
I know that does happen a lot. You’re just driving along and see, “‘Oh no! TV show cancelled’. Production didn’t tell me about that.”
We got a great team – they don’t blindside us like that, thankfully.
When the show ends, you’d have spent 6 years playing Demetri. That’s a long time, especially considering he’s still in high school. Are you sad to let him go or excited about new roles?
Gianni DeCenzo: Like you said, I’ve been doing this for 6 years. I started [the show] when I was 15, now I’m 21. I am kind of sad because I love playing the role and being on the show. I love going to set and working with people.
You know, that’s life. You do one thing and move on to the next. I’ve created a lot of great relationships with people, I love my castmates. I love the creators of the show, getting to meet all the great fans out there. I’m just as big a fan of the show as anybody else.
Getting to share my work with others, it’s been great. I look forward to moving on to the next project. Keep an eye out for that stuff. I have ideas for the future for sure.
We’ve previously discussed your promotion to series regular. That being said, were you aware of any long-term plans for Demetri back in season 1?
Gianni DeCenzo: When I did the audition for Demetri, it was just one scene — the cafeteria scene where we first meet him. I had no idea what the character would become at the time of auditioning. Even when I was doing it, I was like: “I don’t know what could happen.”
There’s a lot that could happen with the character, so much to explore. I wasn’t really sure where they wanted to go. Then, when I got word that they wanted me to be a series regular in season 2, “I was like, alright! I’m here now, I’m in it. I need to start training some more.”
It’s been great ever since. I’ve had a lot of fun and loved where they’ve taken the character. It’s been a cool, collaborative project.
Of course, your time on Cobra Kai is intrinsically linked to Jacob Bertrand’s as Eli/Hawk. If you were to do another project together, what genre/format would you pick?
Gianni DeCenzo: I’ll never work with him again, he’s a crazy person. No, I love working with him. I think it’d be really cool to do an alternative project. Maybe he could play the nerd and I could play the cool guy, for a change. That could be interesting.
Maybe there’s a spin-off down the road. I know they’ve been talking about them for a while now. Maybe Binary Bros?
That’s really the cool thing about acting. You get to do all these great projects and work with a lot of the same people sometimes.
I think we worked really well together despite the fact that he broke my arm. I would definitely love to be on another project with him, it would be cool.
Without giving too much away, how do you feel about Demetri’s upcoming storylines? Do you think it’s satisfying?
Gianni DeCenzo: I’ve loved seeing the way that Demetri goes. I am curious to see how they wrap it up for honestly, everyone in general. I just want to see him continue to develop his fighting skills and continue his relationship with Yasmine.
I can’t wait to see what happens with the Sakai Tekai.
I can’t say anything, I can’t spoil anything. But yeah, I think it’s going to be real interesting.
Lastly, what would you like to say to fans of Cobra Kai who have supported the show for 6 years?
Gianni DeCenzo: Thank you for being there throughout all of that. Thank you to those who were also there during our YouTube days. It was very difficult to have an outreach there. We had a pretty loyal fanbase there too.
I think we just had a great, committed group of people. I’m glad they love the show as much as I love making it.
I’m glad we didn’t butcher The Karate Kid for you guys.
That was a bit of a concern at first, but I think we did good. All thanks to the creators, they’re just as big fans of the OG series as anybody else.
They did their best to make it work and I think they did great.
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